Sydney Jones is a supervisor and lead distillery technician at Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Previously, she served as head distiller for FEW Spirits in Evanston, Illinois, and has been working in the distilled spirits industry since 2016. She is also the co-host of the Spirits & Distilling Podcast. In a wide-ranging discussion about whiskey and distilling, Jones shares details on Heaven Hill’s new distillery and portfolio, her passion for education in the whiskey wo...
Jun 27, 2025•47 min
Joseph O’Sullivan is the master distiller at Minden Mill Distilling in Minden, Nevada. O’Sullivan started his distilling career in 2005, and was previously the master distiller for Hood River, Oregon-based Clear Creek Distillery. At Minden Mill, O’Sullivan oversees production of the distillery’s estate-made spirits, which include bourbon, rye, and a recently released American single malt whiskey. For this episode, O’Sullivan sat down with CRAFT SPIRITS magazine editor in chief Jeff Cioletti at t...
May 29, 2025•32 min
Colin Spoelman is the co-founder and distiller at Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York. He’s also a board member of the ACSA and an author, whose latest book is “The Bourbon Drinker’s Companion.” In this episode, Spoelman discusses the new law allowing New York distilleries to ship directly to consumers and what it means for the future of craft spirits. He also shares his thoughts on Empire Rye, upcoming releases, his path to distilling, and his latest book.
Apr 09, 2025•40 min
Erin Lee is the head distiller at FEW Spirits in Evanston, Illinois. Lee became a certified tea sommelier in 2021 and quickly discovered a love for the tasting process. That passion led her into the world of whiskey, and soon after, she was selected for the inaugural class of interns for the STEPUP Foundation—an inclusion and equity program that aims to provide underserved and underrepresented individuals with training, encouragement and opportunities to enter the craft spirits community. In thi...
Mar 28, 2025•25 min
Jason Parker is the co-founder of Seattle-based Copperworks Distilling Co., which makes American single malt whiskey, a series of gins and vodka, all from malted barley. Parker led Copperworks to become a founding member of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. And he also serves on the board of directors of the Craft Maltsters Guild. In this episode, Parker discusses his previous career as a brewer and what led him to distilling; the rise of American single malt whiskey; how Copperworks ...
Feb 25, 2025•56 min
Jordan Cotton is the co-founder and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based rum maker Cotton & Reed. He is also a member of ACSA’s board of directors and the chair of the American Craft Spirits Association's political action committee. In this episode, recorded at Cotton & Reed’s new facility in D.C.’s Ivy City neighborhood, Cotton discusses the state of American rum and its potential for growth; the ongoing work of ACSA’s PAC; the potential effects of tariffs on craft spirits producers; the disti...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 13 min
James Donaldson is the co-owner and creative director of Chemist Spirits in Asheville, North Carolina. The distillery was founded by Debbie Word, and was born of many hours of experimentation with Word’s daughter, Danielle Donaldson, an actual chemist. The distillery and its bar, Antidote, are located in Asheville’s South Slope district, which did not suffer severe damage when Hurricane Helene devastated the region in late September. However, Chemist also has a facility in historic Biltmore Vill...
Dec 18, 2024•47 min
Sara Sergent is the co-owner and master botanical distiller of Alpine Distilling in Park City, Utah. Sara manages the distillery’s botanical production and gin portfolio, which includes Elevated Gin, while her husband and co-founder Rob oversees the whiskey portfolio. The distillery has garnered numerous awards and accolades for its spirits, and earlier this year Sara was inducted into the Gin Guild as Warden Rectifier. In this episode, Sara discusses how the distillery came about in Park City; ...
Dec 05, 2024•33 min
Bonnie Boglioli-Randall and Nate Randall are the co-founders of Hinterhaus Distilling in Arnold, California. They founded the distillery in 2020 and Hinterhaus reflects the rugged mountainscape of its Sierra Nevada perch and benefits from high-quality local ingredients and fresh Sierra water. In this episode, Bonnie and Nate discuss their backgrounds and how they started the distillery amidst the pandemic; why they create vodka from wine; the vision behind their American single malt whiskey; the...
Nov 19, 2024•52 min
Tom Bard is the co-founder of The Bard Distillery in Graham, Kentucky. Together with his wife, Kim, Tom launched The Bard Distillery in 2019, repurposing a 100-year-old school campus—the very same school Tom attended as a child. With a degree from the University of Kentucky, Tom brings a strong background in industrial quality control and continuous improvement, skills he honed over many years in motorsports, where he first met Kim. Just this year, Tom also joined the American Craft Spirits Asso...
Nov 07, 2024•39 min
Ryan Lang is the founding head distiller and CEO of Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 2008, Middle West Spirits combines a reverence for traditional whiskey-making techniques with innovative practices. In this episode, Ryan discusses his path to starting Middle West Spirits and how his grandfather and some Irish distilleries provided some inspiration for the distillery; the role of Ohio agriculture in Middle West’s products; the company’s recent expansion; and some of the economi...
Oct 16, 2024•45 min
William Goldberg is the co-founder and head distiller of Oak and Grist Distilling Co. in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The distillery is located in the devastating path that Hurricane Helene charted across Western North Carolina in late September. Fortunately, Oak and Grist was in large part spared of damage and all of its employees are safe. Goldberg, who is a graduate of nearby Warren Wilson College, recently joined Jon Page, who also lives in the area, to discuss his own experience in the s...
Oct 11, 2024•44 min
Mark McLaughlin is the co-founder of Baltimore-based Old Line Spirits. McLaughlin and distillery co-founder Arch Watkins met in the Navy flying EA-6B Prowlers. After more than a decade of service, they both happened to move to the same neighborhood in Baltimore and left their civilian careers to open Old Line Spirits in 2017. In this episode, McLaughlin discusses his and Watkins’s time in the Navy; buying a distillery from another pair of veterans; their lineup of American single malt whiskey, i...
Sep 04, 2024•46 min
Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski are the co-founders of Lost Lantern, an award-winning independent bottler of American whiskey based in Vergennes, Vermont. The company’s tagline and mission are one in the same: shining a light on the independent spirit. Ganley-Roper has a background in wine and spirits retail, as well as working in operations for several startups. And before co-founding Lost Lantern, Polonski was a Senior Whisky Specialist at Whisky Advocate. He’s also a recent addition to ...
Aug 16, 2024•42 min
Phil Steger is the founder and CEO of Minneapolis-based Brother Justus Whiskey Co., and a recently elected member of the American Craft Spirits Association’s Board of Directors. Before opening the distillery, Stegerl earned a law degree from the University of St. Thomas. He also has experience running humanitarian aid and preserving centuries-old manuscripts belonging to monasteries in conflict zones. Eventually, Steger channeled his loves and learnings into one big work: whiskey. In this episod...
Jul 18, 2024•47 min
Olivia Stewart is the president of Oxbow Rum Distillery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a recently elected member of the American Craft Spirits Association’s Board of Directors. Stewart grew up running through rows of sugarcane on her family’s farm and later pursued a career in the art world. But during the pandemic, she went back to her roots to run the family distillery. Stewart relaunched the brand as Oxbow Rum Distillery with new lines of premium craft rums made from their own fresh-pressed c...
Jun 12, 2024•46 min
Greg Eidam is the master distiller for Gatlinburg, Tennessee-based Sugarlands Distilling Co. and a recently elected member of the American Craft Spirits Association’s Board of Directors. He oversees the production of Sugarlands Shine, Appalachian Sippin’ Cream, High Rock Vodka and Roaming Man Whiskey, as well as Sugarlands research and development, and engineering projects. In this episode, Eidam discusses the distillery’s growth; the inspiration behind the flavors for Sugarlands’ moonshines and...
May 23, 2024•35 min
Our latest guests on The Craft Spirits Podcast are Aleks and Maks Zhdanov, twin brothers and co-founders of 3BR Distillery in Keyport, New Jersey. Drawing inspiration from their grandfather, who was a moonshiner in the Soviet Union, the distillery specializes in pea-based and other unusual spirits. In this episode, the brothers discuss the meaning behind the distillery’s name and their heritage; the realities of operating a distillery in New Jersey; a new spirit; and more.
May 16, 2024•42 min
Our latest guests on The Craft Spirits Podcast are Megan Campbell, Renée Newton and Sean W. Richards—the new owners of Montanya Distillers in Crested Butte, Colorado. In this episode, the trio talks about how they came together to join a partnership; their plans to honor the distillery’s past while also asserting their vision for its future; the current state and future of the American rum industry; and they also tease some upcoming products.
Apr 17, 2024•44 min
Our latest guests on The Craft Spirits Podcast are Kallyn Romero and Laura Walters of Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse of Denver. Romero is the co-founder and a Colorado native and Walters is a head distiller who studied winemaking at Oregon State University and got her start in the spirits industry at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. In this episode, Romero and Walters discuss the benefits of making craft spirits in Colorado; launching Ironton and crafting gin, whiskey and a wide range of spiri...
Feb 19, 2024•32 min
Our latest guests on The Craft Spirits Podcast are Mollie Lewis and Hannah Lowen of New Riff Distilling in Newport, Kentucky. In June, the distillery announced that next spring, founder and CEO Ken Lewis will retire, and Mollie (Ken’s daughter), Lowen and Denny Gorman will assume leadership. Lowen, who currently serves as vice president of operations, will become CEO. Mollie, currently the sales director, will become president. And Gorman will transition from director of engineering and logistic...
Nov 08, 2023•55 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Murphy Quint of Cedar Ridge Distillery in Swisher, Iowa. As head distiller and director of operations, Murphy oversees the distillery, winery, vineyards, campus grounds and facilities. As Cedar Ridge is one of the few winery and distilleries in the United States, Murphy has gained a unique understanding of how the influence of wine can impact the flavor profile of whiskey. During his tenure at Cedar Ridge Distillery, Murphy has helped the distille...
Oct 26, 2023•28 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Donnis Todd, the master distiller for Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas. With Todd leading bourbon production and hand-selecting each barrel, Garrison Brothers has earned over 400 awards from around the world for its bourbon. That includes the distillery’s vaunted Cowboy Bourbon, an annual release that comes from Todd's and founder Dan Garrison’s favorite barrels. Garrison Brothers will release this year’s 140.9 proof expression this Satu...
Sep 19, 2023•36 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Gina Holman, the president of the American Craft Spirits Association. She is also a founding partner of J. Carver Distillery in Waconia, Minnesota; an ISG certified sommelier; and the vice president of the Minnesota Distillers Guild. In this episode, Holman discusses her start in the spirits industry, the origins of J. Carver Distillery, the evolution of American craft spirits, her priorities as president of ACSA, what drives her to volunteer, and...
Aug 09, 2023•50 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Kelly Woodcock of Westward Whiskey in Portland, Oregon. She is a partner and serves as vice president, guest experiences & Whiskey Club, in which she oversees all direct-to-consumer sales programs for the state of Oregon while running Westward’s hospitality program and operations for the whiskey company’s four tasting rooms. And earlier this year, she was elected as the vice president of ACSA’s board of directors. In this episode, Woodcock dis...
Jul 14, 2023•25 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Bruce Tyler, the co-founder of Weldon Mills Distillery in Weldon, North Carolina. Tyler is a former active duty member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps who opened the distillery with his friend and business partner Michael Hinderliter at the start of the pandemic in 2020. One year later, the distillery’s corn whiskey, Rockfish, claimed best in show at the Heartland Whiskey Competition. In this episode, Tyler—who is also the vice pre...
May 24, 2023•40 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Jamie Hunt of Fast Penny Spirits, a Seattle-based company that makes amaro. In this episode, Hunt discusses her love of amaro and how her former experience as a vp of digital strategy helped her launch Fast Penny during the pandemic. She also shares details about the company’s Pretty Penny giveback program and becoming a Certified B Corporation. Click below to read more about Fast Penny Spirits in a recent issue of CRAFT SPIRITS magazine. https://...
May 10, 2023•31 min
Our latest guest on The Craft Spirits Podcast is Lucy Farber, the operations manager for St. George Spirits in Alameda, California. She’s also a board member for the American Craft Spirits Association and one of the tri-chairs for ACSA's education committee. In March, Lucy chatted about her early days at the distillery; being a part of a reinvention when ownership transitioned from founder Jörg Rupf to Lance Winters; some of her biggest challenges throughout the years; her decision to run for AC...
Apr 25, 2023•40 min
This episode of The Craft Spirits Podcast is part of a special series of conversations with some of the founding members and first board members of the American Craft Spirits Association, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Our guest is Nicole Austin, general manager and distiller of Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., the maker of Tennessee’s George Dickel whiskies. Nicole has been a fierce advocate for the distilling industry. She was a founding board member of ACSA and previously served as ...
Jan 31, 2023•40 min
This episode of The Craft Spirits Podcast is part of a special series of conversations with some of the founding members and first board members of the American Craft Spirits Association, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Our guest is Paul Hletko, the founder of Evanston, Illinois-based FEW Spirits. Since FEW is part of Samson & Surrey, which was acquired by Heaven Hill Brands in 2022, the distillery is now an alumni member of ACSA. FEW was also a founding member of ACSA, and Paul w...
Jan 30, 2023•30 min
