Craft Malt for Craft Distillers

In this ingredient-focused technical course, Todd Olander and Mike Myers of Colorado’s Root Shoot Malting guide you through the entire malting process—from planting to kilning—as well as the importance of maintaining quality in every step.

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Distillers, Mothers, Cocktail Lovers

Here’s how to celebrate Mother’s Day in a way that befits a distiller.

Video Tip: Carefully Cultivating Corn for Craft Distillers

Root Shoot founder Todd Olander explains what they look for when selecting varieties and growing corn for craft distillers.

Encompass Technologies Announces Advanced Capabilities for Spirits Producers

The advanced software capabilities that distillers can access with Encompass Production Cloud enhance their craft, position them for growth, and provide deeper analytics on how to operate more efficiently.

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Esoteric Spirits: Explaining (and Selling) the Process

As small, independent distillers find more curious consumers, they’re learning how to communicate the technical side of their craft—and it’s driving interest in their spirits.

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Distilling American Single Malt Whiskey

Boulder Spirits distiller Justin Baier walks you through the process and materials of making an American single malt whiskey and what they’re learning along the way.

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Getting the Most From Your Lab Still

Whether you’re evaluating a new grain, prototyping a new recipe, or checking the proof of a liqueur, a lab still can be an essential tool for small distilleries.

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CS&D Podcast Episode 5: Riley Henderson of FEW Spirits Explores Whiskey’s “Last Frontier”—Fermentation

What’s left to do in the world of whiskey? Plenty, if you ask FEW Spirits director of operations Riley Henderson. For him, the secret lies in embracing slower, more flavorful fermentations.

The “English” Bourbon Making (and Riding) Waves Across the Atlantic

Never Say Die raced out of the gate to win a major prize. But how, exactly, does one make an “English” bourbon?

The Latest Buzz: How Distillers Are Adding Coffee to Their Spirits

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.

Video Tip: Evaluating Grain Quality for Craft Malt

Root Shoot founder Todd Olander and head maltster Mike Myers discuss working with farmers and using their senses to get the best grains they can to make high-quality malts for distillers and brewers.

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Whiskey Blending with the Experts: From Science to Art to Market

Blending on the small-batch scale, craft-whiskey makers have limitations that the bigger producers don’t have—but they also have distinct advantages. Heeding advice from accomplished blenders, let’s look closer at how to blend whiskeys mindfully, with art and with purpose.

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Whiskey Blending with the Experts: Sharpening the Senses

Thoughtfully applying the science and craft of blending offers an avenue for distilleries to elevate their products—but it begins with a serious devotion to sensory analysis.

CS&D Podcast Episode 4: Reade Huddleston of Monster Brewing Shares Perspectives on RTDs, Water Quality, and More

Reade Huddleston’s career has bounced back and forth between the brewing and distilling worlds, picking up valuable lessons along the way. Here, he shares important perspectives on packaging RTDs for long-term stability, understanding the impact of water chemistry throughout the distilling process, and more.

Distiller’s Perspective: Making Craft Whiskey from Craft Beer at Berkshire Mountain

William Winn, operations manager at Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Sheffield, Massachusetts, explains how they got into making whiskey out of beer—eventually leading to their Craft Brewers Whiskey Project—and what they’ve learned from the process. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

Video Tip: Germinating and Kilning Malt for Craft Distillers

Root Shoot founder Todd Olander and head maltster Mike Myers describe the slow, careful germination process and the kilning temperatures involved in producing high-quality malt for distillers.

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Hedonic Testing: Gauging the Liking of Spirits

While there are limitations—and scoring high on likeability is no guarantee that a product will succeed—properly conducted hedonic testing can be a powerful tool for distillers and others in the beverage business.

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