CRAFTED

Latest Episodes:

The Art & Science of Whiskey, with Liz Rhoades, WhistlePig Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

We headed back to Shoreham, Vermont, to sit down with the head of whiskey development at WhistlePig, Liz Rhoades, to dive deep into the art and science of distilling, sourcing, yeast strains, specific types of rye, non-alcoholic whiskey, and … WhistlePig’s new bourbon.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Liz’s background & role at WhistlePig (3:46)
What’s a “Diploma Distiller”? (7:27)
Fermentation Science, Biochemistry, & Nutraceutical Beer (10:14)
Whiskey as the “Beer Afterlife” (14:15)
The Workers of Whiskey: Saccharomyces (17:13)
Rye & What to Look for in Whiskey (23:13)
Single Malt, Grain Whiskey, Batch Rectifiers (30:58)
Maturation Processes (34:28)
Finishing Processes (38:14)
Blending (40:44)
Non-Alcoholic Whiskey (45:49)
WhistlePig Bourbon (51:07)
The Boss Hog IX: Siren’s Song (54:32)

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Barr Hill Distiller, Ryan Christiansen, on Honey, Bees, Gin, & More Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Barr Hill Gin is one of the best products being made in America today. And when paired with the mission of Barr Hill, you’ll understand why the company has such a fanatical following. Last week Jonathan Ellsworth was in Montpelier, Vermont, to spend the day at Barr Hill with Barr Hill president and distiller, Ryan Christiansen, to talk about bees and pollinators; the process of producing exceptional gin; what makes their Barr Hill vodka unique; the impact of their ‘Bees Knees Week’ initiative; their foray into the world of rye whiskey; and more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

What is Barr Hill? (5:28)
Bees & Honey (7:08)
Cocktail Culture Meets Agriculture (10:57)
History of Gin, Gin Production, & Vodka (13:26)
Gin & the Art of Extraction of Botanicals (26:11)
Honey, Bees, & More to Learn (36:21)
Exceptional vs Average Gin? (37:35)
Current State of the Gin World (48:57)
Tom Cat Gin (51:55)
Bees Knees Cocktail (1:01:51)
The Barr Hill Facility & Sustainability (1:09:00)
Bees Knees Week (1:17:53)
Bar Hill Accolades (1:24:40)
Whiskey?? (1:29:14)
Growth and Scale (1:35:38)

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The Alchemist's John & Jen Kimmich on Sustainability, Beer, & the Bigger Picture (Part 3) Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

This week Jonathan Ellsworth was back at The Alchemist in Stowe, VT, to sit down with its founders, Jen and John Kimmich, to dive into their philosophy on sustainability — in all of its forms — and to hear how they created a company that is leading the way on a number of these fronts. It’s an impressive story driven by shared principles, and we hope this conversation serves as an inspiration to other companies across many sectors. (And of course, along the way, we also talk a good bit about making great beer and keeping the bar high.)

TOPICS & TIMES:

When did you get interested in sustainability? (3:05)
Human Sustainability (9:10)
Happiness, Job Satisfaction, & the Long Game (12:04)
Quality vs Sustainability? (21:49)
CO2 reclamation 24:07)
Sidestreaming (28:30)
Recycling (35:35)
Food Composting & Food Recycling (43:18)
Where do you get your ideas? (45:19)
Authenticity (51:01)
The Alchemist Foundation (58:13)
What’s Next? (1:04:22)

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Blue Collar Fine Art: Rob Dickinson of Precise Painting Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Around here, we all think of Rob Dickinson as skiing royalty. But Rob is also the owner of Precise Painting, an interior and exterior paint and finishing company that does extremely fine work, and employs 25+ people in the Gunnison Valley of Colorado. We talk to Rob about the craft of painting and finishing homes; what anyone thinking about building, purchasing, or maintaining a home in mountain towns ought to know about exteriors; how to think about aesthetics vs. price vs. durability; and more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Skiers Talking Sh!t (3:48)
Starting Precise Painting (6:42)
The Family Business (10:29)
Ski-Rep Dreams, Big-Mountain Comps (15:14)
Work Hours & Ski Hours (21:42)
Mtn Town Economics & Precise’ Model (24:55)
Misconceptions about house painting (27:04)
Age-Old Rules of the Trade (29:53)
Interiors & Exteriors in CB & Mtn Towns (33:28)
Aesthetics vs Price vs Durability (39:52)
Example: Crested Butte Center for the Arts (42:44)

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Amateur Hour: Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, on Traditional Bows Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

We talk to Blister reviewer (and medical doctor and lead heli guide), Paul Forward, about the art, ethics, and craftsmanship of traditional bows; when and how Paul became fascinated by them; and why we ought to appreciate their rich history and ethos, too.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Traditional Bow Hunter Magazine (1:53)
Trad Life (4:38)
Long Bows vs Recurve Bows (8:54)
Trad Bows vs Telemark Skiers (19:34)
Ethics of Traditional Bow Hunting (24:18)
The Act / Art of Archery (25:58)
“Bowyers” (35:22)
Paul’s favorite bows (29:58)
Self Bows (44:13)
Custom Bows (49:24)
Price Range of Traditional Bows (52:51)
Arrows? (58:40)
If you could be gifted any bow… (59:37)
How long should a bow last? (1:02:47)
Maintenance? (1:04:18)
Final Thoughts: Good Archery Shops (1:07:13)

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The Alchemist co-founder & brewer, John Kimmich (Part 2) Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

With Heady Topper, John Kimmich created one of the most sought-after craft beers in the world, and effectively created the profile of the modern IPA. In Part 2 of our conversation, we dive into the evolution of Heady Topper; why making great beer is not enough for John & Jen; & more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Heady Topper: History & Evolution (1:32)
Other Passions, Principles, & Priorities (16:26)
Jen & Sustainability Initiatives (26:04)

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The Alchemist co-founder & brewer, John Kimmich (Part 1) Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

With Heady Topper, John Kimmich created one of the most sought-after beers in the world, and effectively created the profile of the modern IPA. In Part 1 of this tour-de-force of a conversation, we talk to John about his path to opening The Alchemist with his wife, Jen, in 2003; the business — and current landscape — of craft beer; his advice on opening a brewery; and what distinguishes great beer from mediocre beer.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Pittsburgh Steelers (2:42)
John’s Beer Background (4:50)
The Effects of Prohibition (18:52)
Mediocre Beer (22:42)
Current Landscape of Craft Beer (25:42)
Being Fortunate vs Being Lucky (34:28)
Opening The Alchemist (39:23)
Why the name, ‘The Alchemist’ (44:59)
Skiing / Snowboarding (51:45)
Why Vermont? (52:55)
Heady Topper & It’s Origins (55:39)
Advice on Opening a Brewery? (1:03:13)
Great Beer vs. Mediocre Beer (1:05:25)
Bitterness vs. Astringency (1:11:44)
Today’s Hazy IPAs (1:18:21)

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John Fellows: Artist, Illustrator, & Graphic Designer Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

Today we are talking with John Fellows, one of our favorite artists, whose signature style can be found across the outdoor industry. We discuss John’s background in art; the business of art & graphic design; the development of his trademark style; and we announce our new Blister Artist Series that we are kicking off with John.

TOPICS & TIMES:

John’s background (4:37)
Style (13:26)
Consistency vs. Evolution of Style (19:14)
The Business of Art (25:04)
Dream Gigs & Your Typical Work Day (39:13)
Ski Town Art (42:50)
What other craft categories are you into? (50:23)
Blister Artist Series (53:51)

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What is Natural Wine? Danielle & Katie Nichols of CORK, Stowe, VT Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

What is “Natural Wine”? Is it the same as organic wine, or raw wine? For answers, we talk with Danielle and Katie Nichols, the two amazing sisters behind CORK Restaurant & Natural Wine Shop. Danielle and Katie provide a fantastic introduction and overview of natural wine; explain how they got into it; and tell us about “Twinkie Wines” and “Breakfast Wines,” too.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Breakfast Wines (4:03)
What is CORK? (6:14)
Skiing & Sisters’ Backgrounds (12:55)
Back to Stowe (16:04)
Katie’s intro to Natural Wine (18:20)
Organic Wine vs. Natural Wine (24:13)
Twinkie Wines & Consistency (36:00)
Such a Range - approachable (45:39)
Wine Club (50:10)
Wine represents so much more than the rating (56:44)
Where to find them (1:02:22)

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The Origins & Ethos of Offset Bier, Park City, Utah Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

Offset Bier has quickly established itself as the best brewery in Park City, and one of the very best in the state, making it a must-stop for any true beer aficionado. But Offset is also establishing itself as a community hub for skiers, runners, and bikers. We talk with Offset co-founder, Conor Brown, about the name “Offset Bier”; approachability vs. complexity; brewing in a state with strict liquor laws; their “No Flights, No Whining” policy; and more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Ski-Industry Roots (4:16)
Why the name Offset? (6:12)
Origin story (12:35)
Approachability & Complexity (21:23)
Beer: DOPO: “Lie.P.A.” (24:32)
Beer: Czech-Style Dark Lager (27:20)
Foam (29:36)
Utah’s liquor laws (34:13)
“Death By a Thousand Cuts” (42:38)
“No Flights, No Whining” (51:54)
“Artisanal” (56:24)
Beer: Stivot (1:00:46)
Chemistry (1:06:54)
Standing Out (1:13:28)
Community Events (1:18:59)
Name a brewery that’s inspired you? (1:21:00)
Other craft category you keep an eye on? (1:25:16)

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