Hosts: Lew Bryson, Liz Rhoades, and Marty Duffy

What You’ll Learn: Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, the group looks back on 2+ years of shows and reflects on the knowledge gained along the way!

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
  
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Hosts: Lew Bryson and Liz Rhoades

What You’ll Learn: Join a duo of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Murphy Quint, director of operations and head distiller at Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, joins the group.

About Murphy Quint: 

Born in Minnesota and raised in Iowa, Murphy Quint began his career distilling spirits at age 15; helping the family open Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, launch award winning Iowa products, and set out to build a legacy of whiskey to the Midwest. Today, as Head Distiller and Director of Operations at Cedar Ridge Distillery, he oversees the Distillery, Winery and Vineyards—blending and bottling of every barrel of spirits on the brand’s 75-acre property in Swisher, Iowa. As one of the few winery and distilleries in the United States, Quint has gained a unique understanding of how wine influence can impact the flavor profile of whiskey.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Hosts: Lew Bryson and Liz Rhoades

What You’ll Learn: Join a duo of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Dr. Anna Sulan Masing, drinks writer and editor, joins the group.

About Dr. Anna Sulan Masing: 

Dr. Anna Sulan Masing is a food, drink and cultural writer, and academic. She is co-founder of Cheese magazine, and the public research platform Sourced which investigates our global food and drink systems. Anna Sulan’s podcast series Taste of Place, by Whetstone Radio Collective, is a narrative journalistic series that looks at nostalgia through the story of pepper. Her debut book, Chinese And Other Asian, will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in February 2024.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Hosts: Lew Bryson and Liz Rhoades

What You’ll Learn: Join a duo of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week,Tracie Franklin, Founder of Spirited Tracie and Apprentice at Nearest Jack Apprentice Initiative, joins the group.

About Tracie Franklin: 

Tracie Franklin is a whiskey educator, public speaker, consultant, and distiller who lives in Washington D.C. Previously, she traveled the world singing and performing in theatre productions and now uses those skills to share her passion for whiskey with diverse groups. She has shared her knowledge on the small screen with the Today Show, CBS This Morning, and Good Day Chicago.

Tracie enjoys helping curious imbibers find a new appreciation for the vast and delicious world of spirits. She’s been a featured at events for Drexel University, Google, Peloton, Essence Festival, SalesForce, Keeper’s of the Quaich, and Charleston Food and Wine.

Tracie was the first person to join the Nearest and Jack Leadership Acceleration Program with a focus on Distillery Management. This program has allowed her to travel the US working and learning at iconic and innovative distilleries. She’s racked up numerous Wine and Spirits certifications and is pursuing her Diploma in Distillation from IBD. She is a 2020 Icon of Whisky for Best US Scotch Ambassador and is in the Dames Hall of Fame for making a lasting impact on the spirits industry. Follow Tracie’s Spirited Adventures on Instagram @Spirited_Tracie

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Hosts: Lew Bryson and Liz Rhoades

What You’ll Learn: Join a duo of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Kevin Smith, Director of Distilling and Brewing at Company Distilling, joins the group.

About Kevin Smith:

Kevin Brent Smith is the Director of Distilling & Brewing for the newly formed Company Distillery in Townsend, TN. Company Distilling was founded in 2021 when a group of highly experienced, Tennessee Distilling industry leaders joined forces to create superior quality whiskies, distilled spirits, and brews to be celebrated while “Gathering Around” in the best of company. Currently, Company Distilling has two production facilities.  The first is in Thompson Station just south of Nashville, TN.  A second and newly opened distillery is located in Townsend, TN less than a mile from the entrance to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Process designs have been completed for a much larger distillery set to open in 2024 in Alcoa, TN. 

Prior to coming to Company Distilling, Kevin worked for the Brown-Forman Corporation in various roles and for a total of twenty-two years. These roles included Distillery Manager, Distillery Quality Manager, Whiskey Technical Resource, and Microbiologist at the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.  Primary responsibilities at Jack Daniels included management and optimization of fermentation and distillation processes, maintenance of production yeast and lactic cultures, optimization of yield and new whiskey organoleptic character. Kevin also served as the Global Technical Resource optimizing fermentation processes at all Brown-Forman distilleries.  

Kevin’s career chronology is hard to work out without knowing that he left Jack Daniels in 2003 yet was recruited back in 2007. In 2003, Kevin transitioned to and spent four years in the Fuel Ethanol Industry, first working for Commonwealth Agri-Energy as Plant Manager/Lab Manager in Hopkinsville, KY. In 2005, Kevin was hired by Lallemand Ethanol Technology and moved to central Iowa. A year later, He was promoted by Lallemand and served the larger Fuel Ethanol Industry as Technical Manager.  

Kevin holds a Masters of Science Degree in Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Microbiological studies from the University of Louisville. 

Kevin has authored a chapter on “Yeasting Practices in the Production of American Whiskies” in the sixth edition of The Alcohol Textbook.   

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Click on image to watch on Patreon

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn:  Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Davin de Kergommeaux joins the group to chat all things Canadian whisky. Davin is the author of The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries and Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.
• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn:  Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Dave Schmier joins the group. Dave is the founder of Redemption Rye whiskey, and owner of Deadwood Bourbon, Tumblin’ Dice Rye, and the DC Line of Whiskey.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.
• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn:  Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Monica Wolf of The Spirits Group joins the group.

About Monica Wolf:

Monica is co-founder of The Spirits Group, a distilled spirits consulting firm which focuses in on whiskey related business strategy and operations, quality control and distillery engineering. From barrel modeling and forecasting to blending and process design, dealing with both the production and business side of the industry. The company is also supplying ethanol to craft distilleries producing hand sanitizer.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.
• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.

Topic: 3 Fingers of Conversation with Bill Welter of Journeyman Distillery

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson, & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn:  Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Bill Welter of Journeyman Distillery joins the group to discuss:

• COVID – Supply chain issues: is this going to affect grain crops, or harvesting of oak for barrels?
• GENERAL – Allocation and pricing, supply and demand. Why are limited releases good/bad for the brand, why are they good/bad for consumers and retailers?
• GEEKY – What’s up with all of these experiments with heat and oak staves: searing, toasting, fast/slow heat, combinations of heat and grooving.  How do these changes in heat treatment change what a stave does to whiskey?

About: 

• Liz Rhoades, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.
• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.

Topic: Introduction to A Spirited Conversation

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn:  Join Liz, Bryson and Marty channel launch “A Spirited Conversation” as they explain their the ins & outs of the LiveStream + Podcast & their educational goals. 

About: 

• Liz Rhoades, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.
• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.
• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.