Courtney Iseman

There are spirits in the trees, but pines are a source that modern distillers often overlook. Whether using fresh buds or gooey cones for brandies or liqueurs, here’s how a couple of small distilleries in the Northwest are sourcing and distilling them for a distinctive local product.

Spirits made from tree sap or syrup—usually maple, though other possibilities exist—are a widely overlooked opportunity for craft distillers to harness local flavor.

If you’ve built your distilling business to last, there will come a day to breathe new life into the brand and update its look. The first trick is in knowing when that day has come—then comes the soul-searching.

The classic espresso martini is only one example of a happy marriage between coffee and alcohol. Here are some different ways that craft distilleries are incorporating coffee into their spirits and liqueurs.

In the second of two articles on the making of soju and shochu, we take a closer look at the all-important koji mold, and we hear from three different producers of shochu—the light spirit that’s been outselling sake in Japan since 2003.

These two lighter spirits from East Asia have long traditions and remain popular in their home countries, but they are not the same. American drinkers are catching on. In the first of two articles, we look at the differences and then zoom in on craft soju.

With its long-established tradition and unique flavors, aquavit is finding favor among North American drinkers and bartenders—and among craft distillers, who appreciate its familiar process and opportunities for distinctive character.

There are costs and challenges—and it’s not all that easy to find—but a growing handful of distillers are excited about the potential of Kernza, a perennial grain domesticated for its environmental benefits.

You’re not hallucinating: Absinthe is enjoying some overdue growth among American drinkers. In the first of a two-part series, we consider its background and trajectory—and in the next, we’ll zoom in on the craft of making it.

Once you understand the basics of absinthe and broadly which path you intend to follow, it’s time to make some flavor decisions. Here we consider how you can put your own thumbprint on the spirit via botanicals and other creative choices.