Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast

The podcast for those who make and drink great spirits.


CS&D Podcast Episode 16: Adam Spiegel of Corning & Company and Sonoma Distilling Takes a Reactive and Responsive Approach to an Evolving Spirits Market

The president of Corning & Company reimagined and reconfigured Sonoma Distilling into a house of brands—some are owned, others are partnerships—but quality and experimentation are still top of mind for this award-winning master distiller.

CS&D Podcast Episode 15: Maplewood Finds Creative Fermentation, Botanicals, and Finishing Opportunities at the Intersection of Brewing and Distilling

This award-winning Chicago brewstillery finds innovative ways to connect their disciplines—and not just for the narrative, but firstly for the flavor.

CS&D Podcast Episode 14: Nic Christiansen of Barrell Craft Spirits Pieces Together the Blended Whiskey Puzzle

As blender and manager of blending operations for Barrell, a brand committed to sourcing and blending rather than distilling, Christiansen finds creative ways to marry distinct flavors in whiskey without muddling their individual characters.

CS&D Podcast Episode 13: Widow Jane Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov Directs the Delicate Dance of Urban Distilling and Blending

Producing smaller volumes of craft spirits typically means a location closer to potential customers, but distilling in high-density urban environments is both work-intensive and expensive. Brooklyn’s Widow Jane has found an artful way to create distinct spirits despite—or maybe because of—the challenges they face distilling, aging, and blending in New York City.

CS&D Podcast Episode 12: Christian Krogstad, Founder of Aviation Gin and Westward Whiskey, Designs Spirits That Stand the Test of Time

Few acquisitions of spirit brands have been as high-profile as Ryan Reynolds’ purchase of the Aviation Gin brand, followed by its sale to Diageo. Yet even before the celebrity-fueled spotlight turned its way, Aviation was the work of an earnest distiller seeking to make the perfect pre-Prohibition-style gin for classic cocktails.

CS&D Podcast Episode 11: Ken Klehm of 450 North Spirits Loves the Creative Challenge of Distilling an Array of Spirits

Through his distilling career, Ken Klehm has tackled an array of challenges, such as stocking an entire cocktail bar with house-distilled spirits and liqueurs. Now at the helm of the 450 North brewstillery, he’s exploring new opportunities such as distilling with estate grain, making American single malt, and more.

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

Launching a whiskey distillery is not for the faint of heart. Balancing the timing, financing, logistics, brand building, quality, creative expression, distillery construction, and legacy has left Andy Nelson feeling as much like a jack-of-all-trades as he does a head distiller.

CS&D Podcast Episode 9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful Whiskies

There’s no one best way to blend whiskey—but for this award-winning distiller and blender, the key is taking an approach that fits the intended goal.

CS&D Podcast Episode 8: Clear Creek Master Distiller Caitlin Bartlemay Thrives on the Challenges of Fruit Brandy and American Single Malt

Distilling fruit brandies from whole fruit is a technical and logistical challenge, but for Caitlin Bartlemay, it’s nowhere near as difficult as educating consumers about the process, ingredients, and history of this storied spirit.

CS&D Podcast Episode 7: Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll is Tackling New Challenges in the Biggest Way Possible—by Building a New Distillery

Heaven Hill’s seventh master distiller got his start as a chemical engineer before finding his way into whiskey. Now, Conor O’Driscoll is leading the storied distillery’s next chapter, as they build and commission the new Heaven Hill Springs distillery, and as they tackle new processes for making their beloved brands.