Kristiane Weeks‑Rogers (CSM) spoke with head distiller Kyle Bonasso of Blackhat Distillery as the Colorado Springs producer unveils Golden Hearth Cinnamon Pineapple Rum, an industry‑first release that introduces a completely new flavor category to the rum market. Blending tropical pineapple, smooth vanilla, and warming cinnamon spice, Golden Hearth reflects both Bonasso’s “mad scientist” approach to formulation and the distillery’s growing reputation for innovation, technical capability, and award‑winning craft.
Kyle Bonasso: I’m the head distiller and production manager at Black Hat Distillery. Black Hat is a really unique place, I love working there because we do things differently than other distilleries. Our main flagship spirit is an American agave spirit, which is an untapped market in the U.S. We use the same agave sugar source, blue Weber agave, that’s used to make tequila, but we do it our own way at Black Hat.
My fermentation and distillation process is very unique. We’re carving out new territory for agave spirits that are made from agave but drink like whiskey, they scratch a lot of itches for people. That’s our main product, but we also have our own Black Hat line and do private labeling, which I love. I’ve been in the distillery business for a little over seven years and have always loved creating formulas after distillation, developing fun products like our Golden Hearth Cinnamon Pineapple Rum, my latest “mad scientist” creation. That nickname has followed me at every distillery I’ve worked at, and I’ve embraced it. I love making cool, unique formulas and fun products.
CSM: What types of partners or projects tend to be the best fit for you?
Bonasso: The cool thing about Black Hat is our enormous space, it’s a large distillery with one of the biggest stills in Colorado. I have loads of tanks, all about a thousand gallons each, plus 14 holding tanks, fermenters, and the big still. We have plenty of capacity and room to grow, especially through private labeling. We distill unique spirits like agave and used to distill rum and brandy. We also source spirits like whiskey for our blending and finishing program, giving us access to many base spirits.
I love creating unique formulations and have worked with all kinds of ingredients—from flavorings to infusion materials, so I can virtually create whatever someone imagines. We’re not limited to one type of product. For example, we make two different coffee liqueurs for two completely different businesses, one for a local bar and restaurant, the other for a charity. They’re the same kind of spirit but formulated entirely differently. I sit down with clients personally for R&D, through every step unless they prefer I create something independently. They can be as involved or hands-off as they want, but I never release a product unless they love it. That’s the program we’re expanding, leveraging our capacity, ingredients, and expertise.
CSM: Do you have a personal preference for level of involvement?
Bonasso: Honestly, there are positives to both. If someone wants to be involved every step of the way, that’s fine, it just takes longer. I love when I’m given creative freedom because I can make things to my taste and specifications. But for one of our coffee liqueurs, the client worked with me through every detail, base spirit, coffee blends, sugar type and amount, even the final ABV. Every decision was a meeting or two, and I enjoyed that because it ensured we made exactly what they envisioned.
CSM: Have you primarily worked with companies around Colorado or in other states?
Bonasso: Mostly Colorado—our clients tend to be local. One of our private labels, Tonto Vodka, is more of a white label—it’s our vodka with their branding. It’s also a hybrid charity bottle. The owners aren’t local, but most of our work is with Colorado clients.
CSM: Do you use local ingredients as much as possible, or does that depend on client preferences?
Bonasso: It depends on the client. If they want to source ingredients from a specific location, we’ll do that. Otherwise, they can use our ingredients, which tend to be local, especially produce like lemons, limes, or cinnamon for Golden Hearth. Sometimes I buy ingredients directly; other times, I use flavorings from our suppliers. We have relationships with many suppliers, so we’re flexible. We’re not limited to local ingredients.
CSM: Has private labeling influenced your own work at Black Hat?
Bonasso: When I started, Black Hat had one private label. Over time, we’ve added more. Our unique distilling and blending programs allow us to bring on diverse private label clients. I love when someone comes to me with a unique idea, it informs my creative direction. With so many options at Black Hat, I can figure out how to make almost anything using what we have. Golden Hearth, for example, wasn’t a private label, but it could have been. I made it entirely from ingredients we already had—nothing sourced externally—and that was intentional.
CSM: Why did you choose cinnamon and pineapple for Golden Hearth?
Bonasso: I was replacing an old product that wasn’t selling, a holiday liqueur that took forever to move. When we finally sold out, the owner asked me to create something new that would sell better. I decided to use ingredients we already had: rum I’d previously distilled, cinnamon for a holiday feel, and vanilla to soften the spice. I wanted it to sell year-round, so I added pineapple, a fruity, summery complement to cinnamon. Cinnamon and pineapple pair beautifully, and the result was a versatile product that works in winter and summer alike.
CSM: How did you settle on the 25% ABV?
Bonasso: I was aiming for a liqueur, but when I submitted the formula to the TTB—the government agency that classifies spirits—it fell outside the liqueur category and became a “distilled spirit specialty.” That didn’t bother me; I just wanted it to taste good and sell well. Most liqueurs sit around 20% ABV, but as I tested different proofs, 25% was perfect, it balanced the flavors best. If it were for a client who wanted “liqueur” on the label, I could adjust the formula, but since this was my own creation, classification didn’t matter. In fact, removing “liqueur” from the label gives consumers freedom, they can sip it, mix it, or use it creatively. I call it a “specialty rum,” which fits perfectly.
CSM: Tell me about your facility, it’s one of the most advanced privately owned still operations in the Western U.S. How does that shape your ability to develop new spirits?
Bonasso: The equipment is what makes it special. We’re in a great historic building with a restaurant up front, but inside we have a thousand-gallon pot-column hybrid still, our distilling capacity is enormous. Our tanks and fermentation vessels hold huge volumes, allowing us to store large quantities of product. For private label clients, I can dedicate entire tanks to their product and keep multiple pallets ready at any time. Our automated bottling line is another advantag, it can produce 600 bottles an hour, compared to hand bottling at most craft distilleries. Altogether, we can produce over a million bottles a year. Our owner built this facility to grow into, and expanding the private label program is how we’ll reach that potential.
CSM: How do you approach experimentation in such a high-capacity environment?
Bonasso: We build as we go. Each new private label client presents a challenge, and overcoming it strengthens our program. Our small team is a huge advantage—too many cooks can complicate things. We’re all well-rounded, wear many hats, and stay aligned on our goals. That cohesion helps us grow into the facility while learning from each new client. It’s truly a blessing.
CSM: Black Hat has had a big year, awards, new releases, growing visibility. How would you describe where the distillery is now in its evolution?
Bonasso: We’re at a pivot point, the moment when a small business starts growing exponentially. Black Hat’s been around since 2019, and after years of turnover, we now have a team that loves and cares about the products. That unity has brought us here. Clients notice the difference, they see the quality and bring on new projects. We’re changing and growing our image in Colorado Springs and beyond. It’s exciting to see where this momentum takes us.
CSM: Beyond agave spirits and your new rum release, what other products or categories are you excited about right now?
Bonasso: We have a very small limited release coming this November, a collaboration with a local culinary journalist. We worked together to develop a product that showcases our private label program. We filmed the R&D process, and that content will be online once edited. The release will be fewer than 200 bottles, a fall holiday-flavored brandy. It’s a tiny batch, but something really special.