Topic: A Sip of Knowledge with Stephen Gould, Proprietor & Master Distiller at Golden Moon 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, Stephen Gould, Proprietor & Master Distiller at Golden Moon Distillery, joins the group.

About Stephen Gould: 

Mr. Gould is currently the Proprietor and Master Distiller at Golden Moon Distillery, located in Golden Colorado.  Golden Moon Distillery was founded in 2008 and currently produces 20 different products which are sold in various major markets in the United States and Europe.  

Mr. Gould has been distilling off and on for over 29 years.  He is a member of the Board of the Colorado Distiller’s Guild, a Craft Advisory Board member of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and a member of the Legislative Committee of the  American Craft Spirit Association (ACSA).  He is the first American ever named a Warden of London’s Gin Guild.  He is also the only American Distiller to currently be a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Distillers, one of City of London’s Livery Companies, dating from the reign of King Charles I (and arguably the oldest professional distillers’ guild on the planet).  

Mr. Gould lectures and teaches courses on distillation, including use of botanicals in the production of liquors and liqueurs, production of brandies and whiskies, craft-distillery start-ups and the history of spirits. He has lectured and taught classes for the American Distilling Institute, the London Craft Distillers Expo, various chapters of the United States Bartenders Guild, Tales of the Cocktail and a variety of other professional organizations.  He lectures on beverage fermentation and distillation at the Colorado School of Mines.  He consults and provides tailored training for distilleries in the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  He is also currently the master distiller (one of two) for a large Irish Whiskey start-up in County Kildare Ireland.

Mr. Gould writes for several industry trade publications, including Distiller Magazine and Artisan Spirit Magazine.

Mr. Gould is an experienced whiskey and spirits Judge, judging in a variety of spirits competitions in the United States and Europe.  This includes the International Wine and Spirits Competition, where he judges gin, whiskey, rum and liqueurs.

He is also involved in legislative issues related to the spirits industry at the State and Federal levels, is responsible for Government Affairs for the Colorado Distillers Guild and is a member of ACSA’s Legislative Committee.

As an spirits industry expert he is regularly called upon by media outlets, including TIME Magazine and CNN among others, to speak to issues related to the American spirits industry’s growth, trends and international trade issues.

Mr. Gould is also a trained Saucier, a former bartender and a retired US Marine.

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.