Spirits & Distilling Podcast
Co-hosts Sydney Jones, head distiller for FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Molly Troupe, master distiller for Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon, explore the technical and creative processes behind award-winning spirits. They cover everything from ideation and ingredient selection to fermentation, distillation, aging, finishing, proofing, and packaging. The podcast spans a wide range of spirits, including botanical, fruit, agave, and grain distillations. Aimed at distillers and enthusiasts alike, it offers practical tips and techniques for making better spirits. Episodes are released bi-weekly.
Episodes
47: Steven Grasse Connects the Dots from Wild Ideas to Realistic Strategies for Selling Spirits
Steven Grasse has long enjoyed building brands that stand out—from his earlier days as an advertising exec to his time with William Grant & Sons to today, owning Tamworth Distilling in Tamworth, New Hampshire.
In this episode with host Molly Troupe, Grasse reflects on that path, the hard lessons learned from early failures, and why success still comes down to great liquid, intention
46: Owen Martin of Angel’s Envy Applies Strategies from Scotch to Signature Kentucky Bourbon
Bourbon is the focus as master distiller Owen Martin joins Sydney Jones to dig into the production philosophies shaping Angel’s Envy today, from the Scotch-inspired discipline he brings to cask finishing to the blending strategy behind the brand’s new bottled-in-bond release. Owen breaks down how finishing barrels, entry proof, and batch selection influence flavor direction and why mainta
45: John Angus Explores the Science and Chemistry of Spirits Flavor
John Angus approaches the mechanics of flavor creation in spirits through the lens of a chemist but with the soul of an educator, breaking down complex processes and cutting-edge science in practical ways that spirits makers can use and drinkers can understand. He uses the tools of analytical chemistry to unlock the mechanisms that form flavor and aroma through the distilling and maturati
44: Dave Smith of St. George Spirits Captures Sense Memories in a Bottle
In this episode, host Sydney Jones sits down with Dave Smith, head distiller at St. George Spirits in Alameda, California, to explore the creative process behind one of America’s most pioneering craft distilleries. Founded in 1982 by Jörg Rupf, St. George has helped shape the modern craft-distilling movement through its relentless curiosity, innovation, and devotion to quality.
Smith s
43: Anne Brock of Bombay Sapphire Is Bullish on the Future of Gin
If there’s a typical path to becoming the master distiller at Bombay Sapphire, Anne Brock didn’t take it. Besides some bartending experience, her road took her through studying medicine and getting a doctorate in organic chemistry on the way to England to lead production of one of the world’s most popular gins.
In this episode, Brock covers a range of topics with host Molly Troupe, from
42: Alex Castle of Augusta Distillery Embraces New Challenges in Old Bourbon
As a Kentucky native, Alex Castle knew she wanted to work in beverage alcohol before most—bourbon is culturally important in the state, and she wanted to play a part in its continued tradition and evolution. She learned the ropes on pot stills at Alltech and a high-throughput continuous still at Wild Turkey before building out and launching Old Dominick in Memphis. But her return to Kentu
41: John D.E. Jeffery Wants You to Balance Science and Intuition When Crafting Spirits
John D.E. “Johnny” Jeffery’s journey into distilling began after a trip to Poland inspired him to make nalewka, a traditional infused liqueur. It’s a journey that’s taken him from Chicago and Michigan State University to craft distilleries such as Death’s Door in Wisconsin, Sante Fe Spirits in New Mexico, and Nevada’s Bently Heritage Estate—all of which he helped to launch.
Along the w
40: Joe O’Sullivan of Minden Mill Controls the Variables in Dry-Climate Whiskey Maturation
The romance of whiskey maturation meets environmental reality in many parts of the world these days—increasingly hot, dry climates can produce markedly different results than the humid environments of Scotland or Kentucky. That can leave distillers wrestling with the question of whether to lean into process- and environment-driven results, or to manipulate that environment to achieve inte
39: Jarrad Huckshold of The Cask Takes a Winemaker’s Approach to Whiskey Maturation and Blending
While we often look at spirits aging through the lens of popular climates and standard barrels—used cooperage in the cool climate of Scotland or new charred oak barrels in hot, humid summers and cold winters of Kentucky—many now-enshrined methods were born of efficiency considerations and political realities more than quality concerns. In places not beholden to specific traditions and reg
38: Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet Seeks Harmony through Thoughtful Blending
Building a blend of aged spirits that feels effortless requires both art and craft, and for Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet in Alberta, Canada, the key to great blends is nailing the mix of contrasting components and optimizing each from the still through aging, then carefully maturing after blending. The goal isn’t singular standout barrels; the goal is a continuous process that produc
37: Staying Sane and Happy in the Spirits Industry—a Panel Discussion with Maggie Campbell and Jennifer Wren
In this special episode of the podcast, co-hosts Molly Troupe and Sydney Jones reunite for a panel discussion—not on distilling, specifically, but on how to set yourself up for success while maintaining work-life balance in the spirits industry. Joining the hosts are Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, and Jennifer Wren. As chief joy officer of the Wren Way, Wren’s coaches women on how
36: Todd Leopold Designs and Distills Spirits that Have Something to Say
Three decades in, you’d think Todd Leopold of Denver’s Leopold Bros would have this whole distilling thing locked down, but he’s the first to admit he’s still figuring it all out. Or, maybe it’s more accurate to say that as soon as he has something solved, he finds a new problem or project with a new set of unknowns, to maintain a dynamic state of constant learning. His restless creativit
35: American Cane Tells Expressive Stories in Regionally Relevant Rum
A certain kind of alchemy occurs when everything aligns in the production of rum—ingredients, expressive fermentation, maturation—but the story and the “why” behind great rum is another element that can’t be forgotten. Maggie Campbell and Chaz Vest of American Cane are deeply focused on those components that make for interesting rum, driven to tell the broader history of rum production in
34: Brent Looby of Desert Door Summons the Spirit of Sotol
The distilling traditions we enjoy today are often the product of centuries of trial and error from past generations of makers, with ingredients carefully developed for efficiency and effectiveness in given locales. It’s hard to separate the spirit from the place that it comes from because often the very character of that spirit is a result of what grows, what fuels are accessible, and wh
33: Stranahan’s Tyler Glasser Distills with Artful Efficiency
For Tyler Glasser of Stranahan’s, problem solving and creative exploration are best begun with a holistic view, borne from perspectives gained working across the various roles within a distillery. Through his current role as plant operations administrator, he’s gained an appreciation for the part that planning, forecasting, and procurement play in enabling distillers and blenders to produ
32: Aged Whiskeys and Citrus-Flavored Spirits Heat up for St. Augustine Distillery and City Gate Spirits
In this episode focused on distilling in Florida—host Sydney Jones’ old stomping grounds—she reconnects with industry friends Ric deMontmollin and Zack Wildrick from St. Augustine Distillery and City Gate Spirits. The high-heat, high-humidity environment there poses challenges for barrel aging St. Augustine’s whiskey, while the flavored moonshines of City Gate aim to evoke experiential me
31: Sara Sergent of Alpine Distilling Blends Science with Instinct and Flair in Botanical Spirits
Sara Sergent, master distiller for Alpine Distilling in Park City, Utah, has garnered countless accolades over her career, and today she works with some of the biggest names in the culinary world to bring their ideas to life, while also creating bespoke and diverse spirit expressions for guests at their social club. If there’s an ingredient out there, she’s probably tried it and worked th
30: Bob Dillon of Dismal Harmony Refines Flavors with Creative Flair
Bigger world events have a way of bringing clarity and focus to individual goals, and for Bob Dillon of Dismal Harmony, the COVID pandemic gave him just the push he needed to change careers and explore the technical and creative side of craft distilling. Now, from his outpost in Morristown, New Jersey, he’s focused on both serving boundary-pushing cocktails and creating the spirits to mak
29: Devon Trevathan of Liba Spirits and Trovador Rum Distills Spirits with Stories
Storytelling is in Devon Trevathan’s blood, and whether she’s distilling unique spirits in Austria, New Orleans, or Australia, or writing about the inspiring technical work of peers for articles for Spirits & Distilling, she remains focused on the dual side of making—pushing outside of one’s comfort zone and finding truth. Through Liba Spirits, she pursues a nomadic approach, producin
Episode 28: Brett Steigerwaldt of Lyon Rum is Crafting Contemporary Expressions with Timeless Methods
The process of making rum is rife with lore, but for Brett Steigerwaldt of Lyon Rum in St. Michael’s, Maryland, breaking down the variables and understanding the impacts of each factor—ingredients, fermentation, distillation, finishing—leads to more refined expression. In this episode, Steigerwaldt and host Sydney Jones discuss:
double pot distillation’s impact on flavor and texture i
27: Ashley Barnes of The Blending House Uses Data to Drive Better Blends
Ashley Barnes, master blender at the Blending House, joins host Molly Troupe for an in-depth discussion of the scientific and sensorial approaches to building characterful blends. A former pharmaceutical quality chemist, Barnes was recruited by Buffalo Trace, later moved on to Four Roses, and has worked with (and learned from) some of the greats in the bourbon world. Now, at the Blending
26: Caley Shoemaker of As Above, So Below Explores Character and Texture in Vodka Distillation
Caley Shoemaker got her start in whiskey at Denver’s Stranahan’s and went on to distill at Hanger One in Southern California before launching her own distillery, As Above, So Below in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2021. Now, from her home base on the edge of the mountains in a state nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment,” she’s summoning strong spirits with their own particular swagger.
In thi
25: Gian Nelson of Jano Spirits and Ruins Distillery is Exploring the Possibilities in California Agave
Tequila and mezcal are top of mind when you think “agave,” but Gian Nelson is working to change that assumption. For the past few years, working through his brand Jano Spirits, he has partnered with growers who cultivate California agave—a much larger cousin of the classic Blue Weber agave used in tequila—to better understand what it takes to cultivate agave plants that translate into fin
Episode 24: Eli Breitburg-Smith Is Ushering in the Epoch of Rye in Baltimore
Founded in 2015, Baltimore Spirits is celebrating a decade of distilling in Charm City. Led by cofounder and head distiller Eli Breitburg-Smith, that run has played a notable role in the craft revival of American rye. Their Epoch Reserve has won multiple double golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, more recently landing on Fred Minnick’s Top 100 list of American whiskeys i
23: Morgan McLachlan of AMASS and De Soi Builds Thoughtful Botanical Bases for Both Gin and Nonalcoholic Spirited Beverages
Morgan McLachlan, the Los Angeles–based cofounder of Amass Spirits and Katy Perry’s nonalcoholic De Soi brand, has a flair for theatrics that’s only fitting for someone who started her career as a camera operator for film and TV. Every nuanced performance is built on layers, some barely noticeable—but understanding the purpose of those creative choices is essential for McLachlan, as she c
22: Spirits & Distilling Year in Review Special
Year one of the Spirits & Distilling podcast is in the books, and in this special year-end look back, hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe recount some of their favorite conversations of 2024, discuss the dramatic changes in their own lives, muse on big issues of the past year like the TTB’s adoption of a definition for American Single Malt, and look at the big issues and conversations
21: David Fisher of Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Prizes Independence and Balance
David Fisher’s love of spirits started with bartending in London and followed a winding path, eventually passing through pandemic-era New York City into sensory analysis and blending back home in Australia. Now the senior spirits blender at award-winning Archie Rose Distilling in Sydney, Fisher has one of the most respected noses in the business.
In this discussion with host Molly Troupe
20: Sherrie Moore Uses Data and Experimentation to Understand and Optimize Whiskey Flavor and Consistency
There aren’t many problems in whiskey that Sherrie Moore hasn’t tackled and solved. Over her 30+ years at Tennessee’s renowned Jack Daniel’s distillery, she’s worked in just about every role imaginable—from chemist and processing manager to barrel warehousing manager and, eventually, director of whiskey production. She’s since directed whiskey production for Nearest Green Distillery, and
19: A Global Perspective on Gin With Olivier Ward of Everglow Spirits
Olivier Ward got his start in gin in the mid-oughts, working on projects for Hendricks, and the he hasn’t been able to shake the gin world since. The people, places, and processes captivate him, and building or telling those brand stories has been a major focus for the better part of the past two decades. As chief gin judge for the IWSC, he tastes thousands of gins in any given year and h
18: Mark Vierthaler of Whiskey Del Bac Is Pursuing a Distinct Sense of Place, Transparently
Whiskey Del Bac in Tucson, Arizona, has pursued a taste of place in its spirits since opening in 2011, using local mesquite wood instead of peat to smoke-dry malt for its single-malts. Head distiller and blender Mark Vierthaler—also the interim marketing director—joined the team in 2021, leading the production of what he calls the distillery’s “love letter to the Sonoran desert.”
In this
17: Blender Jackie Zykan of Hidden Barn and Oduoak Debunks Lazy Assumptions about Whiskey Flavors, Blending, and Sensory
Jackie Zykan of Hidden Barn and Oduoak can tell you what aromas and flavors she detects when she smells and tastes whiskey, but she’d rather not put it in terms that you can connect with. After all, if she tells you she gets almond, you’ll most likely perceive and focus on that almond. But as she says in the episode, “Who cares if you ... get almond or not? I don’t care. There is no wrong
16: Adam Spiegel of Corning & Company and Sonoma Distilling Takes a Reactive and Responsive Approach to an Evolving Spirits Market
Adam Spiegel is taking an approach akin to alchemy and applying it to distilling, turning something relatively worthless—excess capacity in the distillery—into gold. The result isn’t just contract distilling and business diversification—it’s room to continue pushing and learning with Corning & Company, beyond the whiskey space that he pursued for the first decade of Sonoma Distilling.
15: Maplewood Finds Creative Fermentation, Botanicals, and Finishing Opportunities at the Intersection of Brewing and Distilling
Chicago's Maplewood has made quite a name for themselves over the years in both the brewing and the distilling worlds. Four Great American Beer Festival medals, a couple of 99 ratings and one perfect 100 score from the blind review panel at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®, and most recently a double gold for their Fat Pug single-malt whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competiti
14: Nic Christiansen of Barrell Craft Spirits Pieces Together the Blended Whiskey Puzzle
As blender and manager of blending operations for the blend-focused brand Barrell Craft Spirits, Nic Christiansen’s job is to understand flavors, how they develop, and how they interact with each other to create harmonious wholes.
In this episode, Christiansen and host Molly Troupe discuss:
finding new avenues for flavor in blended whiskey
building micro-blends that are then mar
13: Widow Jane Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov Directs the Delicate Dance of Urban Distilling and Blending
New York City’s Widow Jane Distillery may be one of the better known craft-spirits brands, with a relatively wide distribution footprint earned through the incredible reputation built by former distillers such as Lisa Wicker (hear her perspective on Episode 3). Now, under the guidance of head distiller and blender Sienna Jevremov, the distillery continues to grow despite the functional ch
12: Christian Krogstad, Founder of Aviation Gin and Westward Whiskey, Designs Spirits That Stand the Test of Time
Brewer-turned-distiller Christian Krogstad launched House Spirits in the mid-‘00s with a focus on artisanal gin, but he had no idea the botanical spirit they pursued with passion would become one of the larger celebrity-owned-and-endorsed spirits in this recent wave of high-profile acquisitions.
Tinkering with two partners—one a prominent bartender, the other a fellow distiller—their goa
11: Ken Klehm of 450 North Spirits Loves the Creative Challenge of Distilling an Array of Spirits
The modes that distillers operate in can vary wildly based on the goals of the business and the avenues for sales. While at the helm of Ghost Coast in Savannah, Georgia, Ken Klehm did it all—a law change allowed the distillery to sell cocktails as long as all the spirits were produced in-house, so Klehm distilled a wide range of spirits and liqueurs to stock the entire bar. Now, at the he
10: Andy Nelson, Cofounder of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery and Belle Meade Bourbon, on the Life Cycle of a Modern Distillery
The last decade and a half have been a whirlwind for Andy Nelson, as the discovery of a family distilling legacy led his brother Charlie and him to pursue and launch the Nelson's Green Brier Distillery to make Tennessee Whiskey the way his great-great-great grandfather did (with a few accomodations for modernity, of course). Along the way, they also launched Belle Meade Bourbon, sourcing
9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful Whiskies
Nicole Austin has spent time in distilleries around the world, but if there’s one thing she’s learned from producing at distilleries both tiny and very large, it’s that no single blending strategy works at every scale, for every product, or with each kind of spirit. Today, as director of George Dickel and luxury American whiskey for Diageo, she has extensive tools at her disposal—from dee
8: Clear Creek Master Distiller Caitlin Bartlemay Thrives on the Challenges of Fruit Brandy and American Single Malt
Fourteen years into her career at Clear Creek in Hood River, Oregon, Caitlin Bartlemay recently become master distiller at the respected craft producer. There, she continues to lead a small, hands-on team through seasons of distilling an array of whole-fruit brandies as well as McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt—the first American craft single-malt whiskey.
In this week’s episode, Bartlemay j
7: Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O'Driscoll is Tackling New Product and Process Challenges in the Biggest Way Possible: Building a New Distillery
While Sydney Jones’ last turn in the host chair was an exit interview of sorts, this episode is her entrance interview with new boss, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll, as she settles into her new role as supervisor and technical lead for the under-construction $150M distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. In this episode, O’Driscoll shares his insight gained from two decades of di
6: Andy Garrison of Stone Barn Brandyworks Takes a Value-Added Approach to Distilling Fruits and Vegetables
In Andy Garrison’s mind, fruit brandies have historically been necessary byproducts of excess—fruit trees produce more food that could be consumed by their owners, so what better way to preserve their bounty than distilling the juice from the leftover fruit? Today, in the age of wide-scale commercial farming, that approach to adding or preserving value from one’s harvest is not an animati
5: Riley Henderson of FEW Spirits Explores Whiskey’s “Last Frontier”—Fermentation
It may seem like everything that can be done, has been done, but for FEW Spirits operations director Riley Henderson, novel fermentations offer new opportunities for flavor in familiar spirits such as rye whiskey and bourbon.
Half a decade ago, FEW embarked on a project to explore the impact of fermenting with koji, a mold historically used for saccharification in sake and soy sauce, am
4: Reade Huddleston of Monster Brewing Shares Perspectives on RTDs, Water Quality, and More
Are distillers really just “dirty” brewers? How do you stabilize ingredients and flavors in canned RTDs? How can water chemistry at the municipal level cause potentially expensive issues with arrested fermentations? Through his career, Reade Huddleston has seen it all, and now as Director of Distillation and Spirits at Monster Brewing, he’s putting into daily use these best practices glea
3: Lisa Wicker, Itinerant Distiller, Considers Lessons From Her Past While Looking to the Future
Master distiller Lisa Wicker may have taken an unconventional path through her career, shifting from wine to distilled spirits, but that’s hardly the only decision she’s made that some might deem unusual. For Wicker, spreading out and exploring adjacent but interesting fields has improved her approach to distilling and blending much more than intense focus could. Now, she pulls on all tha
2: Ale Ochoa Takes a Scientific Approach to Sensory Evaluation and Whiskey Blending
Ale Ochoa is an expert sensory scientist and master blender with years of experience building sensory teams both large and small. In this episode, she outlines key parameters for sensory programs and outlines both simple and more complex ways of deploying sensory tools to improve blends, identify flaws, create more compelling descriptions, and make better spirits.
Through this episode,
1: Hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe Share Their Favorite Distilling Techniques
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast, featuring hosts Sydney Jones, head distiller for FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Molly Troupe, master distiller for Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon. Recorded live at the ACSA trade show and convention in Denver, this conversation introduces the podcast and the hosts via a deep dive into their favorite distilling techniqu
Recommended
Veritas Vox - The Voice of Classical Christian Education
Enjoy Teaching Again | Elementary, Teacher Burnout, Student Behavior, SEL, Classroom Management
Entrepreneur Kids Legacy Show - Family Motivation, Business Boss Babies, Inspirational Speakers and Healthy fun food
McKinsey on Consumer and Retail
megahired.com
Telli Talks with Telli Swift
Harmonize Your Life: Conversation on Self-Care for Women of Color
Lighting the Legal Career Path
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Pintastic® Pinterest Podcast
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
The Daily
