Matt Strickland
Choosing the Right Char for Your Whiskey BarrelsBarrel char is a crucial flavor component for American whiskey, but there’s no need to follow the crowd. Going with an unusual char level or including a variety may be what takes your whiskey from good to great.
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More Than a Number: Selecting the Right Bottle Proof for Your SpiritThe strength at which distillers decide to bottle their products can have wide-ranging impact, from labeling laws to bartender preferences.
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Forecasting: If You Make It, Will They Come?Planning production in the distillery requires more than an optimistic foot on the gas. It demands a calculated look at production and sales capacity.
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Defining Monongahela Rye: The Push for a New (Old) CategoryAs distillers in western Pennsylvania work to define their own style of rye, historical examples and modern efforts guide the way. It’s a project that could be instructive to distillers in other regions with distinctive styles.
The Promise and Gimmickry of Rapid MaturationRapid-aging research is as old as commercial whiskey production. What are the upsides, what are the downsides—and why hasn’t it taken broader hold in the industry?
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Weighing the Merits of Slow DilutionWhen it comes to diluting a spirit before packaging, deliberate slowness has a strong following among distillers. Yet there’s a lack of hard evidence to back up the approach—or to dismiss it.
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When It Comes to Barrel Entry Proof, Consider Your Budget and the ScienceThe available data around flavor impacts is unclear—even contradictory—but this much we know: Distilling a range of strengths for the barrels will give you a broader range of blending options.
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Why the Angel’s Share MattersOh, the sweetness of loss… Here’s how and why the slow, inevitable reduction of cask-aged spirit plays a valuable role in its maturation and flavor—and why some people try to prevent it anyway.
Deciphering the Black Box of Cask ChemistryUnderstanding the reactions that occur in a barrel can help distillers get the most from their cellar environment and cask choices.
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Demystifying Distillation CutsThe way a distiller makes cuts will help to define the flavor and aroma of their spirit—but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
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Maximize Your Mashing MethodWhen you’re making whiskey, mashing can be more than a way to get fermentable sugars from the grain. Whatever process you use, there are control points you can use to influence the character of the final spirit.
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Do the Math: Dialing in the Right Mash Bill for Your WhiskeyUnless you’re working with a single-grain mash bill, writing a whiskey recipe can be a daunting mental exercise worthy of trip to the therapist. From a master distiller, here are some tips to guide you through the process.
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