25 things to watch in 2025

PAGE 8 WEEKLY REGISTER-CALL PAGE 9 WEEKLY REGISTER-CALLFebruary 6, 2025February 6, 2025

Rick Thomas Distillery becoming a regional rising star, earning the WR-C’s 2024 “Business of the Y ear”

formula based on one part inspi-

ration and 99 percent perspira-

tion. For the Watts family, inspi-

ration arrived several years ago:

to build a world-class distillery to

honor the memory of their ances-

tor, Rick Thomas Watts.

Since then, the family’s 99

percent perspiration has been

the driving force behind the

construction and opening of the

Rick Thomas Distillery atop the

plateau in Black Hawk’s Gregory

Hill neighborhood.

Because of the relentless, ongo-

ing work and drive displayed by

the Watts Family, the Weekly

Register-Call has named the Rick

Thomas Distillery as its 2024

Gilpin County “Business of the

Year.” The company’s 2024 prod-

uct awards and anticipated 2025

growth, coupled with its plans to spread Black Hawk’s name and history

throughout several states this year, also were reasons the newspaper’s edi-

torial board decided to recognize the company.

Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman credited

the Watts for building “not only Black Hawk’s

first legal distillery…but also an artisan distillery

that rivals any in Colorado.”

Brian and Justine Watts have taken about six

years to develop plans with their son Declan, a

master distiller, for the specialized distillery in

Black Hawk’s Artisans’ Point neighborhood on

Gregory Hill (previously called Miners Mesa).

That included nearly countless hours of com-

pleting legal paperwork at the state and federal

levels in the era when COVID-related issues slowed down the approval

procedures.

The Watts family’s road to Black Hawk was long and winding. Brian,

originally from the St. Louis area, met his wife Justine, originally from

Richmond, Va., while attending graduate school in Illinois.

“I began my career in the casino industry working as a dealer, while in

college,” Brian recalled. “I worked at the first casino in Illinois, located in

Alton. After completing my degree, I moved into Table games and Slot

Management. After that, I moved into Finance at the same property. This

was more in line with my education and allowed me to expand my experi-

ence within the industry. In 2004, I moved to Kansas City as the Director of

Gaming for the Argosy Casino. In 2008, I became the General Manager of

the Isle Casino in Kansas City.”

In late 2009, Brian was named the general manager for the former Isle of

Capri (now rebranded as the Horseshoe) and adjoining Lady Luck casinos

in Black Hawk. Eventually, he was promoted to regional vice president, re-

sponsible for the two Black Hawk operations and the Isle Casino in Kansas

City. Justine worked in her family’s business during her career.

The Watts, who have been married for 32 years, have three children: Nia,

who graduated from the Colorado School of Mines; and Declan, who gradu-

ated from Colorado State University; and Zoe, who is a junior at CSU.

Declan’s college years provided one of the future sparks for the family dis-

tillery. He graduated CSU with a degree in Fermentation Science and later

attended the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. After working

at a brewery in Fort Collins, Declan returned home and helped a fraternity

brother design a small distillery for a family business in Granby. However,

the plan never moved forward.

Meanwhile, Brian had retired from the casino industry. “I had been re-

ing buildings across Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties.

We settled on new construction in Black Hawk as the

At the time, City of Black

Hawk leaders were consider-

ing different ways to attract

more non-casino patrons to

the city. This concept led the

city to create outdoor hik-

ing and biking trails, de-

velop commercial stores and

historic attractions along

Gregory Street and explore

the possibility of creating

Artisans’ Point atop Gregory

Hill, which could feature

businesses that produce craft

beers, spirits and other types

of adult beverages.

the planning process

[of] developing a dis-

tillery,” recalled Brian,

[David] Spellman and

other city leaders. The meetings resulted in the

Watts’ decision to build the Rick Thomas Dis-

tillery as the first member of the Artisans’ Point

district.

“Building in Black Hawk was a great ex-

perience, as we found the city to be a great

partner,” said Brian. “They were helpful in

navigating the permitting process, along with

design reviews, and construction inspections.

Black Hawk couldn’t have been a better loca-

tion to build. They have been very supportive.

If I had to do it all over again, I couldn’t have

picked a better place.”

Declan and his family decided to have spe-

cialized, hand-made Scottish stills created in

Scotland and shipped to Black Hawk. “I was

very lucky to have the experience from Colorado

State University,” said Declan. “Their fermenta-

tion science program gave me a huge step for-

ward as far as knowing current industry tech-

nology up until distillation. Making whiskey is

sort of like making beer. About 60 to 65 percent

of the whiskey process is like making beer. I

learned a lot about how to save water and grain,

which is important. I’m very conscious of how

we use natural resources. In Scotland, I learned

more about the distilling process.”

His father described the decision as pivotal.

“Our whiskey may have been made in Colo-

rado, but its roots are in Scotland. Equipment

is very important for our product. Our stills are

custom hand-made in Scotland by a family that has been making them for

centuries. To really bring tradition into distilling, our stills are the classic

pot styles used to produce whiskey in Scotland. This style has been used to

make complex and smooth whiskey for over a thousand years. Nearly all

whiskey made in America uses a column-style still, which is a very accurate

process. These column-style still leave many oil and flavor compounds in

the spirit to produce a

more robust whiskey.

Either process can be

used to make incred-

specifically designed

ours are the stills used

ite Islay [a region in

Scotland] scotches.

of those stills give us

a very unique flavor.

that style of still until

Declan went to Scot-

“Heriot-Watt is home

Brewing and Distill-

ing, an international

institute. They have

in Gin. It’s the place

where most of the research for brewing and distilling comes from.” He

noted the choice for the Scottish-built stills was important. “At the end of

the day, we decided we wanted to be different – but that’s not bad. We want

to stand out and be unique,”

said Declan. “I was always

a fan of Scotch. It was my

favorite style of whiskey. All

of our equipment and pro-

cesses are Scotch style.”

The Watts also decided to

use only Colorado-grown

barley, rye and corn in its

recipes.

Two years ago, the fam-

ily distillery began creating

its premium line – the Rick

Thomas brand – of Scotch-

style whiskeys and bour-

bons. However, because

only beverages created

in Scotland can be called

“Scotch,” American-created

drinks cannot use the title in

their description. The Rick

Thomas Distillery created

several hundred barrels of

sale.

said Declan.

“However, it is made 100

percent true to the style of

Scotch whiskey. I’m ecstatic.

I cannot wait for them to be

Brian said the distillery’s

stills were built to create

the Scotch-style American

single-malt whiskey. “We’re

also really happy with the

bourbon and the rye we’re

getting off our stills but the

single malt will be the first

to age out and be ready for

market.” The product release is planned for the fourth quarter of this year.

The barrel-room storage facility at the back of the Artisans’ Point property

currently contains about 800 barrels, including 441 barrels of the earliest-

created products, some of which will be blended into what will be the first

release of the premium lines. “We’ll be very careful selecting the barrels that

will be ready. You have the find the match of barrels that will give you the

taste profile you’re looking for,” he noted. “Some of the barrels we’ll pull

down might not be ready. So, we’ll have to put them back to age for a third or

fourth year. The great thing about whiskey is that age only makes it better.”

When the premium whiskeys head to market, the bottles have been

created with the Black Hawk name and logo included in the glass, along

Added Brian, “We’re also very, very efficient with water because of how

we process the grain. We think the quality of water we get from Black Hawk

– both the mineral content and the pH – is perfect for whis-

key. We tasted other waters for blending. In our blind test-

ing, those testing consistently picked the Black Hawk water.

It’s perfect for us.”

The Black Hawk operation also worked to develop its sec-

ondary brand – listed under the 1859 label (the year Black

Hawk was founded) – that included vodka and corn whiskey,

which do not require the same, lengthy aging process. The

1859 products, which bear the Black Hawk name and symbol

on each bottle, became available for sale last year.

At a competition early last summer in Chicago, the vodka

and corn whiskey received top honors for their flavors. “The

feedback has been very good, and distributors are reporting

repeat sales. Those products are now distributed throughout

Colorado, in bars and stores,” said Brian. “We’re distributed

throughout the state and are now working on other states.

We’d like to be multi-state this year and are hopeful we will be. However,

“The Watts family invested blood, sweat, tears, and treasure in the Rick

Thomas Distillery,” according to Spellman. “Although it will take time, their

vision and investment (not to mention outstanding whiskey) will undoubtedly

make Artisans’ Point a rousing success, aiding Black

Hawk in its renaissance and goal of becoming a

premier Colorado resort destination. The bottle la-

beling on all their spirits prominently and proudly

proclaims “Distilled in Black Hawk, Colorado,”

promoting the city on back bars and liquor shelves

across the region and beyond. Like aging good

whiskey, it will take time to build their brand, but

the ingredients are all there.”

Although the Rick Thomas Distillery has the

capacity to create 2,000 barrels of alcohol a

year, Brian said he isn’t concerned with pro-

ducing that number. “We don’t need to be the

biggest distillery in Colorado. Our focus is on

creating premium, high-quality products that

will be released this year. We’re really

excited to get those premium lines

out, to see how the market receives

The Watts also have designed a

tasting room and retail space for

visitors, the construction of which

is expected to begin later this year.

A planned glass wall at one end

of the tasting room will enable

visitors to see the custom Scot-

tish-built stills and the distilling

process at the first of what the city

hopes will lead to other similar

adult beverage-making operations

along Miners Mesa Road.

“What key will unlock the future

success of Artisans’ Point? Why

whiskey, of course!” said Spell-

man. “The City of Black Hawk’s

pride and enthusiasm in the Rick

Thomas Distillery is only exceeded

by the pride and enthusiasm of

the Watts family and what is likely

to become a legacy distillery for a

Brian and Justine Watt, and their son Declan, showed off their 1859

brand products at Central City’s Stills in the Hills event last June after

winning awards for the beverages.

Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman (center) had Brian and Declan Watts provide

city leaders with regular updates on the creation of their family business.

Photos and drone photos by Don Ireland

The Rick Thomas Distillery building and barrel house (back) were

completed by August 2023.

By April 2022, construction of the new distillery was

moving ahead on Artisans’ Point atop Black Hawk’s

Gregory Hill.

Brian and Justine Watt and their son, Declan, in front of the custom-made Scot-

tish still.

Photo courtesy of the Rick Thomas Distillery

In September 2021, the site for the present-day Rick Thomas

Distillery was selected before construction began.

Hawk’ s pride and en-

thusiasm in the Rick

Thomas Distillery is only

exceeded by the pride

and enthusiasm of the

Watts family and what is

likely to become a legacy

distillery for a great fam-

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/gid00052/gid00079/gid00068/gid00075/gid00075/gid00076/gid00064/gid00077

“Black Hawk couldn’t

have been a better loca-

tion to build. They have

been very supportive.

If I had to do it all over

again, I couldn’t have

picked a better place.”

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PO BOX 93, Black Hawk CO 80422

Gilpin approves new medical

consultant for public health

ficer will consult Gil-

in 2025.

services.

“I’m quite thrilled she’s

willing to support us. Her

expertise will be beneficial,”

said Gilpin Public Health

Director Alisa Witt. She

noted that Dr. Ryder’s ex-

periences could be valuable

in the event of a disease

breakout, such as in a ca-

sino where there could be

hundreds of guests.

Ryder is a board-certified

emergency physician who

is an assistant professor

and Preparedness De-

partment of Emergency

Medicine at the Univer-

sity of Colorado School of

Medicine in Denver. She

studied at the University

of Florida and received a

master’s degree in public

health from Johns Hopkins

Bloomberg School of Public

Health, according to her re-

sume and LinkedIn profile.

Her medical experience

includes efforts in the U.S.

and internationally.

Ryder will replace retir-

ing Dr. Mark Johnson. He

was named the county’s

medical director in Janu-

ary 2024 after serving as

the executive director and

medical director of Jeffer-

son County Public Health

for 32 years.

For years, Gilpin County

contracted with neighbor-

ing Jefferson County for

most of its public health

services, including res-

taurant inspections and

recommendations related

to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the pandemic ended,

the county formed its own

public health department.

Photographer focuses on

display at Gilpin Library

Dave Aldridge’s photo-

graphs often focus on the

rich and sometimes unexpected interplay between people and nature. He is drawn to

scenes that reflect how people interact with the world and tries to evoke emotions and

questions in the stories he captures through his camera lens. His portfolio is eclectic,

with images ranging from landscapes to abstracts to architecture. His love of travel

allows him to explore varied places and cultures, experiences he enjoys sharing with

viewers.

Aldridge’s photographs will be exhibited at the Gilpin County Library in a show titled

As I See It between Feb. 8 and March 29. A reception with the artist will be on Saturday,

March 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photographer Dave Aldridge

will exhibit his photographs in a

show, As I See It, at the Gilpin

County Library from Feb. 8

through March 29. A reception

with the artist will be on March

1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For

more information, go to Gil-

pinLibrary.org or call 303-582-

5777.

recently won eight of

its past 10 games. The

a victory at Bellview

Christian (2-13), 49-8,

on Jan. 28 before out-

lasting host Flatirons

Friday. Overall, the

team entered this week

including 5-1 (third

League.

• The boys’ basketball

team continues to seek

its first victory of the

65-27 loss at Bellview

mark.

Thursday, Feb. 6— Mid-

dle school girls’ basketball at

West Grand. The B-Team plays

at 4:30 p.m., followed by the

A-Squad at 5:30.

Friday, Feb. 7— Teacher

in-service day from 8 a.m. until

4 p.m. High school basketball

at Dayspring Christian. Girls’

varsity at 5 p.m., followed by

boys’ varsity at 6:30. High

school wresting at regional

tournament. Time and location

TBA.

MatchCounts Regionals

will be held on Friday and

Saturday, Feb. 6-7. The

boys will play at Ignacio

while the girls will play in

LaJunta.

Saturday, Feb. 8— High

school basketball hosts Clear

Creek. Girls’ varsity at noon,

followed by boys’ varsity at

1:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 10— Middle

school girls’ basketball at Estes

Park. The B-Team plays at 4

p.m., followed by the A-Team

at 5.

Tuesday, Feb. 11— High

school basketball at Skyview

Academy. Girls’ varsity at 6

p.m., followed by boys’ varsity

at 7:30.

Thursday, Feb. 12— High

school basketball at Lyons.

Girls’ varsity at 5:30 p.m.,

followed by boys’ varsity at 7.

The game will be Lyons’ senior

night.

Middle school girls’ basketball

tournament at home, 11 a.m.

Additional details will be an-

nounced soon. Teams from

Clear Creek, Estes Park, Stras-

burg, Summit and elsewhere

have been invited to partici-

pate.

Tuesday, Feb. 18— High

school basketball at Front

Range Christian. Girls’ varsity

begins at 5 p.m., followed by

boys’ varsity at 6:30. Middle

school wresting at Clear Creek,

4 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20— Mid-

dle school wresting at Summit

Middle School in Frisco. Time

TB A.

Friday, Feb. 21— High

school basketball hosts Daw-

son. Girls’ varsity begins at 5

p.m., followed by boys’ varsity

at 6:30 p.m. Senior recognition

will be held between games.

tentative and may change due

to a variety of factors, including

weather.

Gilpin school activities

Month: Historical events

The month of February

has been home to many his-

torical events over the years.

Here’s a look at some that

helped to shape the world in

February 1925.

• After a severe depletion

of his country’s potato crop

due to heavy rainfall the pre-

vious summer and fall, Irish

President W.T. Cosgrave ap-

peals to the United States for

food aid on February 1.

• The small town of Nome,

Alaska, is saved from a

developing diphtheria epi-

demic on February 2 upon

conclusion of The Serum

Run. The run was a trans-

port of diphtheria antitoxin

via dog sled that involved

20 mushers and roughly 150

sled dogs. The final leg of the

run is led by Gunnar Kaasen

and his lead sled dog, Balto,

who becomes a canine celeb-

rity as a result of the under-

taking.

• Sears, Roebuck, & Co.

opens its first department

store at its headquarters in

Chicago on February 2. The

retailer had previously been

a catalog-only operation.

• William Burke Miller

interviews trapped cave ex-

plorer Floyd Collins on Feb-

ruary 3. Collins was trapped

in a cave in Kentucky on

January 30, and Miller was

small enough to climb into

an opening in the cave and

conduct an interview while

hanging upside down. Miller

ultimately won a Pulitzer

Prize for his coverage of the

incident, which unfortunate-

ly ended with Collins’ death

on February 13.

• Ten people are arrested

in Russia on February 5 as

part of a plot to assassinate

revolutionary and Soviet

politician Grigory Zinoviev.

• World heavyweight box-

ing champion Jack Dempsey

marries actress Estelle Tay-

lor on February 7 in San Di-

ego. The two starred along-

side one another on screen

and on stage, but ultimately

divorced in 1931.

25 things to watch in 2025

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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