Sydney Jones
S&D Podcast 20: Sherrie Moore Uses Data and Experimentation to Understand and Optimize Whiskey Flavor and ConsistencyBy Sydney JonesOver her 30+ years at Jack Daniel’s, Sherrie Moore served in a variety of roles, from working in the visitor’s center in the mid-70s through stints as chemist, processing manager, warehousing manager, and more before retiring as director of whiskey production. Now, she works with spirits brands in a consulting capacity, sharing the knowledge she built over decades of bust-and-boom producing whiskey for one of the world’s largest brands.
CS&D Podcast Episode 18: Mark Vierthaler of Whiskey Del Bac Is Pursuing a Distinct Sense of Place, TransparentlyBy Sydney JonesThe head distiller and blender in Tucson, Arizona, is embracing the scorching desert climate and local flavor—namely, mesquite-smoked malt—to craft distinctive whiskeys while making transparency integral to the brand.
CS&D Podcast Episode 17: Blender Jackie Zykan of Hidden Barn and Oduoak Debunks Lazy Assumptions about Whiskey Flavors, Blending, and SensoryBy Sydney JonesZykan, former master taster for Old Forester, current master blender for Hidden Barn and perfumer for Oduoak, joins host Sydney Jones for a rollicking episode of intentionality and shared experience.
CS&D Podcast Episode 15: Maplewood Finds Creative Fermentation, Botanicals, and Finishing Opportunities at the Intersection of Brewing and DistillingBy Sydney JonesThis 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 13: Widow Jane Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov Directs the Delicate Dance of Urban Distilling and BlendingBy Sydney JonesProducing 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 11: Ken Klehm of 450 North Spirits Loves the Creative Challenge of Distilling an Array of SpiritsBy Sydney Jones
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 9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful WhiskiesBy Sydney JonesThere’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 7: Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll is Tackling New Challenges in the Biggest Way Possible—by Building a New DistilleryBy Sydney JonesHeaven 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.
CS&D Podcast Episode 5: Riley Henderson of FEW Spirits Explores Whiskey’s “Last Frontier”—FermentationBy Sydney JonesWhat’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.
CS&D Podcast Episode 3: Lisa Wicker, Itinerant Distiller, Considers Lessons From Her Past While Looking to the FutureBy Sydney JonesThe 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.
CS&D Podcast Episode 1: Hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe Share Their Favorite Distilling TechniquesBy Sydney JonesIn 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.