Small Batch Irish Malt from Rademon Estate Distillery

Northern Ireland’s first and only craft distillery, Rademon Estate, recently revealed their plans to develop a new Irish Malt Whiskey.

Founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong, and located on the couple’s historic family estate just outside Downpatrick, County Down, the distillery's award-winning Shortcross Gin has made a big impact in the burgeoning craft spirits market since its launch. This summer, attention has turned to the launch of their aged offering. The first casks of their new small batch Irish whiskey have been sealed and production is now underway, with 100 barrels expected to be laid up within the first year.

“The research and development behind the creation of our Irish Whiskey has been extensive," said managing director Fiona Boyd-Armstrong. "We are proud to announce this project and that this will be amongst the first Irish Whiskeys to be distilled in Northern Ireland.”

All aspects of production for Rademon's new Irish malt whiskey, from grain to glass, will be performed on site, using water from the estate’s own well. The whiskey will be matured in a variety of casks, which the distillers hope will allow for new and innovative flavours and aromas.

“I am thrilled we have developed what I know will be a fantastic Irish Malt Whiskey and I’m greatly looking forward to August 2018 when we will be able to sample our first three year old Irish Malt Whiskey," said David Boyd-Armstrong, head distiller at Rademon Estate. "This style of whiskey is a personal favourite of mine due to the complex flavour profile and I feel it is under represented in the market.”

Parties interested in purchase or distribution of Rademon Estate Distillery’s first release can register their interest by emailing sales@shortcrossgin.com

Q&A with David & Fiona Boyd-Armstrong of Rademon Estate Distillery

 Have you created any jobs and do you expect to create more?

o We are expanding our team from four to eight, with four new posts to be filled imminently and a further two in the pipeline, which will bring our team to 10. 

 Have you seen sales increase month on month since you started?

o Yes, sales have risen month on month, and we are seeing increased interest and demand for Shortcross Gin in all of our markets.

 Where is Shortcross Gin currently available?

o Shortcross Gin is available in all good independent off licenses as well as high end hotels, bars and clubs across the province of Ireland. Having expanded our UK network to include Scotland and England, we have recently secured export orders to Holland, Spain and France. 

 And which new countries/markets do you plan to export to with this expansion? 

o We expect further expansion in European, North America, Asia, Australia - worldwide markets. 

 Where are most of your sales coming from? 

o Ireland at present but we expect our sales into European markets to expand this year.

 There aren’t many Irish gins, but there are lots of Irish whiskeys. Why go into whiskey? 

o As the business develops we are seeking to develop our skills and create new products. Entering the Whiskey market allows us to become part of the fastest growing spirits category globally and provides an exciting opportunity for us to expand the sales of our products.

o The current Irish Whiskey offering is dominated by Pot Still and Grain whiskies.  To differentiate ourselves we are creating an Irish Malt Whiskey, a style of Irish Whiskey that is under represented in the market.  

 Are there lots of Irish whiskeys? 

o There are less than ten working distilleries in Ireland, many of which produce a brand for third parties who are a brand and not a distillery, this is in comparison to Scotland who have 120 whiskey distilleries. Irish whiskey as a sector grew exponentially last year; it was the fastest growing spirit in the world.

 How long before you’re able to actually sell your whiskey? 

o A minimum of three years and a day.  However, we will only release our Whiskey at a point where we feel it is ready to enter the market place.  This means it could be 3, 5 of 7 years before our first release.  This is an aspect that makes creating our own whiskey very exciting.

 What is going to make your whiskey different to the other Irish whiskey distilleries that have started up? 

o We will be the third distillery to be operational in Northern Ireland in over 125 years. Our distillery will produce small batch hand-crafted whiskey and will be estate; it is our intention to use grain from our own estate. 

o We are creating an Irish Malt Whiskey, a style of Irish Whiskey that is under represented on the market.  

o We are also exploring the possibilities of using cask varieties that will aid us in creating new flavour profiles.

 It’s a crowded category, do you think you’ll be able to compete with big brands?

o We feel the market is not crowded, but is actually under supplied at the moment, thus creating an ideal scenario for new market entrants.  We aim to build upon our reputation for creating the award-winning Shortcross Gin to develop a new and exciting Irish Malt Whiskey.

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Celebrate #NationalRumDay with a Truly American Rum

The waning weeks of summer are upon us. Our longest day of the year has come and gone, and night's curtain is dropping earlier and earlier with each sunset. While falling foliage and Halloween costumes may be just around the corner, there are still a few warm weather festivities left to enjoy on the cocktail calendar and National Rum Day certainly fits the bill. Commemorated on August 16th for no clearly discernible reason, the day is nevertheless a celebration of the first truly American spirit. Rum was the product of the very first distilleries built in the colonies and became a staple of commerce among the major New England ports by the eighteenth century. That era may have passed, but American made rum is no longer a relic of history, as one producer in San Leon, Texas has gone to great lengths to revive the tradition.

Situated a few miles outside of Houston and skirting the waters of Galveston Bay, Eagle Point Distillery is the creation of Kelly Railean, and source of her namesake Railean spirits. Beginning her quest to breathe new life into the legacy of American Rum in 2005, Ms. Railean has taken great care in the selection of her ingredients and the implementation of her distilling techniques. Using only Grade A sugar cane molasses harvested along the Gulf Coast, Railean Rums are produced in small batches, which allows for better quality control during the creation of the spirits. Some of these batches are distilled multiple times, resulting in a clear, smooth, silver rum, while others are specially chosen to have their flavor profile broadened through the addition of spices and various degrees of aging in new, double-charred, American oak barrels.

With such great attention to detail, and a palpable sense of patriotism motivating them, it is no surprise that Railean Distillers received an official 'Made in the USA' certification by the Federal Trade Commission in 2011. This designation is the first of its kind to be bestowed upon an American Rum and recognizes that the full line of Railean products are not only crafted in the United States, but that each bottle bears the fruit of homegrown ingredients and manpower. This level of dedication, to both quality and loyalty to country, make Railean an easy choice for any American's National Rum Day celebration.

Two of Railean's standout offerings are the Spiced Rum and Reserve XO. Both have enjoyed some maturation in their respective charred-oak barrels, though the XO is aged a bit longer and is actually a blend of select batches. The single-distilled Spiced Rum is livened up by various botanicals, and its pale amber appearance has an appropriate caramel/vanilla nose, smelling sweet but very pleasant. Easy to sip neat or with ice, this rum has subtle flavors and only a mild bite, which means it is also a versatile addition to any bar and a significant upgrade from many other spiced selections. The XO, by contrast, is a more refined spirit; it possesses a deeper, golden honey hue and its scent brings more heat into the nostril, mixed with notes of chocolate and toffee. There is very little burn, however. When the Reserve reaches your throat it has a smooth taste and a welcome finish which lingers nicely in the mouth and, being so good on its own, should really only be mixed with ice if you need to beat the heat,

A perfect companion for hot August days and nights, these two American rums exemplify the reason we have a National Rum Day in the first place, embodying the holiday with a spirit that the entire nation can be proud of.

photo by Giselle Hellemn

Contributor Ian Gregory is a product of the 80's and a Tulane graduate, with a BA in History. Born and raised in Manhattan, NYC, he has called New Orleans his home for the last 12 years.

With many nights behind a bar under his belt, Ian has appeared in the Where Y'at Best Bartenders of New Orleans Guide on 3 separate occasions. Now writing spirit reviews for MicroShiner, he doesn't have a twitter handle, but feel free to find him on Facebook 

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@timwenger1: Golden Moon on the Front Range

In Spring of 2016, the residents of the Denver area will finally have rail service out to the far-flung airport on the eastern plains and better transit service for Aurora and east Denver. However, the metropolitan area and its residents absolutely need to continue investing in improved public transit. Slowly, but surely, we are heading in the right direction.

As anyone who has ever lived in a city knows, finding an adequate place to park your car is a nightmare. The metered spots, if you are lucky enough to find one, max out at two hours and when I am on a mission to get faded in the sun or reporting on an event for work, two hours is never enough time. The parking lots and garages are typically filled with business traffic, except for the ones next to Coors Field which cost an arm and a leg to park in.

I absolutely agree that drinkers such as myself should hold themselves to a standard of not driving sauced. With that in mind, we need to continue to fund sufficient alternatives. Not only for drinkers - we lushes certainly take a back seat to more pressing issues like cutting into the burgeoning traffic problem and ensuring that people of all walks of life are able to get to work, school, and about town independently. But there are three big things that, in my mind, are absolutely worth public investment - education, health care, and for goodness’ sake, public transit.

That said, I spend as much time as I can up in the Colorado mountains and to be honest, would much rather be there than in the middle of the concrete jungle. But I am, admittedly, a stalwart fan of a certain lackluster baseball franchise that generally seems more interested in installing rooftop party decks than winning games, and despite the frequent disappointment and significant frustration I can’t seem to stay away from the ballpark the way that all those anti-Monfort dissenters on the Colorado Rockies’ Facebook page are always calling for. Additionally, I spend a good 100 nights a year at concerts for both work and pleasure. With the season in full swing, downtown Denver just seems to have my name written all over it.

Denver’s strong craft market keeps me imbibing at a fairly steady pace no matter where I’m at so the idea of driving as any sort of fecund method of transportation tends to disappear from the realm of rational thought pretty quickly when I’m out. Unfortunately (in this one instance, at least), Denver is not New York or Paris or London or any other city with some semblance of efficient public transit. We do not have a subway system, - we have a mediocre light rail service that, after expansion in the past decade, currently services the south, southeast, and western metro area. Those seeking alternative transportation on Denver’s northern and eastern fringes are, in 2015, left to take the bus or a cab.

From where I live on the edge of Lakewood and Golden, getting home after a night out in the city requires either a light rail trip and a stiff walk or a $50 cab ride. While most of the nightlife happens further east, I made the decision to buy at the base of the foothills because I’d much rather see mountains out my windows than skyscrapers. The area, though, is quickly growing in terms of options for us scofflaws. Awhile back I talked about C De Marra, a whiskey bar I have now visited several times to sip on their in-house barreled whiskeys. A few months ago at the DStill grand tasting , I had my first taste of locally made absinthe from Golden Moon Distillery, and in talking with the crew on hand found out that their distillery is less than ten minutes from my house.

I ventured out there a few mornings back when I woke up thirsty after a late night show. The distillery is tucked away in the back side of an old office building. No big sign, not much parking, very humble appearance. Clearly the type of place that lets its’ product do the talking.

Proprietor and distiller Stephen Gould and his team welcomed me in and treated me to a full tour, led by Assistant Distiller Joey Stansfield.

Gould, not one to be shy when it comes to talking absinthe (or any type of spirit, really) then sits me down at the bar in their small on-site tasting room (they also run a speakeasy a few minutes away that serves all of their products) and begins sharing his story and that of his business. I came into this place a novice in the world of absinthe, but after spending some time with Gould I am confident that I can now hold my own should I encounter a situation in which the green dragon enters the conversation.

“You wonder why artists and poets and writers drink absinthe,” Gould says. “It’s because they like to relax and hang out in cafes and think deep thoughts and talk about deep concepts, and absinthe is just a real pleasant, slow, mild buzz.”

I’m hooked already. But doesn’t absinthe make you trip? Won’t you lose all control of bodily function and end up lurking around aimlessly, mumbling nonsense at a fence post?

“Most of what people know about absinthe is huey,” Gould says, explaining that absinthe is something that is meant to be sipped over a period of time, not consumed rapidly. The stuff even has an underground network of enthusiasts called HG’ers; a group of distillers and guzzlers around the globe that, upon a little research, seem interested in not only consuming absinthe but who have wholly devolved into a frenzied culture of wormwood activists seeking to set the record straight on their drink of choice.

“I have a hobby where I junk for booze,” says Gould. “I find old, weird, rare booze all over the world - antique stores, garage sales, thrift stores. I’ve got stuff that goes back 80, 90, 100 years.” I then listened as he told me that he has claimed to friends that he is not an HG’er, but was called out. I think I’ll side with his friends on this one.

Gould uses some of these old products as inspiration for some of the spirits at Golden Moon - the base of his R&D department. For him, it all started up in the Motor City. “I stumbled across, in the Detroit area, about fourteen years ago a case of Spanish absinthe. One of the big brands of the mid-20th century in Spain. What happened between 1912 and 1915 when Switzerland and then France banned absinthe was a number of your big producers of absinthe all moved their distilling operations out of France into Spain. Most of the brands were run out of business.”

Gould is by now an experienced entrepreneur, having started and ran multiple businesses both in the food and beverage industry and outside of it. He got his start in the craft beer world in his twenties. “I grew up working in restaurants and bars,” says Gould. “When I got out of graduate school, me and two friends decided that we were going to open a microbrewery. We were serious homebrewers. We went out and raised the funds and opened a brewery that down the line failed miserably. But it was a really great learning experience.

“At that time, we explored getting a basic federal permit to distill whiskey as well, and that’s where I actually made my first distilled product which was a malt whiskey. We basically took a beer mash and ran it through a laboratory still. It tasted horrible and we had no idea what we were doing, but that was 25 years ago.”

According to Gould, much of this Spanish absinthe was smuggled out of Spain into Canada, eventually down to Detroit via Windsor. “I’ve actually got a postcard from about 1975 from the Oxford Steakhouse, which still exists, advertising their absinthe cocktails as hangover cures.” Gould was working for Ford Motor Company at the time. He had tasted other absinthes and sworn to himself he would never drink it again, until he tasted this Spanish absinthe. Intrigued, he began to do some research. A couple weeks later he came across an antique encyclopedia containing old absinthe recipes. “If it wasn’t for this book, I probably wouldn’t be here right now. I started to flip through it and I thought to myself, ‘I know how to distill. I understand this and that and the other thing, I can make absinthe.’ The reality is, I didn’t have a frickin’ clue what I was doing.”

As time (and distilling experiments) passed, Gould became friends with a group of HG’ers. “I ended up meeting some very, very talented distillers,” Gould says. “They were really kind and took me under their wing and taught me the skills and steered me in the right direction.” He kept working on his recipe, something Stansfield says has taken well over a decade, until he felt confident enough to bring his product to light.

Since the birth of the concept in the late nineties, Gould’s absinthe has gone on to win awards all over the world. He has met and traded bottles with many of Europe’s most renowned absinthe creators. These days, Gould has an entire team working with him at his small Golden distillery, as well as the Golden Moon Speakeasy at 1111 Miners Alley in Golden, CO. “The reason that we are growing and are as successful as we are is because we’ve been able to recruit and build the team that we have,” says Gould.

Golden Moon Distillery, currently distributing in six states, has reached its capacity at the current location and will be expanding into another building in the next few months with the ability to double its production. Currently the distillery produces 18 different products in house, and distributes another sourced product called Gunfighter Whiskey. “We are selling everything we make,” Gould says. “We have limited distribution in three countries. We have won awards all over the world with our distilled products.”

Gould and his team distill and market a line of brandies that are all produced in Colorado fruit-to-glass. They have a Sweet Cherry Bitters, and their Colorado grain-to-glass single malt whiskey is currently resting in small casks in the distillery and set for release later this year. They also make two different gins. And, of course, their famous absinthes; Gould is now working on a new absinthe product made with Colorado-grown wormwood. For a full list of Golden Moon’s exceptional products, visit www.goldenmoondistillery.com.

After all this wormwood talk and a few hefty tasters, I step outside with an unopened bottle of Golden Moon’s Colorado Apple Jack, pull out my car keys, and find myself suddenly envious of those living in New York or Paris or London. I stand there in the parking lot, gazing west at the Rocky Mountains, many of the jagged peaks still snowcapped from late season storms, and quickly come back to my senses to happily call a cab.

Tim Wenger is a Denver-based microshiner, journalist, musician, and avid snowboarder. Catch more of his work in Colorado Music Buzz, Snowboard Colorado, and his weekly talk show on worldviral.tv

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Kōloa Rum Comes Ashore

Craft spirits from the Kōloa Rum Company will soon be available across a wider swath of the mainland. including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah.

Kōloa recently announced that the company’s full portfolio of artisanal, single-batch Hawaiian rum, including Kaua`i White, Gold, Dark, Spice and Coconut Rum, will be distributed via an expanded agreement with Young’s Market Company.

Kōloa Rum is an award-winning premium rum that visitors to the Islands from all over the world recognize and love. With this latest partnership, these same visitors will now be able to continue enjoying the spirit of Hawai`i long after their vacation has ended.

Kōloa Rum Company produces artisanal, single-batch Hawaiian Rum and ready-to-drink cocktails at its distillery in Kalaheo, Kaua`i and operates Kaua`i’s first and only distilled spirits Tasting Room & Company Store on the grounds of Kilohana Plantation, near Lihue. The Company’s multiple award-winning portfolio includes its premium Kaua`i White, Gold, Dark, Spice and Coconut Rum in 750ml and 50ml bottles and Kōloa Ready-to-Drink Mai Tai and Rum Punch cocktails. For more information about Kōloa Rum Company, please visit www.koloarum.com

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Laying It All Out There

While some producers are burying the source of distillation in some hidden corner of their label, others, like Steel Toe Distillery in tiny Potomac, Montana are putting it front and center. Its an example of what it means to truly be authentic, to accept who you are and own it without reservation.

We respect the hell out of it.

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#NYE Champagne Cocktails from Privateer Rum

When the ball drops and the bubbly pops, ditch the simple champagne for a new twist on a few classic cocktails featuring New England’s own Privateer Rum. Whether you’re looking for a new Bond-like mash-up, or a spin on a gin aperitif, Privateer has you covered.

Andrew Cabot, direct descendant of 18th century American patriot/privateer/rum-maker of the same name, founded Privateer by crafting small batches with the same techniques used to create fine Cognac and whiskies. Now Privateer is leading the charge to revive New England's once heralded rum tradition.

This year, ring in the new with one of the recipes below, courtesy of MicroShiner and Privateer’s in-house mixologist, Kevin Martin (former bar manager of Boston’s award-winning Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks).

French 75             

1 part Privateer Silver Rum

1 part Fresh Lemon Juice

1 part Cointreau

Sparkling wine 

Combine ingredients, except the sparkling wine, in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Give a quick shake and strain into a champagne flute.  Top off with dry sparkling wine and garnish with a lemon twist.

Vesper

2 parts Privateer Silver Rum

1 part London Dry Gin

1/2 part Lillet Blanc

1 dash Reagans Orange Bitters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

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Christmas in October

As it turns out, Friday, October 31st, is actually Halloween, but it may feel like Christmas to craft spirit lovers in the small port town of Haines, Alaska.

That's because Port Chilkoot Distillery will be celebrating the Grand Opening of their new tasting room with special Halloween cocktails ($6 each), free snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Following the launch, regular winter hours at the tasting room will be Thursday through Sat, 1-7 pm. 

The drink menu will change weekly to highlight seasonal themes and incorporate fresh, quality ingredients into special cocktails and infusions from their Port Chilkoot Distillery Vodka, Gin, and Moonshine Whiskey. 

Those who haven't tried Port Chilkoot's micro-distilled spirits can also order a sample, straight, to experience the full flavor of their small batch product. Alaska law allows micro-distillers to serve on-site a maximum of two drinks per person per day and sell up to 5 bottles per day for off-site consumption. It also says they can't have seats at the bar.

Look for announcements about special events: tasting parties, cocktail recipe classes,and other special events at Port Chilkoot Distillery, and factor a visit to their tasting room into your next heli-ski or fishing trip to Southeastern Alaska.

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Fall American Rum Recipes from Privateer

Whether you’re looking for a drink filled with pumpkin-y goodness, a warming mulled cider or a cinnamon-infused aperitif, Privateer Rum serves up Halloween-themed drinks that are sure to please any house guest.

Founded by Andrew Cabot, the direct descendant of 18th century American patriot/privateer/rum-maker of the same name, Privateer is crafted in small batches modeled after the techniques used to create fine Cognac and whiskies. As the American rum resurgence kicks into high gear, Privateer is leading the charge to reinvigorate the New England rum tradition (where it all started) and doing so without the additives or sweeteners found in traditional rums.

Pumpkin Eater

2oz Privateer Silver Rum

1oz Orange Juice

1oz Honey

1 Spoonful Pumpkin Puree

1 Dash Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and give a shake.  Serve on the rocks, garnish with grated cinnamon (optional).

Privateer & Mulled Cider

1oz Privateer Silver Rum

1oz Privateer Amber Rum

6oz Mulled Cider

Combine rum in a hot mug and top with mulled hot cider.

Cinnamon stick garnish is optional.

To mull your cider: place one quart of cider on the stove with 6 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 allspice and half an orange.  Bring to a low simmer for 30 minutes and strain.

Ghoulish Punch

2 Parts Privateer Silver Rum

2 Parts Mulled Local Apple Cider

1 Part Fresh Citrus

1 Part Maple Syrup

½ Part Cynar

Combine in a punch bowl with ice.

Garnish seasonally with sliced citrus or apples.

To mull your cider, place one quart of cider on the stove with 6 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 6 allspice and half an orange.

Bring to a low simmer for 30 minutes and strain.

Equinox

2 Parts Cinnamon Infused Privateer Silver Rum

1 Part Fresh Lemon

1 Part Maple Syrup

1 Dash of Bitters

Combine in cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into cocktail glass.

Infusion:

Place 4 sticks of cinnamon in bottle of rum for approximately 24 hours.

Privateer Amber Palmetto

2oz Privateer Amber Rum

1oz Sweet Vermouth

1/4oz Santa Maria Al Monte

1 Dash Angostura Orange Biters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir until chilled and diluted. 

Serve up in a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

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Wyoming Whiskey Captures Silver

The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition is one of the more prestigious spirits events in the country, so it is with understandable pride that Wyoming Whiskey shared this recent press release:

In September we entered our soon-to-be-released Single Barrel Bourbon into the 2014 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. This is a product we are extremely proud of, and it turns out we aren’t the only ones who think it is pretty incredible. This last week, it was announced that our Single Barrel Bourbon was awarded a Silver medal. We are humbled to win this award in the popular bourbon category and will make it available to the State of Wyoming, in limited quantities, beginning November 3.

And remember, every drop of bourbon in these award-winning bottles is made from Wyoming ingredients. Every drop.

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Hooligan Hoedown 3

There are few events in America that capture the true essence of the modern West Coast scofflaw better than the Hooligan Hoedown. The crew at Iron & Resin don't just talk the talk, they walk it, living pura vida with their signature mix of rebellious motorcycle and surf culture. The Hoedown is a physical culmination of that deliberate effort, an opportunity to get back to the basics, blow off a little steam, and embrace your inner Hooligan with a group of like-minded individuals. That, and a whole lot of throttle twistin' fun!

This year the Hoedown has returned to Camp Sheideck and the Reyes Creek Bar, and will feature live music from The Far West and Moonsville Collective. There may even be a little micro-shine on hand!

So get your bike ready, grab your girl (or guy), dust off your sleeping bag and head into the hills for a weekend to remember.

$30 per person (if registered by October 21st) - includes camping, music and all you can eat barbecue dinner. $35 per person for late registration (after Oct. 21st)

The first 75 early bird RSVPs will receive a free event T-shirt!

Hooligan Hoedown Fall Campout from Iron & Resin on Vimeo.

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Kissing Cousins and other Special Releases

Always one of our favorite distillers, Journeyman is currently offering not one special batch release but three! These unique spirits include their Road's End Rum and two batch whiskeys, New Zealand Single Malt and Federalist 12. The barrel aged Road's End is Journeyman's longest aged and strongest spirit, aged 18 months in Featherbone bourbon barrels and bottled at 114 proof. Distilled in the Willowbank Distillery in Dunedin on the South Island, the New Zealand Single Malt is the very first addition to Journeyman's Around the World series, while the presidential Federalist 12 whiskey was created from the same mash bill used by George Washington himself. All three of these special batch spirits are in short supply, so grab a bottle or two while you can!



And if that wasn't enough, Journeyman's next batch of their Kissing Cousins has almost matured. It's not quiet ready yet, but fans of this unique spirit are already counting down the days. Tasting notes include "a classic vanilla aroma with a sweetness deriving from hints of malt, spice and tobacco." Stayed tuned for more on this much anticipated and always popular release!


This post appeared first on MicroShiner

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Those Who Make Movements

The return of craftsmanship is something that we never tire of talking about here at MicroShiner. Along with terroir and economics, craftsmanship is one of the tenants upon which this entire conversation is based. And it is a conversation whose volume is growing, at an ever increasing rate.

As Michael Williams, the principal behind A Continuous Lean, points out, as interest in craft grows "people are also becoming more and more interested in actually making things - be it leather goods or food items." Why this might be is a great topic for debate, but the simple fact is that it is occurring, and outlets such as MicroShiner are a testament.

Of course, this is not a monologue, and we aren't the only ones furthering such discussion. There are a number of resources on the web ready to fuel your particular brand of revolution, from voice of the maker movement Make to that bastion of craft, Etsy.

One source in particular that we enjoy is Those Who Make, a collection of images, books, and videos curated by Michael Ariel. Equal parts education and inspiration, Those Who Make is a great entry point for anyone wanting to get a feel for who and what the craft revolution is all about.

It is important to note the word "who" in this dialogue, as it is the "who" that truly makes all the difference. Machines the world over generate massive numbers of near flawless replicas, faster and with greater precision than any human ever could, but it is people who craft. The individual character they confer with every creation is impossible for a machine to mimic, and our desire to engage with such process much more than a fad. As Ken Denmead puts it,

This is about passionate hobbyists and artists, grass-roots innovators and what we used to call “mom and pop” businesses, all following a path of learning, creation, and sharing. Together they’re a movement. And a movement is not a fad.

This post appeared first on MicroShiner

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Caledonia Spirits Set to Release Tom Cat

Caledonia Spirits, an outgrowth of Todd Hardie's original beekeeping and honey house endeavors in northeastern Vermont, is getting set to release a rested gin they are calling Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat. According to assistant distiller Andrew Pinault this batch of Barr Hill gin is "aged in new American oak barrels for 3-4 months. While resting in the barrels, the gin is constantly transforming. The charred barrels contribute to the brown color of the spirit and give our Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat its complex flavor. This is our first brown spirit at Caledonia. Weeks of discussion with the TTB led to us not being able to use the word “gin” on the label (as raw honey is added after distillation and then it goes into a barrel), so we are calling this Reserve and Tom Cat."

Caledonia Spirits hopes to release the Tom Cat in February. Visit them here to learn more.


Andrew Pinault filling a barrel with Barr Hill Reserve
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Sweetgrass Farm Opens New Tasting Room in Portland, Maine

Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery will be opening a new tasting room and shop at 324 Fore St. in the Old Port section of Portland. The opening will feature free tastings and chocolate pairings from noon until 8 pm, with several other shops staying open through the event and offering specials as a part of the ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ celebration.

Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery (www.sweetgrasswinery.com) was founded in 2005 in Union, Maine, on the historic Carroll Farm, by husband and wife team, Keith and Constance Bodine. Sweetgrass, who uses Maine grown fruit and grain to produce their wines and distinctive spirits, is best known for their award winning premium Back River gin. Last year Sweetgrass completed a 4,000 square foot addition to their distillery, enabling them to increase production of their Maine grown whiskey, Back River Gin, Three Crow Rum, Apple Brandy, fortified wines and other spirits.

The Grand Opening of the new Sweetgrass tasting room and shop on Fore Street will feature a free tasting of wine and spirits such as a Cranberry Smash paired with Dean Sweet’s delicious truffles, or a decadent cupcake from Kupcake, Inc. Other Fore Street businesses Just Kim, a fine jewelry and accessories shop, Lovely Things, featuring vintage collectibles and home accessories, and Vena’s Fizz House, a mixology shop and natural soda bar, will also be joining in the celebration with extended hours and specials offers for the day.

Keith Bodine, Winemaker, Distiller, and Co-Owner of Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery

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Trailhead Spirits

Some time back, we had the opportunity to pull up a stool at the bar at Plonk in Missoula and visit with Casey McGowan, owner of Trailhead Spirits in Billings, Montana. Casey is a classic example of the new rural paradigm; a farm kid who doesn't want to live on the farm but also doesn't want to completely sever his ties to it. After establishing himself successfully in the insurance business, he began to feel the tug of his agricultural roots, which led to the idea of creating a distillery.

Trailhead Spirits begin their life on the family's wheat farm outside of Highwood, where members of the McGowan clan cultivate and harvest the grain that is the basis for their craft spirits. The wheat, water and several of the botanicals used are all sourced in-state. In fact, 4 of the 14 botanicals used in their Healy's Gin are either grown in or native to Montana.

Healy's Gin is a light, American-style gin that contains a mix of botanicals that is 60% juniper, complimented by such odes to area flora as sage, bitterroot, and sweetgrass. A big part of Trailhead's distilling philosophy is the willingness to change, adapt, and just play around with various flavors and offerings in search of "something we like", as Casey puts it.

"We're always one batch away from changing it up," he says.  

One example of this commitment to exploration is their Healy's Reserve, a cask rested gin that looks to carve out a niche in a rapidly evolving spirits landscape. Casey views experimentation as a critical element in the Trailhead business model, employing an agile, inquisitive approach when it comes to product development. He envisions a series of small releases at different times through the year, seasonal offerings that act as compliment and foil to the regular catalog of spirits, which is slated to include an absinthe, honey liqueur, and, of course, a whiskey.

And while Trailhead, like most producers of craft spirits, is banking on cultivating a strong base of loyal customers, their enterprising nature epitomizes what so many of us love about the craft movement: regional flavor, nuance, and a back-to-our roots mentality.

"There's sure to be some epic failures," Casey acknowledges. "And that's the beauty."

We agree.

MicroShiner thanks Trailhead Spirits and Plonk for their time and hospitality. 

This post appeared first on MicroShiner.com

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Buy Local: Montana Ski Company

We're always looking for opportunities to promote small scale production, particularly those in our own backyards. Montana Ski Company, a small batch producer of custom skis, makes a great case here for why you should always be deliberate about your conscious consumer choices.

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Craftsmanship for Christmas

Of course, there are a million companies vying for your Christmas dollar, but few of them are offering you products with the same degree of craftsmanship as we have come to expect from our favorite craft spirits. However, there are a handful companies out there who are. Here are 5 of our favorites:

1. Steinway Pianos - If you want to know what lengths Steinway goes to in making the world's standard in pianos, listen to this great story from NPR's Morning Edition.

2. Kaweko (via Motart) - Manufacturing precision writing instruments since 1883, Kaweko focuses on the thin line between tradition and innovation, securing the favor of those who would like to impress their values and esteems on paper.

3. Shinola - Advertised on their website as "the perfect gift for those who have everything except a Detroit-made wristwatch", Shinola watches are hand assembled from 84 Swiss-made components. Attempting to single-handedly return Detroit to its manufacturing glory, Shinola itself is a company worth watching.

 4. Chippewa Boots (via Silodrome) - Chippewa products use only premium raw materials and are hand crafted in the USA. Sounds like the tag line of some craft spirits we know.

 5. Behring Made - This custom cutler strives to make the best knives in the market. The team of craftsmen build their knives and their reputation around four cornerstones: innovation, quality, craftsmanship, and functionality.

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