Branch & Barrel Distilling Releases Peas Please, One of the First Specialty Spirits Ever Built Around a Field Pea Mash Bill

Branch & Barrel Distilling has released Peas Please, a limited-edition specialty spirit distilled with Colorado field peas alongside corn and barley. Field pea mash bills are extremely rare in aged spirits, as the category has largely been defined by unaged pea vodkas and gins. Branch & Barrel believes this release is among the first to bring field peas into a barrel-aged whiskey-adjacent format.

This isn't Branch & Barrel's first experiment with the ingredient. A modest single barrel test batch was released in 2023, followed up a year later by another very limited release that paired field peas with hand-crushed white, pink and green peppercorns for an earthy, spicy profile. This latest version is a return to the original formulation built without peppercorns, isolating the field pea character on its own and adding three more years to its age statement.

The mash bill breaks down to 64% corn, 22% field peas and 14% barley, distilled and aged six years. Colorado field peas differ from sweet garden peas: they're starchy, with an earthy, savory profile that Branch & Barrel says shows up clearly in the finished spirit. Co-owner Scott Freund worked directly with a farmer in Elizabeth, Colo. to source the peas for this release. Growing field peas as a rotational cover crop is a regenerative agricultural practice; it enriches soil while supporting weed and pest control, and the crop is notably drought-resilient, a relevant consideration for Colorado growers.

“Peas Please has a smooth, rich, complex flavor, akin to bourbon-meets-anejo tequila,” said Mitchell Nester, Branch & Barrel's Master Blender. “This bottle was crafted to showcase uniquely Colorado ingredients and flavors you can't find in just any whiskey-style expression, while supporting local agriculture.”

The spirit’s other defining ingredient is water drawn from the Arapahoe Aquifer, a vast underground reservoir that has been naturally filtering through sandstone and shale for millions of years. Between the water, the grain sourcing and the six-year age statement, Branch & Barrel is positioning Peas Please as a showcase for what Colorado terroir can bring to craft distilling, and as a case study in building regenerative agriculture directly into a spirits supply chain.

Every bottle of Peas Please supports regenerative agriculture and celebrates the flavors, ingredients and environment that have made Colorado a leader in craft spirits. Visit the Tasting Room in Centennial for the full Branch & Barrel experience, and ask for this special limited release while it lasts.