Spirits & Distilling Podcast cover art

Spirits & Distilling Podcast

Spirits & Distilling Podcast

By: Spirits & Distilling
Listen for free

About this listen

 Enjoy and learn from conversations with leading distillers as co-hosts Sydney Jones, head distiller for FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Molly Troupe, master distiller for Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon, explore the technical and creative processes behind award-winning and storied spirits. It’s a podcast by distillers, for distillers, that covers the broad world of finely crafted spirits—botanical and herbal spirits, fruit distillations, agave spirits, grain spirits, and more. Listen as the hosts discuss every aspect of the process, from ideation and ingredient selection through conversion and fermentation, distilling, aging, finishing, proofing, and packaging. Subscribe to this bi-weekly podcast for tips and techniques that will help you make better spirits.© 2025 Spirits & Distilling Podcast Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • 38: Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet Seeks Harmony through Thoughtful Blending

    38: Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet Seeks Harmony through Thoughtful Blending
    Aug 5 2025
    Building a blend of aged spirits that feels effortless requires both art and craft, and for Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet (https://www.blackvelvetwhisky.com) 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: (https://gdchillers.com) 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.
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • 37: Staying Sane and Happy in the Spirits Industry—a Panel Discussion with Maggie Campbell and Jennifer Wren

    37: Staying Sane and Happy in the Spirits Industry—a Panel Discussion with Maggie Campbell and Jennifer Wren
    Jul 23 2025
    In this special episode of the podcast, co-hosts Molly Troupe and Sydney Jones reunite for a panel discussion—not on distilling, specifically, but on how to set yourself up for success while maintaining work-life balance in the spirits industry. Joining the hosts are Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane (https://www.americancane.com), and Jennifer Wren. As chief joy officer of the Wren Way (https://www.thewrenway.com), Wren’s coaches women on how to make joy central to their careers. Among other topics, they discuss: the “bugout bag” and why you should pack one, today, even if you love your job why it’s important for leaders to maintain positive work environments tips on how to maintain work-life balance the perils of toxic productivity the importance of setting boundaries and taking breaks watching for signs of burnout the value of a network and keeping up with contacts financial planning for career flexibility And more. G&D Chillers: (https://gdchillers.com) 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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • 36: Todd Leopold Designs and Distills Spirits that Have Something to Say

    36: Todd Leopold Designs and Distills Spirits that Have Something to Say
    Jul 9 2025
    Three decades in, you’d think Todd Leopold of Denver’s Leopold Bros (https://www.leopoldbros.com) 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: (https://gdchillers.com) 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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 25 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.