2015 Craft Spirits Conference
& Vendor Expo ~ Louisville, Kentucky
March 30 - April 2
Now in its 12th year, ADI's 2015 Conference & Expo will host over 50 exciting seminars, workshops, panels and breakout sessions covering every aspect of distilling, for every level of mastery.
Check out ADI's website to view the extensive speaker list, get hotel information, and to register.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
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Spirited celebrates whiskey-inspired glass art
Spirited celebrates the eternal coupling of glass and Kentucky's favorite adult beverage at Flame Run Glass Studio and Gallery, March 1 - May 23. The show features the whiskey-inspired work of four artists, including Rick Schneider, who is also a craft distiller. Schneider proposed a show that brought his two passions together when he learned that ADI was holding its annual conference in Louisville.
Glass and whiskey have an enduring bond, Schneider said. "You buy your whiskey in glass. You drink your whiskey in glass. I thought 'We should put them together in a show and have artists make glasses for whiskey.' "
Schneider is making glass replicas of stills (used in the whiskey-making process) and several large-scale whiskey bottles with images from prohibition and the distilling industry. The whiskey bottles are a collaboration of Schneider and Nikki Vahle, a printmaker who is also his wife.
Flame Run will host an opening reception from 6-8pm on March 31st, and Schneider will do a demonstration at 6:30pm. More information is on their website.
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deVine Vineyards: Canada's newest distillery
 | | Ken Winchester, Ryan Windsor and John Windsor |
DeVine Spirits in Victoria, BC is officially Canada's newest Distillery. Owners John & Cathy Windsor, with Master Distiller Ken Winchester, plan to produce up to 2,000 cases of artisan whiskey, gin, brandy and grappa from local and organic ingredients.
The Windsors purchased the rundown farm that was to become deVine Vineyards in 2007, and turned to winemaker and neighbor Ken Winchester to help plant their first vines, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. A second vineyard was planted the following year, Canada's largest planting of Gruner Veltliner. A successful winery followed in 2010, now producing 2,000 cases and 12 different varieties.
Two years ago Winchester and a friend tracked down a vintage Kothe potstill recently retired from an Okanagan winery, bought it sight unseen, and stored it at Devine. The Windsors took one look at the 12-foot column of gleaming copper and stainless steel and had an epiphany: why not leave it right where it is and launch a distillery? Months of construction, paperwork and permits later, DeVine Spirits is up and running.
Whiskey will be DeVine's long-term investment. The Windsors plan to focus on small-batch, craft distilling, with most of the production sold through their tasting room in Saanichton. There's also a licensed picnic area with sweeping views of the Gulf Islands and Mt. Baker. A small portion of the production will be sold through select restaurants and retail stores.
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Doctor's Orders: Gin and a vodka
Legend Distilling has launched its first spirits -- Doctor's Orders Gin and Shadow in the Lake vodka -- in packaging designed by Also Known As.
Legend Distilling, a collaboration between husband and wife team Doug and Dawn Lennie, opened in May of 2014 in Naramata, a community of approximately 2,000 people within the district of Okanagan in British Columbia (BC), Canada.
Doug is the master distiller who oversees the small batch production and Dawn is the one responsible for introducing visitors to their premium spirits in the distillery's tasting room, online store, and through hospitality and retail partners.
The Lennies share a passion rooted in creating truly special spirits using the highest quality ingredients available in the Okanagan.
"We've transformed Naramata's former doctor's office into our craft distillery -- a special place where we celebrate the legends of the past while creating a few of our own. This is where our small batch vodka and gin come to life, and where you'll find our copper and stainless stills and their precious contents, including fresh, BC-grown fruit, grains and botanicals." Read more.
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England's hipsters are in the midst of a
new gin craze
by Oliver Bullough, Roads & Kingdoms
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Ian Hart takes a Willy Wonka approach to distilling Sacred Gin.
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LONDON - I travel a lot, often slipping off the edge of the map to places barely connected to the outside world. Sometimes, when I come home, I feel that the world I've returned to isn't quite the same one I left. I go away, and Bill Cosby's the revered elder statesman of family-friendly entertainment. I return and he's embroiled in a drug and rape scandal. I leave, and Russell Brand's a prancing prat. I return, and he's a revolutionary.
It's not exactly Planet of the Apes, I admit, but cumulatively it's disquieting, particularly since I never quite know what'll change next. Take a recent trip to my local off-license-what Brits call a shop that sells booze. This one is popular with hipsters and thus stocked with draft wine and craft ales. As I waited for my payment to clear, I noticed the shop counter was adorned with half a dozen bottles of "London dry gin"-- brands I'd never even heard of before; brands with hand-designed labels, funky bottles, unusual names; brands that bore the unmistakeable signs of being hip. Hip? Gin? Read more.
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Pot still vs. column still
Among the many variants of stills, there are basically two types: the pot still and the reflux column still. Hamilton Distillers in Tucson, AZ, chose to use a pot still because, traditionally, pot stills retain the flavor and texture in whiskey, as well as in brandy, mescal and the dark rums. A pot still does batch distillation. They load up the still, heat it up, distill, empty, clean up, and start all over again. During distillation, the vapors collect in the still head and are pushed through the "lyne arm" into the condenser, where they cool and re-condense into liquid distillate.
Hamilton distills their whiskey twice, like the Scots -- first a stripping run to take all the alcohol from the fermented beer, and then a spirit run to separate the good alcohol from all the stuff that would make you go blind and lose your teeth. Many Irish whiskeys are distilled three times, which some think takes desirable texture and flavor out of the spirit.
A reflux column still contains a series of plates inside the columnar still-head, over which the vapor condenses and re-vaporizes as it moves up the column, leaving the bad alcohols to drip back into the still. It performs a continuous distillation, where the product collected at the end is higher proof than what comes from a pot still, eliminating the need for a second distillation. Vodka is always produced on a reflux column still, because it is traditionally supposed to lack any flavor or texture. Read more.
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Odd Society: A look inside Vancouver's pioneering craft distillery
by Lindsay William-Ross, VanCity Buzz
"Luck" is a word that comes up often when talking to Odd Society Spirits co-founder Gordon Glanz. The distiller attributes much of the endeavor's success so far to the luck of launching as provincial liquor laws underwent favorable changes, and the luck of setting up shop in East Vancouver. While anyone can go into Odd Society and check out how their signature line of spirits are made, as well as enjoy them in drinks at the in-house bar, the story of Vancouver's pioneering distillery goes beyond the glass.
It was a masters degree course in brewing and distilling in Edinburgh, Scotland that brought Glanz together with Joshua Beach. The Alberta-born Glanz had studied German and French translation and had already had one career move from translating to technical writing when he and his family left Vancouver so he could attend the program.
Both whiskey lovers, Glanz and Beach struck up a friendship in Scotland, and when Glanz was prepping Odd Society's distillery, he called on fellow Canadian Beach to come give him a hand. Beach joined Glanz in Vancouver, and the duo got to work making what has become the signature Odd Society line up of spirits and liquers. Read more.
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Used distilling equipment for sale
Keith Cranmer of Seabright Brewery (Santa Cruz, CA) is selling his used distilling equipment.
Description: Used 25 hectoliter (660 gallon) Alambic Charentais with wine pre-heater. These two stills are matched, left and right, for easy operator function-all in excellent condition. FOB Oakland, CA.
If interested, contact:
Keith Cranmer ~ 510-917-3533 or email.
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Thank You to our Title Sponsors!
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Thank You to our Platinum Sponsors!
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Recipe of the Week
* 1/2 oz Silver Cloud Moonshine
* 1/2 oz triple sec
* 1 oz fresh lime juice
* Kosher salt
Rim edge of rocks or cocktail glass with a wedge of lime and salt. Shake Silver Cloud, triple sec and lime juice with ice and strain into glass. Enjoy!
(Source: Sugarlands Distilling Co.)
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New books from
White Mule Press
- The Cocktail Chronicles
- Practical Floor Malting
- The Distiller
Read more about these new releases on the While Mule Press website.
Niche books for lovers of spirits.
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Winter issue of MicroShiner
Chock full of inspirational stories and beautiful images from the world of craft spirits, MicroShiner's Winter issue explores the Spirit of the Mountain, including features on high altitude micro-distilleries and craft labels such as 10th Mountain in the Colorado Rockies and Tahoe Moonshine in the Sierra Nevada. To view the latest online edition, click here.
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~ New Release ~
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. has added a 2nd smoked malt to its portfolio: Mesquite Smoked Malt.
Like its Cherry Wood Smoked Malt, Briess Mesquite Smoke Malt delivers pronounced smoke flavor and recommends capping usage at 60%. It is characterized by upfront earthy mesquite flavor and some sweetness, but less sweet than Cherry Wood Smoked Malt, which is described as smooth and clean with subtle fruity flavor and malty sweetness.
For more information and recipes visit Briess's website or call 800-657-0806.
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~ New Release ~
In an unusual twist, Chicago-based
CH Distillery has introduced a spirit distilled from beer. The company borrowed several barrels of the neighboring Ale Syndicate's du Sable Hoppy Saison, de-gassed the liquid and then distilled it twice before resting it in small rum barrels for 5 months. The resulting product is called Spirit of du Sable (40% ABV).
"We were looking for a way for the hoppy flavor of beer to come through in a spirit," says CH master distiller Tremaine Atkinson. Meanwhile, Chicago-based Mercenary Brewing and Distillery, is set to introduce a gin employing the same hops as its pale ale, as well as a whiskey made from stout. Distribution initially will be limited to northern Illinois.
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Heaven Hill reaches 7 million barrels filled
America's largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits company, Heaven Hill, achieved a major milestone on February 10th when it filled its 7 millionth bourbon barrel.
The distillery celebrated its achievement with a "bunging off" ceremony attended by their Master Distillers Craig Beam, Denny Potter; Artisanal Distiller Charlie Downs; notables from Nelson County and Louisville tourist organizations; and many longtime friends and partners of the distiller.
Heaven Hill also offered their staple bourbon, Evan Williams, to those visiting the distillery at the discounted rate of a mere $7. The Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown, KY, also offered its tour for $7.
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The Rochester Craft
Beverage Trail
Spearheaded by Black Button Distilling President and Head Distiller, Jason Barrett, the Rochester Craft Beverage Trail allows visitors to experience Rochester, NY, through one of its greatest craft industries.
"The Rochester Craft Beverage Trail helps raise awareness among the Rochester community about the great craft beverages made right here in our home city," said Barrett. "Bringing together producers across different craft industries, the trail is a great way to showcase the depth and variety of products made in the Rochester region."
From beer brewed with locally grown hops to vodka distilled with wheat grown along Conesus Lake, visitors of the Rochester Craft Beverage Trail can take the city by the glass. For more information, visit RocBevTrail.
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ADI's Certification Program now has 1,026 spirits!
Apply today and join more than 200 micro-distilleries who are not just crafty, but are truly craft.
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Attention Members: Link to ADI on your website. The logo is now available to download. Click here. |
Send us your craft distilling news for our eNewsletter
We're adding fresh updates and industry news regularly to our eNewsletter, as we share what is happening in our ever-growing industry nationwide.
Send your craft distilling news and info on new products to our eNewsletter editor Carol Kaufman.
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