Whiskey Raw

My Favorite Gluten Free Whiskey

Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:47:06 -0700

A few months ago, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease; an autoimmune disorder where ingestion of gluten caused damage in the small intestine. Per doctor’s orders, no more gluten!

Okay, what the hell is gluten? Up and until the appointment I thought "gluten free" was a diet fad.

gluten: a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. A mixture of two proteins, it causes illness in people with celiac disease.

Grains?! Such as barley, wheat, and rye? The same barley, wheat and rye used to make my beloved whiskey?! The same barley, wheat, and rye to be used in the +$100k worth of stills I JUST purchased! NOOOOO!!!!

Time for some Raw Research…

“According to the National Institutes of Health's Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign, distilled alcohol is inherently gluten-free. This includes gin, vodka, scotch whisky, and rye whiskey. Although whiskeys are derived from wheat, barley, or rye, the distilling process removes the gluten proteins.”

Woooo! There was one helluva party in the Raw office that night!

To be sure, I decided to do my own research to confirm. A test from AOAC Performance Tested Research Institute was ordered to conduct a test on Weller Special Reserve “the original wheated bourbon.” The test detects gluten levels as low as 10 part per million.

Test kit…

Mad scientist in action….

Test results…Negative for gluten. Confirming the claims the gluten protein does not carry over in the distillation process. A pour of Weller was immediately consumed with no ill effects.

A subliminal moment with a buffalo after discovering my dream was still alive!

Note, this applies to American Whiskey with no flavor...Read More

Behind the Scenes of a Bourbon & Whiskey Tasting

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 07:16:06 -0800

The past few years I have had the opportunity to host many whiskey & bourbon themed events. These occasions are so much fun! I mean what's not to love about sharing the finer points of this heavenly spirit with a room full of like-minded people. Recently, I was asked to be the emcee an event for The State Club's Bourbon Society located in Raleigh. The Bourbon Society typically draws a crowd of 25-40 liquid amber-loving fellow Wolfpack Alumni for an evening of fine spirits, excellent food and belly-aching laughter.

Each attendee enjoys a tasting of 4 whiskies paired with a food course. Tasting notes and fun facts about each brand are shared while enjoying the company of a thoughtfully-crafted meal. The evening concludes with a dessert and a select whiskey giveaway to one lucky winner. The event lasts 2-3 hours...it can carry on later if the crowd is having a good time.

While the Event is designed to entertain, what most people do not have the pleasure of seeing is the magic behind the scenes to make the occasion a hit. The weeks of preparation leading up to the event: event theme, whiskey selection, food pairing, plating, decorations, timing for each course, front house coordination. I captured some of this footage during the event and hope you enjoy it....

The event was a great success! The Culinary Team & Front House Staff were exceptional (as always). #GoPack

In other news....

It appears all of the commotion from the demo on Arendell Avenue caught the media's attention. EW22 stopped by the distillery to air a story about Olde Raleigh! It is great to see the word start to spread amongst the community. Since it aired, numerous people have offered to lend a hand to help with demo. Here's what's special about this -- We have never met...not a single word!...just kind...Read More

Demo Continues and a Trip to Wine School

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 10:45:44 -0800

Demo continues at the distillery this week. I only made it up and down the ladder 150 times...so only half way complete with removal of the dropped aluminum ceiling and track lighting. If you ever get a chance to tear down an entire row of track lighting I highly recommend it! Hopefully this portion of the demo will be complete next week (barring any interruptions).
Thanks to NC legislation passed last year, distilleries are now be able to sell cocktails, beer and wine in their Tasting Rooms. This progressive legislation was HUGE news for NC distillers and one of the key items that made it feasible for me to pursue opening Olde Raleigh full-time. Our 30-foot bar intends to sell the full portfolio of spirits to our patrons.
This new legislation created an opportunity to explore different spirits. As such, I am a bit obsessive-compulsive when it comes to learning and made a deep dive into the world of wine. In a nice break from tearing a part the building, I made a trip to Charleston to attend the Court of Master Sommelier's Introductory Course. This Course is the first of a series of 4 course/exams required to become a Master Sommelier of Wine.
The class was a 2-day fire hose, crash course led by 3 Master Sommeliers. The Deductive Wine Tasting Methodology was a key component of the agenda...this is the analytical blind tasting process the Master Sommeliers use to identify wine. It was quite fun to compare this methodology to how I typically conduct a whiskey tasting.
Biggest challenge: identifying wines as "high alcohol content." As an avid 100 proof bourbon drinker, they were all quite a bit on the light side.
The class was intense! Luckily, one of the students (nearly half my age) gave a good tip for studying: Quizlet.com. The site has decks of flash cards on various topics, notably, Introductory Sommelier Questions. Scared of failure, I cyber flipped flash hundreds of cards...Read More

Demo Begins on Olde Raleigh Distillery

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 07:41:15 -0800

Olde Raleigh Distillery is off to the races!
Demo has begun in the building. Essentially this entails yours truly climbing up and down a ladder +300 times to remove ceiling tiles and insulation. Its a tedious task and have found it to be a great stress reliever.
Stress…what stress?!
Building layout. Architects. Engineers. Business Loan. Equipment ordering Social Media (and my lack of understanding). Federal permitting. Fire codes.
…all the cool stuff one obviously thinks about when they sip bourbon and think its a good idea to open a distillery. Where’s the videos of Mila Kunis, Ryan Reynolds, or Matthew McConaughey doing this stuff?!
Anyhow...
During completion of the ceiling tile removal another milestone occurred: We now have running water (woohoo)!
After purchasing the building, the county had informed me the building’s water line was not in compliance. It needed a back flow preventer…I’ll spare the details of why or what this is…just know this costs around $2500 and kept me from having a functioning bathroom.
On that note, I’d like to thank Debnam’s Hardware down the street for unknowingly being my sole source of potty breaks for 2 months. They were most kind. I now have a collection of gently used tools purchased out of guilt whenever I felt they were catching on to me.
Lastly, in between ladder-climbing duty, three new Whiskey/Bourbon Tasting Events were booked. The Whiskey Sommelier/Bourbon Steward activities are alive and doing quite well. I look forward to having a permanent location to host these unique experiences soon!
Up next time on the Shot!...removal of the aluminum track ceiling and dealing with the poison ivy jungle in the back alley.
Read More

Mission: Craft Distillery

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 08:47:34 -0800

Happy 2020! I hope your year has started out with a bang! Its unseasonably warm in North Carolina this time of year. Isn't it great how bourbon is delicious in any weather? I have find it to be most excellent in January...as I sit on my front porch wearing shorts, wore out Rainbow sandals, and watch blossoming flowers. Flowers in January?!
Its been a while since the last Shot! update and A LOT has occurred in the past few months. For starters, after a 3 year search I was FINALLY able to purchase a building for a distillery. Let's just say...
It.
Is.
Awesome!
The future home of 10,000 square feet of whiskey-aged bliss. Large enough for Tasting Room, production area, barrel storage AND an event space. So after years of hosting Whiskey Tasting Events & Workshops, I will have a location to host up to 200 people.
In addition to purchasing the building, I was finally able to secure a small business loan over the holidays. A very Merry Christmas to me! As it turns out, being rejected 11 times by lenders builds character. More banks swiped left to me than the ugliest mutants on Tinder. Luckily, persistence paid off and lender number 12 said yes!
That said, there is an exciting road ahead as I bring a new whiskey into the world. This blog will chart this journey moving forward. Don't worry, I have not forgot about the Whiskey Sommelier & Bourbon Steward duties...they are part of this process! Accompanying these updates will be YouTube videos (because what's better than Raw footage of shenanigans!) to provide unscripted insight into the life of a distiller & whiskey blender.
I invite to follow along: the good, the bad, failures and successes. And so this journey begins...
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Augusta Road Trip with No Golf? The Whiskey Bar Kitchen

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 07:31:36 -0700

Augusta, GA is a mecca for golf in the United States. While visiting recently, I unfortunately had no time to play with the world’s club-swinging elite. Our schedules just didn’t match up I guess. However, I did venture into a sweet whiskey watering hole that’s worth a visit if ever in town…
The Whiskey Bar Kitchen.
Great name, I know. Straight forward. No wine cooler lovers need apply.
About the place…
In 2012, when brothers Kenny and Bobby Morrison set out to establish a bar & restaurant in Augusta, it had to be a unique reflection of their family’s Japanese-American roots. The result was creatively delicious menu filled with authentic Japanese cuisine and complimented with American-style pub food.
And the whiskey? Over 200 from 7 regions around the world. Plenty to erase the woes of losing out in another lottery for tickets at the Master’s.
Fortunately, there is no Augusta National Club exclusivity at this joint. Whiskey-loving laymen of all varieties are welcome here.
Located in the historic downtown and a brisk walk from the Savannah River, the Whiskey Bar Kitchen is anything but elitist. The ambiance of exposed brick and untouched concrete floors provide a nice rustic family friendly atmosphere to enjoy your beverage. Whiskey barrel heads from Highland Park, Buffalo Trace, Pendleton, and others are mounted throughout the walls to accentuate that the fact that this is a serious enthusiasts retreat.
Faced with a daunted whiskey selection spread across the length of the bar, the bartenders offer a gentle hand to guide your Spirit experience. Newbies to bourbon often enjoy Blanton’s, Basil Haydens, and Four Roses. Exotic whisky lovers can sample a spice and fruity dram of Rampur Single Malt from Radico Khaitan, India’s oldest distillery. I opted for a copper pour of Freddie Noe’s (Fred Noe’s son) Little Book...Read More

How the West was Won

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:11:52 -0700

How was the West won?
Whiskey. Tons of whiskey.
Well, there were a few other minor variables involved but only one sweet, succulent source of amber nectar that kept cowboys fueled for onward expansion! Whiskey!
After the Civil war, there was an influx expansion westward of Confederate Soldiers and men who suddenly found themselves with little to return home to. It was rumored the War of Texas Independence and the Mexican War had left thousands of longhorn cattle to roam free along the country’s border. All one had to do to earn a fortune was round up a herd and transport them to Kansas.
So, off these gentlemen went in search of a new life and riches...
These rough necks discovered dry, vast deserts with little agriculture.
These rough necks discovered snakes, roadrunners, and heat so intense it would crack the leather of their worn-out boots mid-season.
These rough necks discovered saloons, whiskey, and brothels. After a few weeks with this trifecta, I guess all that desert sh*t became irrelevant!
These rough neck “cowboys” (as they came to be known) would spend 6 months each year herding cattle from Texas to Kansas. The cattle were then received and sent via rail car to Chicago to fuel the country’s meat craze. These rail cars would return full of whiskey.
Cattle east bound. Whiskey west bout. Repeat.
As more cowboys and pioneers expanded westward, this created a demand for more saloons to supply whiskey. Small cow-towns emerged as intermittent waterhole stop-n-go’s throughout the west. More civil activities (such as law enforcement, church, general stores) might typically follow afterwards.
With money to spend and no 401k portfolio to fund, the cowboys would spend...Read More

Top to Bottom: A Plunge of Old Crow

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 12:50:06 -0700

Sifting through the vast selection of bourbons at a liquor store one should easily find several bottles of Old Crow Bourbon. It’s typically located at ankle level amongst the castaways of plastic bottles consumed by young twenty-somethings on a Friday night.
The Old Crow Bourbon is sad story. So sad in fact, its fall from grace to the bottom shelf is likely the biggest plunge in whiskey history!
For starters, Old Crow has nothing to do with birds.
Old Crow is named after Dr. James C Crow. A Scottish trained physician and chemist, who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1820’s. Dr. Crow’s rigorous approach to distillation could rival an army of today’s NASA design rocket scientists. He is credited with developing and incorporating the Sour Mash process into distillation. Your welcome American Distillers!
Crow’s sour mash whiskey was exceptional! He was also reportedly the first distiller to ONLY sell aged whiskey. That’s right, white lightning was the common spirit of the day. Your welcome American Distillers! Old Crow became the symbol for premium whiskey by the mid-1800’s. While most whiskey sold for $.15 per gallon, Crow’s sold for $.25 (top shelf + plus!).
Dr. Crow passed away unexpectedly in 1856. Fortunately, the brand and recipe continued on in a thunderous freight train-like path to become one of the world’s top selling bourbon by the late 1940’s.
The fall from grace...Read More

Whiskey Somm'n & English Whisky

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 08:23:22 -0700

What a week! Barely any Shots! What gives?!
Raw has been on a hiatus in Texas at the Whiskey Marketing School for Whisk(e)y Sommelier Level 3 course. Great news is I passed the exam and the giant Mr. T medallion some flare! Unfortunately, I also severely underestimated one’s ability to write after consuming +12 hours of Scotch each day.
The core group of Level 3 Sommelier's hooligans. We just grew to 27 strong globally!
Moving on to some whiskey knowledge...
English Whisky. Ever hear of it? Most have not!
In 1905, the last whisky distillery in England (Lea Valley Distillery) ceased operation. Suppose they enjoyed the vacation as the hiatus from whisky production would ensue for the better part of 100 years. Why waste time when the Scots & Irish are a brisk boat ride away!
With the rise in whisky popularity, the English finally returned to production in 2003. The royal family was ecstatic! So much in fact, Prince Charles presided over the opening ceremony of the St. George Distillery in 2007.
That’s great and all, but what about the whisky and the taste?
The English Whisky (notice the spelling) style is akin to Scotch. As the movement is only 15 years old, an enthusiast can expect a younger-aged whisky than that of its Scot brethren. In many ways, it’s the European equivalent of comparing the new American Craft Distiller bourbons to the old-aged Kentucky powerhouses (Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, etc). This expansion of whisky options is a great...Read More

Distiller's 100 Day Holiday Buzz

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 11:39:15 -0700

The 1920’s were a tough decade in the United States. An entire decade of no whiskey would keep even the best man or woman down. No whiskey at bars, restaurants, or homes...well legally...unless of course you were sick. At the time, Whiskey was legally only available for medicinal purposes. Ironically during the time period, the number of sick individuals seeking pharmacist care skyrocketed.
Tooth ache? Tummy ache? Identity crisis? Mid life crisis?! No worries fella, Dr. Feelgood has you covered.
This was the golden age for pharmacists and they needed product. These sick, unfortunate souls need their medicine!
Prohibition had rained on the distillery industry’s parade for so long that very few operations remained open a decade after it began. Those that survived did so with approval of a medicinal use distillation permit. Inventory was scarce.
In an effort to replenish the whiskey stock, in 1929 the U.S. government approved a Distiller’s Holiday. A 100-day production blitz where the distiller could produce as much medicinal whiskey as possible to replenish inventory levels. During this “holiday,” the whiskey rainmakers distilled over 3,000,000 gallons of liquid courage.
It was a resounding success. The sickly U.S. population once again had a bottle of booze to cure all its problems!
The 100 day blitz also marked the only major government holiday in history where the recipient of said Holiday was voluntold to work it’s a** off on said day (plus...Read More