Recent Articles

From mild but aromatic bells to fiery chiles, peppers in spirits can be an outlet for a distiller’s creativity while delivering a wide range of distinctive flavors.

From whiskeys whose grains they can trace to specific Alberta fields to a wine program that feeds ports, brandies, and grappa, Bridgeland Distillery’s DIY flywheel is gaining momentum.

The former president and master distiller for Brooklyn’s Widow Jane took a circuitous route before ending up in distilling, but the lessons in blending, flavor development, and agricultural integration she picked up along the way have informed her approach to distilled spirits to this day.

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.

Sensory scientist and experienced whiskey blender Ale Ochoa joins Molly to discuss the finer points of developing a palate, articulating flavor and aroma attributes, training a sensory team, testing and validating results, and more.

Meet some of the distillers who are building unique grain bills for their spirits through research, farmer relationships, and environmentally mindful production.

RMS has been at the forefront of creating superior grain mill machines that make a substantial difference in the distilling process.

Granulated peat—pulled from American soil and driven by environmental concerns—is different from the peat moss traditionally used in the production of Scotch. At least one distillery is experimenting with cold infusions that add a different dimension to single-malt whiskey.

When distillers need sensory evaluation to identify outliers or differences in samples, look no further than discriminative testing. Here’s how it works.

While nothing is likely to replace the mighty oak for barrels, distillers are exploring a variety of other woods for aging spirits with distinctive character.

It may sound cheesy, but some American distillers are joining a trend from overseas—fermenting and distilling spirits with whey.

In this clip from his video course, Boulder Spirits distiller Justin Baier shares several details about how they age, evaluate, blend, and proof down different barrels of single-malt whiskeys, as well as how they finish some in different kinds of casks.

In this launch episode of the Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast, hosts Sydney Jones of FEW Spirits and Molly Troupe of Freeland Spirits introduce the podcast and each other with a dive into their favorite distilling techniques.

When selecting barrels to finish their spirits, some craft distillers are going against the grain.

An on-site liquid-to-lips program is essential for producers to connect with customers—and not just your visitors, but also the bars where you aim to gain a foothold. Here are some key points to keep in mind when setting up and refining the bar program at your own distillery.

In this clip from his video course, Boulder Spirits distiller Justin Baier explains how they approach collecting the heads, hearts, and tails for desirable flavors and a consistent single-malt whiskey.

A change in TTB rules has opened the door for craft distillers to produce vodkas with character. The next challenge: Convince customers it’s worth the price.

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.

Recent barley reports and new recommended varieties offer distillers and brewers some welcome assurances and a glimpse of the future, including barleys better suited to nontraditional growing areas.