Food Farmer Earth: Whiskeys, Brandies, Liqueurs

In part two of my interview for Food Farmer Earth with distiller Sebastian Degens of Stone Barn Brandyworks, he describes the different distillation processes he uses to make his signature whiskeys, brandies and liqueurs.

Watch part one of this interview, "Distilling the Essence of Fruit." Get tips from Raven and Rose master bartender Dave Shenaut on "How to Make an Irish Coffee." To get regular updates on local producers featured on Food Farmer Earth, consider a free subscription.

Food Farmer Earth: Distilling the Essence of Fruit

In this interview for Food Farmer Earth, I spoke with distiller Sebastian Degens of Stone Barn Brandyworks to find out how he makes his amazing brandies, whiskeys and fruit liqueurs.

“Yeast never sleeps,” said Sebastian Degens. Which is a good thing, since Degens and his wife, Erika, depend on it to ferment the fruit and grain mashes they distill at their Stone Barn Brandyworks in Portland, Oregon.

As a child, Degens grew up in Germany with distilled spirits like eau de vie and schnapps in the house. He eventually moved to the United States, getting interested in trying to make his own spirits when a Swiss friend, who’d grown up with similar European spirits, mentioned a desire to learn how they were made.

Their research led Degens to attend a three-day intensive workshop in Chicago at Kothe Distilling Technologies, a manufacturer of stills. On returning home, he and Erika started bicycling around various neighborhoods, looking for a small, affordable place that had enough room for the equipment they’d need to start their business.

Read the rest of the article.

Watch the second part of my interview with Degens, "The World of Distilled Spirits." Get tips from Raven and Rose master bartender Dave Shenaut on "How to Make an Irish Coffee." To get regular updates on local producers featured on Food Farmer Earth, consider a free subscription.

Great Gifting: Keeping Spirits Bright

This year I've spouted off about my idea of the perfect gift, so I'll spare you a repeat of that rant, but how about a (pun intended) self-liquidating gift for the imbibers on your list? Most of them would be thrilled to get that special bottle of Islay single malt they've had their eye on, but how about keeping it local and giving some hooch from the 'hood?

For lovers of liqueur, both New Deal Distillery and House Spirits have coffee liqueurs that are miles better than that syrupy Kahlua you drank in college. Plus they're made with locally roasted coffees from Water Avenue and Stumptown, respectively, and would be brilliant teamed with a copy of the Big Lebowski (for White Russians…get it?).

New Deal also has a new Ginger Liqueur that would be terrific teamed with soda and mint, or as a mixer in a ginger drop or gimlet. Stone Barn Brandyworks has an appropriately holiday-esque product in their scarlet-red Cranberry Liqueur, eminently sippable over ice or topped with soda for a refreshing spritzer.

For those of a Scandinavian bent, or who have a taste for licorice, there is unaged Aquavit from House Spirits available at the distillery, though their aged Aquavit, which has been drawing raves in national pubs, is about as "rare as a dodo bird" according to the young man who answered the phone at the distillery. He suggested checking the OLCC search engine for availability of this as well as their made-from-local-barley White Dog unaged whiskey.

Even better, if friends and family are in town over the holiday, get them out of the house and away from your liquor cabinet by taking a tour of Distillery Row (check first to make sure the distilleries will be open). That way you can buy them a bottle of their favorite spirit and be their bestest friend ever. At least until they sober up.

Read the other Great Gifting posts: The Art Around You, Eating is Believing and Giving from the Heart.