Syntax Spirits expanding, gears up to spread its cheer

Heather Bean is quickly becoming a force behind what she imagines might be a second wave of craft alcohol in Northern Colorado.

Two years ago, Bean and her business partner Jeff Copeland moved into an industrial space in a tucked-away corner of downtown Greeley, began distilling their own wheat vodka and dubbed it Syntax Spirits.

Today, Syntax Spirits vodka can be found in restaurants and liquor stores from Estes Park to Eaton, and two new product lines, white whiskey and white rum, will be available to Syntax fans by the holiday season.

Before starting the business, Bean worked as a chemical-mechanical engineer for Hewlett Packard in Greeley. Her knowledge of mechanics served her well when she and Copeland set to building their stills and installing them in their rented, 3,000-square-foot space at 625 Third St.

“We’re very proud of our equipment because we did that,” Bean said. “We didn’t go spend $100,000 on a fancy still. We built them, and because of that, we have a very good understanding of how they work.”

That in-depth understanding of the equipment enabled the partners to make better vodka, Bean asserts.

A taste test by a visitor reveals that the finished product is,