Spirits & Distilling Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Tennessee Whiskey”

20: Sherrie Moore Uses Data and Experimentation to Understand and Optimize Whiskey Flavor and Consistency

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0700

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 for the past few years she has expanded her scope to help smaller brands dial in processes, products, and operations.

In this episode, Moore and host Sydney Jones discuss:

Understanding tradition before getting into experimentation
Jack Daniel’s experiments to reduce the angel’s share
Managing a distillery through periods of overproduction and rebalancing
Understanding the impact of toast versus char
Newer research from ISC Barrels on barrel preparation
Creating greater consistency, not just quality
Understanding the dynamics of barrel warehouses
Evaluating with the eyes to understand flavor
Collecting data on consumer preference through tasting-room experiments

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Jim Kuhr, VP of Manufacturing at Red Boot Beverages says, “G&D has been with us since the early days. Their knowledgeable engineers and service techs are there when we need them. We’re in the midst of a large expansion, and they have been right there with us to select chiller solutions for today and the future.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com

10: Andy Nelson, Cofounder of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery and Belle Meade Bourbon, on the Life Cycle of a Modern Distillery

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:00:00 -0600

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 and blending, with the requisite learning that that entailed. Now, after selling the majority stake in the distillery to Constellation Brands, Nelson has set an independent course, consulting and helping other would-be distillery founders and operators navigate the same go-to-market maze.

In this episode, host Molly Troupe and Nelson discuss:

Building a brand story from family history
Developing and honing a solid base of blending skills before distilling and barreling whiskey
Moving past assumptions and expectations to focus on the reality of flavor in the blending process
The common misconception that smaller barrels age whiskey faster
Tennessee whiskey history and terminology, and the charcoal mellowing process
Updating a historic family recipe and process
Striking the balance between founder/owner and maker
Gaining confidence as a distiller without a background in science
Leveling up on less natural skills like sales
Bringing on a strategic distribution partner with all the benefits and challenges that entails

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Rebecca Harris, president and head distiller of Catoctin Creek recently shared, “Service after the sale is what really separates the quality of a supplier relationship. G&D Chillers has always been a phone call away when we needed them. For a small business like mine, that partnership makes all the difference.” Whether you distill batch by batch or in a continuous operation, for more than 30 years, G&D has had the proven solution. Visit them today at gdchillers.com.

[ABS Commercial:](hhttps://abs-commercial.com) For over 11 years, ABS Commercial has been your full-service equipment manufacturer, designing quality distillation equipment ranging from 50L – 5,000L. Whether establishing a new distillery or expanding into a brewstillery, their team of experienced engineers and designers work with you to develop customized distilling solutions. With their consultative approach, they tailor to your production capacity, space constraints, and budgetary considerations to help you create quality, crafted spirits. Contact them today at sales@abs-commercial.com to discuss your customized distilling needs.

Brewery & Distillery Workshop: IIf you’re planning a distillery or brewery launch, adding a distillery to your brewery, or considering purchasing an existing brewing or distilling business, then visit breweryworkshop.com for more information about the Brewery and Distillery workshop brought to you by Craft Spirits & Distilling and Craft Beer & Brewing. Over four days, you’ll learn what it takes to get a successful craft beverage business off the ground, through panel discussions, working group sessions, technical tours, and more. Get your ticket now at breweryworkshop.com.

9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful Whiskies

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0600

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 deep stocks of long-aged Tennessee whiskey to modern lab equipment. The nexus of that deeper palette of whiskies with which to blend—and deeper knowledge of those whiskies and how they age—is paying off with a number of releases that are piquing the interest of whiskey lovers.

In this episode, Austin sits down with host Sydney Jones for a distiller-to-distiller conversation on the intricacies of blending. Along the way, they discuss:

how rigorous approaches to blending can lead you astray
altering the blending approach based on the age of the spirit and ultimate intention for the release
managing blends with very small casks
safe assumptions and techniques for validating them
understanding gas chromatography and its place in the blending process
the challenge in discovering and delivering “house character” that speaks to the blender while resonating with drinkers
building a sustainable business structure
contemporary projects, including the three-chamber rye blend with Leopold Brothers
the multimode consumption of truly great whiskey

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Rebecca Harris, president and head distiller of Catoctin Creek recently shared, “Service after the sale is what really separates the quality of a supplier relationship. G&D Chillers has always been a phone call away when we needed them. For a small business like mine, that partnership makes all the difference.” Whether you distill batch by batch or in a continuous operation, for more than 30 years, G&D has had the proven solution. Visit them today at gdchillers.com.