Spirits & Distilling

Library

For those who love to drink and make great spirits.

Showing 25-48 of 84 library items

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Video
Welcome to WhistlePig Whiskey
Head of whiskey development Liz Rhoades and R&D distiller Mitch Mahar welcome us to their course, in which they’ll walk us through WhistlePig’s whiskey-making process, from the farm through the distillery, and into the barrels and (eventually) the blends, bottles, and bar.
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Magazine
Craft Spirits & Distilling Premier Issue (2024)
Coming to print for the first time, the premier issue of Spirits & Distilling is packed with compelling and useful stories for distillers, owners, and operators.
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Video
The Finish | Tasting, Blending, Labeling ... and Gratitude
Hear about Sante Fe’s process for tasting through barrels, blending, and bottling, including the meaning of the age statement on the bottle. Finally, Stephen shares parting thoughts about what makes craft distilling special.
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Video
Barrel Care | Maintenance & Re-Use
Hear about how Stephen and the Santa Fe team maintain their barrels—including the use of steam to clean and saturate the wood; tightening the hoops to “tune” the barrel and ensure a tight seal; preparing barrels for re-use; and minimal movement to help ensure a premium spirit.
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Video
Blending | Crafting a Distinctive Spirit
Hear more about how Sante Fe Spirits approaches its whiskey blends and the importance of its mesquite-smoked malt to that finishing process. Other considerations include the “bottle shock” effect and the rules and regulations of whiskey production.
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Video
Opening Barrels | Evaluating the Aged Spirit
Watch as Stephen cracks into two well-aged but very different barrels—one of charred new oak, the other a used bourbon barrel—to compare the differences in color and character.
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Video
Maturation | The Importance of Climate, Seasonality, and Position
The barrel is a time capsule—consider how it changes throughout the year within its environment, as well as how its placement in the rackhouse might (or might not) affect the character of the spirit.
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Video
Into the Barrel | Making a Spirit Meant for Aging
Preparing a spirit for barrel-aging involves identifying your ideal entry proof, having the right amount of “roughness” coming off the still, planning for the angel’s share, and more.
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Video
Imparting Character | Why Toast and Char Matter to Barrel-Aged Spirits
Get to know the process that transforms the surface of the wood, and the flavor compounds that result, making the barrel one of the most impactful elements on the taste and complexity of a mature spirit.
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Video
The Components | A Lesson in Barrel Anatomy
Consider the pieces of a wet-type barrel—whether made from white oak or other type of wood—as well as how some of those parts have evolved and why we need them.
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Video
Introduction | The Beauty of the Barrel
Hear a little about Santa Fe Spirits, a barrel-focused craft distillery, and ponder the history of wooden casks and what makes them special.
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Video
Parting Thoughts | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Mike and Todd wrap up with some parting thoughts.
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Video
Sense and Intuition | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Mike and Todd make the case for why you should focus on the quality of your raw materials and trust your senses when evaluating and using them.
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Video
COA | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
A certificate of analysis is designed to help you understand some key traits in your malt.
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Video
Post-Kilning: Cleaning, Storage, Quality | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
The process isn’t done once kilning is over. The steps before packaging still affect the quality.
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Video
Temperature | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Learn the importance of time, temperature, and moisture during the malting process.
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Video
Barley Processing and Behavior | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
External factors and barley varieties affect the malting process.
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Video
Malting | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Mike dives deep into the malting process and why it’s so important to the final product used by brewers and distillers.
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Video
Storage | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Next stop: the malthouse, where storage conditions impact the quality and longevity of the grains.
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Video
Kernza | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Todd shares his excitement about Kernza, a perennial grain, and its future in the distilling world.
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Video
Corn | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Todd and Mike discuss making the shift from growing corn for feed to growing corn for distilling.
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Video
Wheat | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Learn why Root Shoot focuses on growing more unique wheat varieties better suited for brewers and distillers.
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Video
Rye | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Take a deeper dive into rye, and learn what you should look for when selecting this distinct grain.
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Video
Protein Levels | Craft Malt for Craft Distillers
Todd and Mike discuss the impact of farming practices on the starch and protein levels in grain.