What the heck is krupnikas anyway!? We wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t know – it’s a traditional, celebratory Polish and Lithuanian alcoholic drink that sadly doesn’t show up on as many liquor store shelves as it should. But fear not! We’re here to help you get your krup on. Legend has it that Benedictine monks created krupnikas in the Middle Ages, and though the Soviets shut down production of it for many years, the recipe lived on thanks to closely guarded family recipes passed down through generations. It’s like a liqueur, made using grain spirit (usually vodka), spices and honey. KAS Krupnikas comes from an old-world family recipe and is handcrafted with locally harvested New York State honey, 10 exotic spices and fresh citrus zest. It’s sweet yet not saccharine, warming from the spices and perfect for sipping neat or mixed into a variety of cocktails. Around Mouth HQ we refer to it as “nectar of the gods.” Kestutis (KAS) J. Katinas, the founder and maker of KAS Krupnikas, was born in Brooklyn to a Lithuanian family and raised in New York. He started making krupnikas (using his top secret family recipe) for holidays and special events. In 2013 he decided to share his krupnikas with the world, and now makes the liqueur in the Hudson Valley. TIP OF THE TONGUE Try it in a cocktail, shaken with equal parts gin and lemon juice.
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