Pullman Distillery sits at 313 Main Street in the heart of Frisco, Colorado, bringing craft spirits to the high country at 9,097 feet above sea level. Founded by Rob Masters, a former finance executive who traded spreadsheets for stills, the distillery opened its doors in 2017 after Masters spent years perfecting his recipes in a garage setup. The operation occupies a restored building on Frisco’s historic Main Street, where the thin mountain air and extreme temperature swings create unique aging conditions you won’t find anywhere else. They focus on small-batch bourbon, rye whiskey, and vodka, all distilled on-site using a custom copper still system.
Masters didn’t stumble into distilling by accident. After 20 years in corporate finance, he took a sabbatical that turned into a deep dive into whiskey-making, studying under master distillers in Kentucky before returning to Colorado to launch his own operation. The name ‘Pullman’ pays homage to the railroad heritage of Summit County, where trains once carried miners and timber through these mountains. Working alongside head distiller Sarah Chen, who brings a chemistry background from the pharmaceutical industry, Masters has built a reputation for precision and consistency despite the challenges of high-altitude distilling.
Visitors get an intimate look at craft distilling in action, from mash to bottle, in a space that feels more like a working laboratory than a tourist attraction. The tasting room showcases reclaimed wood from local mines and offers views directly into the production area where you can watch the team at work. What sets Pullman apart isn’t just the elevation—it’s Masters’ obsessive attention to detail and willingness to experiment with aging techniques that take advantage of Colorado’s dramatic temperature swings.