Steven Grasse has long enjoyed building brands that stand out—from his earlier days as an advertising exec to his time with William Grant & Sons to today, owning Tamworth Distilling in Tamworth, New Hampshire.

In this episode with host Molly Troupe, Grasse reflects on that path, the hard lessons learned from early failures, and why success still comes down to great liquid, intentional packaging, and strong storytelling. He also dives into the philosophy behind Tamworth’s famously unconventional releases—from Deer Slayer (yes, with venison) to Eau de Musk (featuring beaver castoreum)—and explains why differentiation matters more than ever in a tightening market.

Along the way, Troupe and Grasse also discuss:

• the rapidly shifting landscape for craft spirits, from RTDs and THC beverages to changing consumer expectations and the pressure of digital marketing
• practical advice on testing new products, scaling, and building a realistic go-to-market strategy
• strategies for standing out in today’s saturated market
• the impact of RTDs, THC products, and post-COVID market shifts
• how his agency, Quaker City Mercantile, supports brand development, including the fast-growing nonalcoholic spirit Pathfinder
  

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.

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.

John Angus approaches the mechanics of flavor creation in spirits through the lens of a chemist but with the soul of an educator, breaking down complex processes and cutting-edge science in practical ways that spirits makers can use and drinkers can understand. He uses the tools of analytical chemistry to unlock the mechanisms that form flavor and aroma through the distilling and maturation processes, and makes complex processes more accessible.

In this episode, host Molly Troupe and Angus discuss:

• the complex chemistry of cask finishes and how port, sherry, rum, cognac, and madeira casks influence flavor
• how environmental factors such as temperature and humidity make every barrel unique
• why modeling maturation poses such a scientific challenge
• processes for sensory evaluation and documentation that even small distilleries can regularly employ
• using infographics to simplify complex chemical interactions
  

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.