{"id":1052,"date":"2025-09-03T12:00:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T12:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/?p=1052"},"modified":"2025-09-04T14:21:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T14:21:27","slug":"a-unique-colorado-made-spirit-is-causing-a-buzz-among-drinkers-literally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/03\/a-unique-colorado-made-spirit-is-causing-a-buzz-among-drinkers-literally\/","title":{"rendered":"A unique, Colorado-made spirit is causing a buzz among drinkers \u2014 literally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Take one sip of the Colorado-made spirit Tingala<\/a> and you\u2019ll understand why it\u2019s unlike anything else currently available on the market.<\/p>\n

\"Tingala
Tingala and Tingala Gold. (Photo provided by Tingala)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sensory experience starts with a bouquet of cinnamon and allspice in the aroma, and at first those are the dominant flavors on the palate, too. But soon, spicy notes give way to tingling sensations that build and build until the whole tongue feels numb, almost like it\u2019s vibrating. Stick with it for just a couple of brave moments and the experience will peak before mellowing out and returning your mouth back to normalcy.<\/p>\n

Phew, you made it through the rollercoaster of flavors. Ready for another ride?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the appeal of Tingala, which has been tantalizing tastebuds since it debuted in 2016. Its secret ingredient is the buzz button, a Brazilian flower that includes a compound responsible for evoking the intense sensory effects.<\/p>\n

While bartenders throughout the U.S. have garnished cocktails with buzz buttons for fun and flare, company president Susan Tews believes Tingala is the first to use them in distillation. It\u2019s fair to say, though something of a novelty, it has been a hit.<\/p>\n

Demand skyrocketed in recent years as Tingala added a second spirit recipe to its portfolio. The company doubled its sales in 2024, Tews said, and its products have continued to grow in popularity \u2013 so much so, that Tingala is currently facing a shortage.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarting fall of last year, demand just suddenly soared and we simply sold out,\u201d Tews said. \u201cWe had a reserve built up that up until then was adequate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until this point, Tews admits the company kept a modest backstock. She describes Tingala is a \u201cmicro-mini\u201d brand and family operation based in Greenwood Village that typically only produces a few thousand cases per year. Tews\u2019 husband Bob and their son Eric are the creators of this inventive spirit, the recipe for which they first drafted by infusing store-bought liquor with buzz buttons grown in their home garden.<\/p>\n

Their inspiration? Anthony Bourdain.<\/p>\n

Susan and Bob Tews had seen one of Bourdain\u2019s travel shows that took the chef and TV personality to Brazil, where he encountered the buzz button. Locals there use the flower, known scientifically as spilanthes acmella, in medicines and stews.<\/p>\n

Bob and Eric Tews were homebrewers who always had an interest in unusual flavors, so buzz buttons seemed like a fun experiment. The first time they used them to infuse a spirit, they put the tingly tipple into Jell-O shots. Talk about a fun party trick.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur friends just loved it,\u201d Susan Tews said. \u201cFrom there, we just decided to look into what it would take to get a formula approval from the TTB and try bottling it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The family first worked with Mile High Spirits in Denver to produce and distribute Tingala commercially. In 2020, they partnered with Golden\u2019s Local Distilling, maker of VANJAK Vodka<\/a>, which now produces its two recipes.<\/p>\n

The original is a 50% ABV liquor meant for mixing. In 2023, the company released Tingala Gold (35% ABV), made with vanilla and agave for a touch of sweetness, for the customers who wanted to sip it on its own. That second product is what helped put Tingala on the map, Tews said, as it both captured attention and renewed interest in the original, higher proof recipe. Both products are currently distributed throughout Colorado and in eight additional states.<\/p>\n

Because the family originally worked with a farm in California to grow the buzz buttons, Tingala used to be a seasonal project, Tews said. But as thirst outpaced production, the company enlisted the help of Denver\u2019s Rebel Farm<\/a> to grow them hydroponically year-round.<\/p>\n

\"Spilanthes,
Spilanthes, commonly known as buzz buttons or electric daisy, grows in the greenhouse at Rebel Farm in Denver on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n