Craft Spirits Podcast

On this episode we geek out a bit about the amaro category as we welcome David Bly, founder of Festif Amaro in Los Angeles. David’s a Montreal native who brought a great deal of Canadian influence into the creation of Festif Amaro and Festif Choux, the latter of which incorporates Brussels sprouts into its recipe. David developed a deep appreciation for the amaro category during his two decades working in the bar scenes of both New York and L.A. Creativity and artistry are in his DNA, as he’s also been a filmmaker and an actor.

Host Jeff Cioletti sits down with the team behind American Cane, a new American rum producer in Louisiana. Maggie Campbell, formerly of Privateer Rum and Mount Gay Rum, joins American Cane co-founders Chaz and Darin Vest as CEO. Together, they discuss the past, present and future of the American rum category, as well as what's in store at American Cane.

Today on the program, we’ve got a bit of a special treat. We’re presenting the complete audio from our Best Bars roundtable, which I hosted last month. For the roundtable we invited the personalities behind three of the venues that made our Best Bars in America list, which we showcased in the May/June issue of CRAFT SPIRITS magazine. Our distinguished panel included Natasha Bahrami of the Gin Room in St. Louis—whom you briefly heard at the top of this program—Marc Figueiras of Dullboy and other bars in Jersey City, New Jersey; and Aaron Post of Valkyrie in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our guests gave us actionable insight on the key elements they look for when they’re adding craft spirits to their product rosters.

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 world, and much more.

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 the 12th annual American Craft Spirits Convention & Expo this March in Tucson, Arizona. They discuss O’Sullivan’s move from Oregon to Nevada, his passion for sharing knowledge in the spirits industry, the concept of terroir in whiskey, the current and future state of no- and low-alcohol spirits, and much more.

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.

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 this episode, Erin shares her journey to becoming head distiller at FEW, and how she’s blending her dual passions for spirits and tea—from the release of FEW Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon to a recent presentation she gave on demystifying tea. She also offers insight into FEW’s core lineup and reflects on the pivotal role the STEPUP internship played in shaping her career.

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 creates the base for its spirits; which of their whiskeys will be going on a permanent hiatus; and much more. Episode Sponsor Bridgetown Brew Systems designs and builds high-quality distilling equipment, including pot, hybrid, and continuous column stills, tailored to your unique needs. From small-batch craft operations to large-scale production, they combine artisanal craftsmanship with modern engineering to deliver exceptional performance. The Bridgetown team works closely with you to provide custom solutions, expert guidance, and lifelong support, ensuring your distillery thrives. At Bridgetown Brew Systems, they’re passionate about helping you craft extraordinary spirits and building a lasting legacy. Find Bridgetown Brew Systems at booth 908 at the ACSA convention, and you can also learn more at bridgetownbrew.com. Convention Sponsors ACSA would like to extend a special thanks to our convention sponsors, including: American Custom Distilling AnyRoad Lifetime Loyalty Axtra Blanc CF Napa Brand Design Gatto Rivera Branding Grandstand Lallemand Distilling / Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits Liquor Bottle Packaging International Monvera Glass Decoration Paychex Powell Junia Speyside Bourbon Cooperage Thousand Oaks Barrel Co. Top Shelf Logistics

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 distillery’s rum lineup; and much more.

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 Village, which is located alongside the Swannanoa River and experienced flooding. In this episode, James discusses the current state of things in Asheville a few months after Helene; the challenges of reinventing a historic building in a floodplain; how Chemist helped its community in the immediate aftermath of the storm; the story behind Chemist’s gin and whiskey; the potential for collaborations born out of the storm; and more.

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; how her grandmother sparked her appreciation for gin; the story behind Elevated Gin; the distillery’s sustainability efforts; additional offerings beyond spirits from Alpine Distilling; and more.

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 happy accident that led to Warming Hut, a holiday spirit which claimed the Innovation Award at the last American Craft Spirits Competition; market access challenges for distilleries in California; and much more.

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 Association’s Board of Directors. In this episode, Tom dives into his family’s deep connections to Bardstown; how his experience uniquely positions him for success as a distiller; the distillery’s flagship spirits and their exciting plans to further develop the property; and more.

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 economic headwinds and market access challenges currently facing craft spirits producers.

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 storm, how Oak and Grist is helping the community in Helene’s aftermath, the long road to recovery for Western North Carolina, and the future of the distillery. Help support Oak and Grist’s staff: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-oak-grist-team-through-hurricane-recovery?qid=985e46050c8567fc9b5ba91d61aa5dbd Buy Oak and Grist products online: https://www.oakandgrist.com/spirits

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, including a Navy strength whiskey; and their relationship with Middle West Spirits. He also touches on the distillery’s rum and some upcoming special releases.

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 ACSA’s board of directors. Ganley-Roper and Polonski met in 2014 and left their jobs to go on a road trip that helped start their company in 2018. They launched their first product in 2020 and opened their tasting room in the fall of 2023. Along the way, they also got married. In this episode, they reminisce on that road trip, discuss their process, dive into their summer bourbon collection and much more.

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 episode, Steger discusses his eureka moment for deciding to make whiskey; getting his law degree while making plans for the distillery; how he learned about the real Brother Justus; making cold-peated whiskey; and much more.

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 cane juice and high-grade molasses. In this episode, Stewart discusses farm life; her career path and assuming leadership at the distillery; how she and her dad nearly sold off the distillery; and the company’s recent gains and bright future.

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 sippin’ creams; the distillery’s partnerships with celebrities like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and brands like Eggo Waffles; his background as a civil engineer; and more.