Distillation has been a common topic here on Crafted as of late, and we have had the pleasure of speaking with some of the most important names in the American spirits industry. Yet, commercial distillation inevitably limits creativity and innovation.

That is not the case for this week’s guest, Jesse Wilson, the founder of a pair of companies focused on home distillation, Still It and Chase the Craft. What began as a video series based around a man learning to distill has grown into an exploration of all things spirits innovation - Jesse has now distilled everything from Big Macs to 300 year old absinthe recipes. In this conversation we dive into the history of both companies, the science of distillation, the magic of aging, and the unique insights Jesse has gained from his exploration of supremely small batch spirits production.

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Chase the Craft

Still It

18th-Century Absinthe

Distilling Big Macs

Potato Vodka

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TOPICS & TIMES:

How Eli Discovered ‘Still It’ (3:58)

Distillation Adventures & YouTube (7:15)

Jesse’s First Still (21:03)

Chase The Craft (27:41)

Absinthe (34:04)

Head, Hearts, & Tails (51:10)

Charring Barrels (1:04:48)

Big Mac Distillation & Meme Spirits (1:09:23)

Who Should Try Home Distilling (1:16:30)

The Future of Home Distilling (1:21:29)

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Recently, Jonathan has been going deep down the rabbit hole of camera gear and lighting, and the strikingly handsome Justin Bobb has been his spiritual guide. So today, we’re broaching these topics with all of you, and you’ll get to hear JE apologize profusely to Luke Koppa for basically forcing him to drink terrible coffee over the years. (You’ll see.)

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Why J Bobb Needs to Block JE (2:37)

Origins of J Bobb's Interest in Cameras (4:22)

Digital vs Analog (6:51)

35mm and Beyond: Megapixels (10:00)

Planned Releases (13:22)

Light (15:33)

Analogies: Coffee & Camera Gear? (19:33)

Sony A6700 (23:42)

Camera Hand Feel (29:08)

Camera Brands (30:44)

Ecosystems & Who’s Best at What? (38:29)

Which is Easier to Learn: Filming or Snowboarding? (49:42)

Shiny-New-Object Syndrome (51:38)

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Amanda Thomson loved enjoying a glass of wine to wind down the evening, but she also needed to be high-functioning first thing in the morning. That craving led to the 2019 release of Noughty Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Chardonnay, Thomson’s award-winning attempt to fill a massive gap in the industry. Eli sat down with Amanda to discuss what makes Noughty “wine, just better”; the differences between the American and European markets; and some of the most challenging aspects of creating a product line that has come to define quality N/A wine.

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Noughty Wine

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TOPICS & TIMES:

A Brief History of Noughty Wine (3:54)

Champagne (11:12)

The difference Between European & American Drinking Culture(14:52)

Defining NA Wine (20:35)

Reds (25:03)

Challenges Making Sparkling White (34:57)

NA State of the Union (35:46)

Being the OG Brand Everyone is Chasing (42:13)

New Products (47:00)

Hard Work Pays Off (50:33)

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In a spirits landscape full of massive brands and mega marketing budgets, what differentiates a craft producer? SennzaFinne, the Seattle based amaro producer founded by former bartenders, has found creative ways to make their mark. This week Eli checked back in with Gillian and Joey to learn about their approach to guerilla marketing at the world’s premier beverage conference (it involves a custom backpack), and they also dove into the company’s recent experiments with ingredient recycling. From brewery collaborations to botanical seltzers, there is a lot happening over at SennzaFinne, and they get into a little bit of all things ‘bitter’ in this conversation.

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Heaven 11

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SennzaFinne

Recipes

Gift Box

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Tasting at Tales (5:14)

Partnerships with Breweries (12:56)

Distillation Collaboration with Old Log Cabin (23:28)

Ready-To-Drink Options (30:11)

Pop Up Bars (40:12)

SennzaFinne’s Lineup (44:00)

Last Leaf & Mezcal (47:09)

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Caviar. Is there any word — or food — that more quickly conjures up associations of luxury and opulence? But caviar isn’t just a thing to serve on the yacht you don’t own, caviar has a rich history. Once a snack only for Russian oligarchs, today it is found in more places and likely on potato chips. Eli talks with Sarah Mayo for a deep dive into the history of global caviar production; the ways in which the modern market is shaping consumption; and the endangered status of the fish responsible for this exotic dish.

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Black River Caviar

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TOPICS & TIMES:

History of Caviar (2:53)

The Production Process (14:30)

The Market for Caviar (17:57)

Soviet Caviar (24:58)

China's Influence (30:38)

Sturgeon, Illegal Fishing, & Hybrid Products (32:13)

Lifecycle of the Sturgeon (39:53)

Grading Structure (49:51)

Caviar & Wine (52:48)

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Not every distillery owner has a land speed record to their name, but Ryan Montgomery of Montgomery Distilling does. So Eli talked with him about all things spirits, from the Montana-grown grain that helped power that land speed record, to the world’s first bourbon-based amaro. They also discuss the similarities between aquavit and gin; the labor of love known as kirschwasser; and the inspirational effect of Merle Haggard and the Grateful Dead.

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Heaven 11

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Montgomery Distilling

Lords of Dirt

Spirits and Spokes

TOPICS & TIMES:

Farm to Bottle (3:49)

Farming & Ranching (5:07)

From Home Brewing to Distilling (6:39)

Whiskey School & Stills (9:23)

Starting a Whiskey Business (12:55)

Single Malt & Special Releases (16:06)

What Does He Like to Drink (20:43)

“Mama Tried” Bourbon (24:12)

Aquavit (26:01)

Aged Aquavit (33:19)

Aging in Montana (37:10)

State of Distilling in the US & Montana (49:41)

Liquor Licensing (57:30)

B'Amaro (1:02:39)

Motorcycle Fuel, Lords of Dirt, Spirit in the Spokes (1:09:25)

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A famous philosopher once said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” We agree. And while music is all around us, it’s easier and easier to take it for granted, or to have a very diluted experience of it. So, how do you elevate your everyday music listening experience?

Today, Simon catches up with Itai Azerad, founder of Heaven 11, to talk about how their new Billie Amp MK3 does just that. Heaven 11’s goal is to restore the connection between the listener and music, and bring back the ritual of listening.

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CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Blister Studios (our new channel)

Blister Review (our original channel)

TOPICS & TIMES:

Check out the New Billie Amp at Capitol Audiofest (2:16)

Billie Amp MK3’s Modular Design (3:52)

Choosing Between Amplifier Modules (7:01)

Future Proofing in Audio Products (12:26)

Incorporating User Feedback (14:06)

Bringing Back Your Father’s Hifi System (20:42)

Rediscovering New Details in Music (30:24)

Aesthetics Matter (41:31)

An Emotional Connection to Music (47:00)

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How do you make great coffee on the road? Jonathan talks with Alex LeBlanc, the owner and head roaster at Calibration Coffee Lab, to talk about our recent attempts at this. Then, we discuss Alex’s own approach to roasting, and what becomes clear is that there are lots of different priorities and values that a particular coffee roaster might have — and understanding those will likely help you identify your favorite roasters.

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Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.

RELATED LINKS:

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CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Blister Studios (our new channel)

Blister Review (our original channel)

TOPICS & TIMES:

New Coffee Gear & No-Bypass Brewing (3:31)

Water Additives (13:14)

Hand Grinders vs Electric Grinders (14:49)

Bed Pressure (23:44)

Filter Coffee & Various Brewing Styles (26:13)

Roasting: Alex’s Approach (32:42)

Over Roasting & Other Coffee Crimes (42:19)

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