Spirits & Distilling Podcast

Bourbon is the focus as master distiller Owen Martin joins Sydney Jones to dig into the production philosophies shaping Angel’s Envy today, from the Scotch-inspired discipline he brings to cask finishing to the blending strategy behind the brand’s new bottled-in-bond release. Owen breaks down how finishing barrels, entry proof, and batch selection influence flavor direction and why maintaining consistency across blends is becoming more complex as the distillery scales. The conversation also explores Angel’s Envy’s operational expansion, including the new Henry County barreling and blending facility, and how shifting fill/dump operations impacts both workflow and whiskey profile. Owen shares insights into upcoming innovations—new grains, unfinished whiskey, and peated-barrel projects—while offering a practical look at balancing experimentation with a growing core portfolio. In this episode, Jones and Martin discuss: How Owen’s Scotch whiskey background shapes Angel’s Envy’s approach to cask finishing Technical considerations behind the new bottled-in-bond release and its 103-proof maturation Blending strategies for maintaining consistency across batches as the distillery scales Development of peated-barrel and unfinished-whiskey projects Operational shifts with the new Henry County barreling/blending facility Innovation planning with new grain bills, malt whiskey, and future high-end finishes And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

In this episode, host Sydney Jones sits down with Dave Smith, head distiller at St. George Spirits in Alameda, California, to explore the creative process behind one of America’s most pioneering craft distilleries. Founded in 1982 by Jörg Rupf, St. George has helped shape the modern craft-distilling movement through its relentless curiosity, innovation, and devotion to quality. Smith shares how his background in creative writing shaped his approach to distilling, and how the St. George team infuses intention and transparency into every spirit they make—from their American Single Malt Whiskey and Terroir Gin to their Japanese-inspired Baller whiskey, shochu, and umeshu. Drawing inspiration from Stephen King’s concept of telekinesis in writing, Smith discusses how spirits can carry “sense memories," or powerful, transportive moments that connect us through aroma, taste, and place. Over the course of the episode, they discuss: the story and philosophy behind St. George Spirits and founder Jörg Rupf’s influence on American craft distilling Smith’s creative path from writing to whiskey-making sensory storytelling through Terroir Gin and Valley Gin how Japanese techniques influence their process in Baller Whiskey, shochu, and umeshu capturing sense memories and emotional experiences through flavor the artistry of collaboration throughout the spirits chain, from distillers through bartenders and consumers reflections on community, mentorship, and the shared spirit of creativity in the distilling world And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

As a Kentucky native, Alex Castle knew she wanted to work in beverage alcohol before most—bourbon is culturally important in the state, and she wanted to play a part in its continued tradition and evolution. She learned the ropes on pot stills at Alltech and a high-throughput continuous still at Wild Turkey before building out and launching Old Dominick in Memphis. But her return to Kentucky to helm Augusta Distillery and the Buckner’s brand has ushered in a new chapter of both learning and sharing, as she stashes away barrels of their own distillate for future releases while sourcing older barrels from fellow Kentucky distilleries for limited single-barrel releases. In this episode, Castle and host Sydney Jones discuss: learning the ropes at Town Branch Bourbon and Wild Turkey before building out and launching Old Dominick in Memphis building out Augusta Distillery in a historic Kentucky building the challenges in distillery processes that use Kentucky groundwater building a flavor through-line in aged sourced-bourbon releases barrel rotation as a means of balancing stock for intended age-statement releases the impact of rye on bourbon flavors how location can impact barrel maturation weathering the current spirits-market slowdown And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

The romance of whiskey maturation meets environmental reality in many parts of the world these days—increasingly hot, dry climates can produce markedly different results than the humid environments of Scotland or Kentucky. That can leave distillers wrestling with the question of whether to lean into process- and environment-driven results, or to manipulate that environment to achieve intentional flavor goals. For Joe O’Sullivan—master distiller at Minden Mill in Nevada’s high desert, just east of Lake Tahoe—the choice is clear: to prioritize consistency through distillation and maturation processes, so that they can let their estate-grown grain shine. In this episode, O’Sullivan and host Sydney Jones discuss: the impact of terroir on grain, and on distilled spirits made from that grain losing 3 to 4 percent angel’s share per month in a very dry climate building a distillery to optimize intended flavors in finished spirits identifying signature flavor characteristics and optimizing whiskey blends to highlight them controlling the rickhouse climate to mimic weather patterns in popular distilling centers such as Kentucky and Scotland And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

Building a blend of aged spirits that feels effortless requires both art and craft, and for Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet in Alberta, Canada, the key to great blends is nailing the mix of contrasting components and optimizing each from the still through aging, then carefully maturing after blending. The goal isn’t singular standout barrels; the goal is a continuous process that produces quality at volume. In this episode, Goldberg and host Sydney Jones discuss: the art of balance in blending lighter and heavier whiskies using high wines to create harmonious blends pre-blend aging and evaluation as well as post-blend additional maturation maintaining consistency and efficiency with a continuous still the positive impact of used cooperage on lighter distillates And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

Three decades in, you’d think Todd Leopold of Denver’s Leopold Bros would have this whole distilling thing locked down, but he’s the first to admit he’s still figuring it all out. Or, maybe it’s more accurate to say that as soon as he has something solved, he finds a new problem or project with a new set of unknowns, to maintain a dynamic state of constant learning. His restless creativity just can’t stay in one place for too long. In this episode with host Sydney Jones, the widely respected maltster, distiller, and reluctant blender considers the distillery’s history and discusses the process and implementation behind a number of things, including: reviving Maryland rye with a focus on fruit over spice rediscovering and commissioning a three-chamber still to facilitate more flavor and aroma in specific spirits distilling great fruit brandies and finding a place for oak-barrel conditioning with fruit spirits very slow proofing to maintain stability using a dunnage warehouse to reduce evaporation and maintain more consistent temperatures for aging spirits maintaining a low entry proof for more breadth of flavor working vinegar into their product portfolio collaborating on vermouth with an award-winning winemaker And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

The distilling traditions we enjoy today are often the product of centuries of trial and error from past generations of makers, with ingredients carefully developed for efficiency and effectiveness in given locales. It’s hard to separate the spirit from the place that it comes from because often the very character of that spirit is a result of what grows, what fuels are accessible, and what ferments to a degree that matches the effort involved in extracting sugars. In Mexico and the southwestern United States, the ubiquity of agave has led many distillers to lean into such spirits, with tequila gaining traction as the segment’s most well-known, but similar plants such as the Dasylirion or desert spoon offer an adjacent distilled profile from a plant that often grows wild within its range. For Brent Looby and Desert Door, the opportunity to ferment and distill a spirit somewhat familiar to modern consumers, but with its own personality and connection to the region, is a driving motivation. And from their distillery just outside of Austin, they’ve garnered medals and recognition for their classic and progressive takes. In this episode, host Sydney Jones and Looby discuss: the challenge in developing an agricultural supply chain for a wild-harvested plant cooking the hearts of the plants to extract fermentable sugars distilling with multiple stills to deliver the ideal flavor profile sotol’s unique earthy and herbaceous flavor, with notes of almond and bread barrel-aged sotol aged in Missouri white oak botanical sotol with regional ingredients such as sage, rosemary, and hibiscus And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

In this episode focused on distilling in Florida—host Sydney Jones’ old stomping grounds—she reconnects with industry friends Ric deMontmollin and Zack Wildrick from St. Augustine Distillery and City Gate Spirits. The high-heat, high-humidity environment there poses challenges for barrel aging St. Augustine’s whiskey, while the flavored moonshines of City Gate aim to evoke experiential memories for both the locals and tourists who flock to the distillery in season. Over the course of the episode, the three discuss: data-driven whiskey aging in Florida’s climate aging concerns where the barrels’ internal temp never falls below 78°F (26°C) avoiding excessive loss via evaporation visually identifying potentially great single-barrel picks making lean cuts for whiskey that ages well in the hot environment finding authentic regional expression in flavored spirits from a neutral grain base adjusting for year-to-year changes in the citrus crop finding the sweet spot between audience, passion, and competency building taste experiences for customers with specific spirit preferences And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

Bigger world events have a way of bringing clarity and focus to individual goals, and for Bob Dillon of Dismal Harmony, the COVID pandemic gave him just the push he needed to change careers and explore the technical and creative side of craft distilling. Now, from his outpost in Morristown, New Jersey, he’s focused on both serving boundary-pushing cocktails and creating the spirits to make them possible. A recent Best in Show award for his Vidisha’s Masala liqueur from the American Craft Spirits Association’s 2025 competition is proof that his focus on finding new flavor expressions (within the confines set out by the TBB) is paying dividends. In this episode, Dillon and host Sydney Jones discuss: the challenges in opening a craft distillery balancing technical precision and artistic creativity across a range of spirits building a high-end tasting room with a refined cocktail program to support the distillery’s business plan distillery techniques for achieving great results with challenging ingredients working up to the edge of the TTB’s generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredients list And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

The process of making rum is rife with lore, but for Brett Steigerwaldt of Lyon Rum in St. Michael’s, Maryland, breaking down the variables and understanding the impacts of each factor—ingredients, fermentation, distillation, finishing—leads to more refined expression. In this episode, Steigerwaldt and host Sydney Jones discuss: double pot distillation’s impact on flavor and texture in finished rum distilling various iterations of white and dark rum as well as finishing in alternate spirit barrels understanding base ingredients for better perspective on fermentation impact the challenges of working with molasses adapting traditional rum techniques to whiskey, making for greater ester formation working with Rosalie Bay Distillery in Dominica And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

Caley Shoemaker got her start in whiskey at Denver’s Stranahan’s and went on to distill at Hanger One in Southern California before launching her own distillery, As Above, So Below in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2021. Now, from her home base on the edge of the mountains in a state nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment,” she’s summoning strong spirits with their own particular swagger. In this episode, host Sydney Jones and Shoemaker discuss: • Creating vodka, gin, whiskey, and botanical spirits inspired by place, travel, and experience • Making vodka from a mash with darker grains, for creamy texture and flavor • Aging spirits in the high and dry climate of New Mexico • Managing cuts to balance flavor and character given target aging time and high loss from barrels • Balancing botanicals in gin while prizing flavor over locality • The secrets to her ACSA medal-winning absinthe • Learning through consulting with a potato vodka distillery in Rwanda And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

Founded in 2015, Baltimore Spirits is celebrating a decade of distilling in Charm City. Led by cofounder and head distiller Eli Breitburg-Smith, that run has played a notable role in the craft revival of American rye. Their Epoch Reserve has won multiple double golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, more recently landing on Fred Minnick’s Top 100 list of American whiskeys in 2024. In this episode, hosted by Sydney Jones, Breitburg-Smith talks about how he got into distilling as a former craft brewer and how Baltimore Spirits was focused from the beginning on bringing pot-distilled rye whiskey back to Maryland. He also discusses: the influence of single-malt on their rye whiskeys making other spirits, including their Shot Tower Gin, unusual apple brandies, and New World amari using Belgian and American ale yeasts to help drive tropical character in the Epoch Rye Baltimore Spirits’ approach to single-malt, and preparing barrels for that spirit what makes Maryland rye whiskey different, including its history the Ja Rule whiskey collaboration, Amber & Opal, featuring honey, smoky tea, and other botanicals making apple brandies aged and blended Solera-style, distilled from smoked apples—and pechuga-inspired, made with smoked ham and seasonal botanicals working with the Maryland Distillers Guild to share technical know-how and push for legislative changes for craft distillers And more. G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.