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 way, he’s embraced a collaborative approach among craft distillers, emphasizing the need to share knowledge so that everyone can make better, more compelling spirits. He continues that work today, advising small distilleries on how to pay attention to customer feedback and create meaningful experiences while maintaining creative traditions.
In this episode with host Molly Troupe, Jeffery also discusses:
the unusual experience of building a prison still for a California death-row case
the importance of having a skilled mechanic in the distillery
how sound and music can help identify problems in the distillery
balancing intuition with science in R&D projects and whiskey-blending
the importance of customer feedback to refining products
how storytelling connects the maker with the product and those who enjoy it
maintaining authenticity when scaling up
And more.
G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.
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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 intentional flavor goals.
For Joe O’Sullivan—master distiller at Minden Mill (https://www.mindenmill.com) in Nevada’s high desert, just east of Lake Tahoe—the choice is clear: to prioritize consistency through distillation and maturation processes, so that they can let their estate-grown grain shine.
In this episode, O’Sullivan and host Sydney Jones discuss:
the impact of terroir on grain, and on distilled spirits made from that grain
losing 3 to 4 percent angel’s share per month in a very dry climate
building a distillery to optimize intended flavors in finished spirits
identifying signature flavor characteristics and optimizing whiskey blends to highlight them
controlling the rickhouse climate to mimic weather patterns in popular distilling centers such as Kentucky and Scotland
And more.
G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.
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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 regulations, different opportunities present themselves, and different takes on efficiency can become the norm.
Take Melbourne, Australia, for example, where this episode’s guest, Jarrad Hucksold, spent almost a decade as head blender for Starward Whisky. The popularity of wine in Australia has created a steady supply of used wooden casks, making them an accessible and flexible vessel for extended maturation. But understanding the way the local environment affects those casks as they mature was key to creating great stock for their blends.
In this episode, Huckshold and host Molly Troupe discuss:
taking a winemaker’s approach to whiskey maturation
how fortified wine barrels interact with aging liquid inside them
re-coopering and re-charring used barrels for better spirits aging
managing sulfur in used wine barrels
reactive maturation environments and avoiding over-extraction because of temperature fluctuations
training one’s palate for the precise sensory work of blending
maintaining consistency in blends through solera aging
And more.
G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.
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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 (https://www.blackvelvetwhisky.com) 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 produces quality at volume.
In this episode, Goldberg and host Sydney Jones discuss:
the art of balance in blending lighter and heavier whiskies
using high wines to create harmonious blends
pre-blend aging and evaluation as well as post-blend additional maturation
maintaining consistency and efficiency with a continuous still
the positive impact of used cooperage on lighter distillates
And more.
G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.
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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 (https://www.americancane.com), and Jennifer Wren. As chief joy officer of the Wren Way (https://www.thewrenway.com), Wren’s coaches women on how to make joy central to their careers.
Among other topics, they discuss:
the “bugout bag” and why you should pack one, today, even if you love your job
why it’s important for leaders to maintain positive work environments
tips on how to maintain work-life balance
the perils of toxic productivity
the importance of setting boundaries and taking breaks
watching for signs of burnout
the value of a network and keeping up with contacts
financial planning for career flexibility
And more.
G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.
Enjoy and learn from conversations with leading distillers as 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 and storied spirits. It’s a podcast by distillers, for distillers, that covers the broad world of finely crafted spirits—botanical and herbal spirits, fruit distillations, agave spirits, grain spirits, and more. Listen as the hosts discuss every aspect of the process, from ideation and ingredient selection through conversion and fermentation, distilling, aging, finishing, proofing, and packaging. Subscribe to this bi-weekly podcast for tips and techniques that will help you make better spirits.
South Africa