Craft Whiskey Podcasts

252 – Distilling in Memphis: Filling Barrels Ten Feet Off of Beale with Alex Castle of Old Dominick Distillery


We went on a road trip to check out Old Dominick distillery in Memphis, TN. We’re excited to let Alex Castle, Master Distiller at Old Dominick, share the history behind the brand and how it was resurrected. We learn about her time at Wild Turkey and then dive into their current operations and product lines. If you are in the Memphis area, make Old Dominick one of your must-stops so you can check out their incredible facility.

Show Notes:

  • This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Whiskey from Home.
  • Tell us about your background. Did you grow up around bourbon?
  • Talk about your time at UK.
  • What did you love about working at Alltech?
  • What happened after graduating?
  • What was your role at Wild Turkey?
  • How did you end up at Old Dominick?
  • Did Old Dominick have an initial vision?
  • What are honeybells?
  • How was the transition from Kentucky to Tennessee?
  • Tell us about the history of the distillery.
  • How did you decide to launch with the Memphis Toddy?
  • Talk about the design of the facility.
  • What was your vision for the still?
  • What was the inspiration for your recipes?
  • Tell us about your products and mash bills.
  • Talk about the barrels.
  • Why keep the barrel wood regional?
  • Will it be harder to keep the wood regional as you scale?
  • Talk about the rooster.
  • Tell us more about your gin.
  • What hurdles did you have when opening the distillery?
  • How have you been received in Memphis?

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242 – Building a Colorado Whiskey with Michael Myers of Distillery 291


Michael Myers sits down to tell us his story of starting Distillery 291. He had a booming photography career, but while living in NY during the events of 9/11, it made him want something else. He found out early on that he liked whiskey, so like most of us who start off with something new, he researched and used his skills from a past farm life to make it a reality. Michael actually built his very first still on a tight budget and ended up using some of his photography equipment to create the still. From these humble beginnings, his whiskey has gone off to win many different awards and they are now expanding even further, creating a whiskey that is Aspen stave finished and authentic to Colorado.

Show Notes:

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216 – The Man Behind Peerless with Corky Taylor

There’s a new chapter in the history books for Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company. A thriving distillery that had been lost during prohibition is now reemerging right in the heart of downtown Louisville. Corky Taylor, CEO of Peerless, joins the show to share his story. After being bored with retirement, Corky decided to risk it on building a distillery and fighting with a team of lawyers to reclaim their original DSP-50 designation. We talk more about their rye, the recent bourbon release, and some stories from when he was roommates with the Allman brothers.

Show Notes:

  • Denny’s Bourbon Menu: https://vinepair.com/booze-news/dennys-bourbon-menu-pancakes/
  • Sweet spot for aging bourbon: https://www.winemag.com/2019/08/12/ultra-aged-spirits-ripping-you-off/
  • Can liquor go bad?: https://www.bustle.com/articles/99585-does-alcohol-go-bad-yep-so-heres-how-long-you-have-to-finish-off-your-favorite
  • This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about marketing to children.
  • Tell us about growing up in Hawaii.
  • Where does the name Corky come from?
  • What is the history of Peerless?
  • What happened during prohibition?
  • What made you decide to bring the brand back?
  • Why Louisville?
  • Tell us about getting your original DSP number back.
  • Was it hard to make such a big investment?
  • Why was it important to wait to release your own product vs. sourcing?
  • What differentiates you from other brands?
  • What systems are you investing in?
  • If you were younger, would you have focused as much on quality as you are now?
  • Tell us about the bottle and the price point.
  • Why does rye age quicker than bourbon?
  • Is the price of the rye going to go up when it is older?
  • Tell us about the small batch and single barrel.
  • What is your definition of small batch?
  • Were your recipes trial and error?
  • What other ryes do you like?
  • Who are you teaming up with for barrels?
  • How did you chose your Master Distiller?
  • What’s your connection to General Patton?
  • What about the Allman Brothers?

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194 – Going Down the Rabbit Hole with Kaveh Zamanian, Founder of Rabbit Hole Distillery

Starting a new bourbon brand is tough, especially when you are in the backyard of the biggest dogs in the industry. However, Kaveh Zamanian saw a hole in the market where he could bring new mash bills and new experiences to bourbon drinkers. As the founder of Rabbit Hole Distillery, he has faced some criticism but is taking it head on in this episode. We talk about the startup hustle, contract distilling, pricing strategies, their 5 year roadmap and more.

Show Notes:

  • San Francisco World Spirits Competition – https://bourbonpursuit.com/2018/04/12/144-judging-san-francisco-world-spirits-competition-anthony-dias-blue/
  •  “Bourbon & Thoroughbred Infused” Lean Management Training Certification Course from April 22-23, 2019. http://solarity.com/lean
  • Pursuit Spirits on ModernThirst.com. https://modernthirst.com/2019/03/22/pursuit-spirits-video-tasting-with-kenny-of-bourbon-pursuit/
  • The week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Bourbon BBQ potato chips.
  • Let’s start from the beginning. Talk about your introduction to bourbon.
  • When you first met your wife, were you intimidated?
  • What made you want to go down the path of opening a distillery?
  • What did you want to change when you got in the bourbon industry?
  • How did you get the ball rolling?
  • Did everyone think you were crazy?
  • How do you outline expectations to investors?
  • Do you think it is challenging for someone from outside of Kentucky to build a distillery in Kentucky?
  • What was your motivation for building the distillery vs. sourcing?
  • Can you disclose who was contract distilling for you?
  • How did you come up with your recipe?
  • Can you explain the difference between malted grain and a regular grain source?
  • How do you know your mash bill will be good years down the road?
  • Talk about being added to the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
  • Do you think you are beyond being a craft distiller now?
  • Do you want to see TTB define the term small batch?
  • What are you all doing differently that would entice visitors to come check our Rabbit Hole?
  • When people see the name Kaveh Zamanian, do you think the general public has an unfair bias?
  • How hard is it to build a brand or story when you had no connection to the industry until recently?
  • Since you have a psychology background, can you give us a breakdown of the bourbon consumer?
  • Who are your early adopters?
  • How do you deal with negative feedback?
  • Talk about your pricing strategy?
  • How old is most of your whiskey?
  • What keeps you from putting the age statement on the bottle?
  • How do your products stand out in a crowded market?
  • Talk about your relationship with Death & Co.
  • Do you think there is any confusion among whiskey geeks about your product being for cocktails vs. sipping neat?
  • What story do you want consumer to know when they see your product?
  • What are your long term goals for the brand? Any intentions of selling it off?
  • Tell us about your roadmap. What is going to be happening with the brand in 5 years?
  • What can visitors expect when they visit Rabbit Hole?
  • What is your connection with cigars?
  • How did you come up with the name Rabbit Hole?

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169 – The Birth of Empire Rye

Empire Rye was founded by a group of distillers out of New York to create something so unique that it requires grains and a footprint in the Empire State. We’re joined by Brian McKenzie of Finger Lakes Distilling, Christopher Williams of Coppersea Distilling, and Allen Katz of New York Distilling Co to discuss the culture of rye in New York and the regulations set forth by the Empire Rye act.

Show Notes:

  • Shout out to Brad Bonds of Cork N Bottle for hosting us after our New Riff barrel selection
  • Patreon Barrel Picks -> http://bourbo.nz/BarrelPicks
  • This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Trump, Trade, and NAFTA
  • Chris thanks for coming on today because you about lost your voice this weekend too
  • The oak is new and interesting. Are you sourcing from Independent Stave or somewhere local?
  • Are you looking at different stave widths to adjust for micro-climates?
  • Why culture of rye of NY? Can you talk about the history of it?
  • Who came up with the idea of Empire Rye? And what is the sole idea behind it?
  • During the drafting process, what are those elements that make something an “Empire Rye”?
  • What are the stipulations about grains or can someone in a different state distill an Empire Rye?
  • A rye whiskey is able to develop more flavor and mature faster than a bourbon at a 2 year state. Agree?
  • What about the grains of NY make it interesting or fit that definition?
  • What other grains are you experimenting with that other 25% that’s allowable in the mash bill?
  • Were you trying to find commonalities between bottled-in-bond act as well?
  • Is there anyone actually enforcing the standard?
  • When it comes down to the bottling proof, is there an expected standard or is it up to you all?
  • Is there going to be a collaboration or plan on selling barrels with the standard of “Blended Empire Rye Whiskey”?
  • What’s the next phase to bring more NY distilleries on board?
  • What’s your distribution plan right now?
  • Purchase Finger Lakes Empire Rye at Seelbach’s – https://seelbachs.com/search?q=McKenzie

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142 – The Man Behind 100 Distilleries, Dave Pickerell

Dave Pickerell is well known in the bourbon world, he was former master distiller at Maker’s Mark and owns a consulting business, Oak View Spirits, where he has designed equipment, systems and processes for about 100 distilleries worldwide including WhistlePig, Hillrock, Corsair, and many others. This episode dives into to the distilleries themselves, the pricing behind Boss Hog,  and questions we would want to know from a master distiller like grain sourcing.

Show Notes:

  • As usual, lets start from the beginning. Do you remember your introduction into whiskey or bourbon?
  • Did you think chemical engineering would lead to spirits?
  • First off, do you get tired of talking about your past at Makers?
  • Do you think Maker’s put you on the map?
  • Do people still ask you to sign Maker’s stuff?
  • It seems that consulting is becoming a pretty big business because there’s the likes of you, Jim Rutledge, Nancy Fraley, Greg Metze, and the list goes on. Is there that much demand?
  • Are you training new distillers?
  • Do they get off track?
  • Master distillers today are seen is high regards as a big marketing tool and the face of the brand relies on that one person. However, you’re wearing the badge of many distilleries at one time. Are you asked to go to places to talk about a specific brand? Do you play favorites?
  • You’re still heavily involved with WhistlePig still, correct?
  • Talk about the brand a bit because it’s one we typically don’t talk about on the show.
  • It’s just sourced MGPi, right? So what are you doing that’s adding a bit of pizzazz to it?
  • Tell me, what’s up with the pricing on Boss Hog? What sort of magic are you doing that makes a $500 bottle of whiskey?
  • You are working with craft distilleries every day, what’s the biggest challenge you see facing them?
  • Are you trying to produce the same product at all these places? Because when I think about it you could just have the Dave Pickerall SKUs where you say here’s your 3 options, choose one and we will put everything in that bucket
  • Whats your theory on sourcing grains?
  • Are chewing on them? Or after distillation?
  • Discuss year to year variation of crops affect on flavors.
  • Discuss how sourcing grains from different parts of the world makes a difference in the finished product.

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140 – Getting Nosey with Nancy “The Nose” Fraley and Joseph A. Magnus & Co


Blending is an art. We’ve discussed it many times before and our guest today would be considered the Queen. She provides Nosing Services, meaning she is a blood hound in human form. Listen about Nancy Fraley‘s past and how she has carved a path as one of the world’s best blenders for whiskey, rum, armagnac, and many different spirits. In the second segment of the show, we talk about her current role at Joseph A. Magnus & Co and how she mirrored the current distribution to one that was found in a family closet from pre-prohibition as well as her exploration in the Jos. A. Magnus Cigar Blend!

Show Notes:

  • This is the second Master Blender we’ve had on the show. Back on Episode 103 we featured Drew Mayville. If you didn’t get a chance to listen to it, you really should. It’s an impossible decision to wonder if the master distiller or the master blender is the real star of the show.
  • Our guest today is renowned in the industry and gets the ever so attractive nickname “the nose”.
  • Lets talk about you for a bit. Do you remember your first experience with whiskey or bourbon?
  • Talk about your education and how you got your nick name
  • When did you realize you could start a business with this?
  • What do you do when you get a head cold?
  • So you currently freelance for many big names in the industry as well as craft distilleries out there. What services are you offering for many of these places?
  • What are some of the most common mistakes distillers make?
  • Talk me through nosing new make or white dog and how you can criticize or tweak it because in my opinion it’s damn near impossible. are there certain aromas?
  • Any examples of when you can sense something is wrong and how to fix it?
  • What’s the worst case you came across and had to salvage something. We can keep the names innocent, but what went wrong?
  • What else besides whiskey do you consult in?
  • I read somewhere you’re a big fan of armagnac.
  • Do you use the same method for judging different spirits or is there a playbook for each one?
  • Lots of craft distilleries are looking at you to help perfect their products.
  • How does you determine the amount of each different whiskey that goes into a blend? Does that always translate when your mixing small amounts in a lab then try to use the same percentages on a batch from barrels?
  • Lots of people do home blending with after market products. Perhaps it’s something as simple as an infinity bottle where you take the last ounce or two from every bottle and put it in a decanter, and others that buy these small 1 gallon barrels. Is there any recipe or formula you use to know what should go into a blend?
  • Do you find it odd or interesting that distilleries don’t do limited edition blendings with barrels from each respective distiller to form a collaboration?
  • Talk about Jos A Magnus and what you are doing there
  • I’ve got access to the single barrels as well as some of the infamous Cigar blend finishes. I want you to talk me through your involvement with single barrels, the standard Magnus release, Murray Hill, and we’ll finish it off with Cigar Blend
  • Do you see barrel finishes as the future of the industry?

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133 – Grain to Glass with Ryan Burchett of Mississippi River Distilling Company

The grain to glass movement isn’t new, but it’s a way for brands to differentiate themselves as they have complete control of the distillation process from all locally sourced products. It sparks pride in your area and builds relationships across the process until it hits the consumer. Ryan Burchett, Co-Owner and Distiller at Mississippi River Distilling Company, joins the show to talk about new experiments are happening from partnering with other distilleries and how the wood effecting the barrel is the next frontier for unique concepts and spirits.

Show Notes:

  • Ryan, let’s talk about you for a minute. Talk about your background and if you grew up around spirits.
  • How old are you and your brother? When did you get the bug to really dive into this venture?
  • Your known as one of the bourbon brothers that changed prohibition-era state law in Iowa, so talk about the history of Iowa and the meaning behind this title.
  • Before we dive into it, give us an overview of Mississippi River Distilling Company
  • Talk about the origins and how the name Mississippi River came to be or did you look out your office window and saw the Mississippi River and said “that’s it!”
  • So the whole grain to glass thing is something we hear very often now. It’s almost counterintuitive to what some of the big titans in the industry do. They feel that sourcing the best grains are the most efficient way to create a quality product, no matter the distance. But they also have to buy from multiple farms for the same grain. So talk about your view of having grain to glass distillation and what it brings.
  • Talk about some of the brands and spirits you all are doing.
  • Ok what’s an “artisan spirit”? I’m intrigued
  • Let’s be honest, you’re on a bourbon podcast but do you have a particular spirit you enjoy distilling more than it?
  • What states are your products distributed so our listeners can be on the lookout?
  • Talk about the tours and what’s unique?
  • Talk about Iowa for a bit. You’re our first guest from this state so what’s bourbon growth been like in regards to the market?
  • You started this 5-7 years ago – How has your own operation grown from where it started?
  • How many barrels are you aging? You’ve got a lot of experimental barrels going on but what is your primary age you shoot for in your bourbon whiskey? Size of barrels being used? Where do you get your barrels?
  • Where are you located so people can visit you and some social media locations to learn more about you

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130 – Ask a Master Distiller with Shane Baker of Wilderness Trail Distillery

You may remember of Dr. Pat Heist of Ferm-Solutions back on episode 121 talking about the science of yeast. This episode feature his counterpart Shane Baker, Master Distiller of Wilderness Trail Distillery, as he answers all the questions you ever wanted to know from a Master Distiller. These guys are very well known in the bourbon world amongst distillers who know what they are doing. We take a deeper dive into grains and how this distillery has been aging product for almost 4 years and still hasn’t released a bourbon yet.

Show Notes:

  • Tell us a bit about Wilderness Trail?
  • Where are you located?
  • Do you use the same yeast strain in all your different mash bills?
  • Adam Kessell I’d like the hear about all crop yield, and the agricultural footprint of bourbon/whiskey and what safe guards we take for the long term success of the product.
  • Can you continue to keep it local?
  • How often do you turn away grains?
  • What do you think about the bourbon boom from a craft standpoint. what needs to be done to maintain this momentum?
  • Aged stock vs making money. where’s that balance?
  • What advice to give to other craft distillers?
  • What in your opinion is the biggest factor in distilling/aging? Mash?,distillation temperature?, entry proof?, barrel type or aging location?
  • Chris Scott I want to hear more about sourcing grains. We already heard Jimmy Russell say he must source rye from Europe. That blew my mind.
  • Dustin Charles Herr Discuss year to year variation of crops affect on flavors.
  • Steven Granger Discuss how sourcing grains from different parts of the world makes a difference in the finished product.

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128 – Overnight Bourbon using TerrePURE with Jacob Call of O.Z. Tyler Distillery


It’s a controversial topic amongst bourbon purists. Can you replicate all the effects Mother Nature and Father Time add to the bourbon that rests inside a barrel? Jacob Call, Master Distiller at O.Z. Tyler, comes from a long family lineage of distillers and decided to do take on an industry with Terressentia using TerrePURE technology. Learn about the growth of this startup and small bit about the technology in this episode.

Show Notes:

  • How did you get involved with bourbon and got you here today?
  • Do you have any good stories with being around Booker and Fred?
  • Tell us a bit about the property here in Owensboro
  • How bad of shape was this Old Medley Distillery when you got here?
  • I was surprised at the size, it seems like you’re pumping out a bunch of product
  • What is creating all this expansion especially when you are so new?
  • Explain the TerrePURE process because you’re expediting the aging
  • So it’s not just marketing BS?
  • Do you worry about bourbon purists not enjoying this when you talk about age statements and the like?
  • If it works so well, why wouldn’t the big boys want to license this?
  • Talk a bit about the O.Z. Tyler Brand
  • Will there be other brands to come out?
  • So it has to be barreled for at least a year to be labeled Kentucky bourbon
  • I was blown away by the taste. It actually tastes like a 4 year old bourbon.
  • Where is Terressentia focused for the future?

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