Since last March there hasn’t been much good news to celebrate, so I can understand why many people have been happily trumpeting the success of brewers during the coronavirus pandemic. The only problem with that story is that it’s just not true. Believe me, I’d love for the drinks industry to be booming, except, sadly, it’s not. Think about it: how can beer sales be up when almost every place that sells beer by the pint is closed or only running at 25 percent capacity? No packed bars. No packed stadiums. No packed concert arenas. No packed race tracks. Given all […]
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Innovation has been a hallmark of Jefferson’s Bourbon from its very beginning. When Trey Zoeller and his father founded the brand 23 years ago, they were focused on understanding how far they could push the boundaries of bourbon. Zoeller first experimented with blending finished bourbons he bought from other distillers. “Nobody was blending bourbon at the time,” he says. “That was kind of the first realm of taking it outside of the traditional ways of maturing and bottling bourbon.” It wasn’t until a decade or so later, while sharing a drink with a friend aboard an Ocearch shark tagging research vessel, […]
Since people first started making bourbon, arguably the easiest part of the whole production process has been selecting the type of barrel used for aging the whiskey. As decreed by the United States Congress in 1954, bourbon must be aged in a new, charred American oak container. Most distillers opt for the standard 53-gallon American white oak barrel, add their spirit to it and, after a few years, bottle the whiskey. However, as Jefferson’s Bourbon founder Trey Zoeller discovered not long after launching the brand with his father in 1997, sticking only to this traditional aging method doesn’t allow for much […]
During times like these, how are bars across the country changing their drinks menus? Is it better to go with tried-and-true classics or to offer innovative and creative concoctions? On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Claire Sprouse from New York, Erick Castro from San Diego and Omar Yeefoon from Dallas—about what folks want to drink now and how the pandemic has changed the thought process behind putting together menus. So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve […]
When Trey Zoeller founded Jefferson’s Bourbon with his father in 1997, he knew it was time to try something new. There were only eight bourbon distilleries operating in Kentucky at the time—10 total in the U.S.—and the industry was looking for a way to pull itself out of a nearly 30-year decline. To Zoeller, the way forward wasn’t found in the spirit’s history but in its future. “I like to say that we push the boundaries of what bourbon is without bastardizing it,” says Zoeller, whose 8th generation grandmother was a moonshiner. “When you find something that’s really remarkable and different, […]
What is the secret to making delicious bourbon? Most folks talk about the mix of grains it’s made from, the type of still it’s produced on or even the calcium content in the water used by the distillery. Finally, the humble barrel that the whiskey is aged in is mentioned. Perhaps, that’s because the barrels used by most distillers are fairly standard. But, to put it bluntly, you can’t make bourbon without oak trees. Wood is an essential part of the whiskey making process and few brands understand this better than Angel’s Envy. It has pioneered the technique of finishing American […]
If hiring, training and managing a staff is one of the hardest parts of running a bar, try doing it during a pandemic. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Ryan Fitzgerald from San Francisco, Anu Apte from Seattle and Derek Brown from Washington, D.C.—about their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic and how their roles and management styles have evolved. So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah […]
American whiskey makers must have been feeling good in 1970. After suffering through Prohibition and a shutdown for World War II, they were finally back on track, boasting record sales that year. Little did they know the next 30 years would be one hell of ride…straight down. The year 2000 offered a glimmer of hope that whiskey wasn’t completely doomed; a new generation of drinkers who wanted more than just vodka was on the rise. Sales slowly began to grow, but were still overshadowed by sweet cordials and liqueurs. So it was a bit baffling when, 13 years ago, Congress unanimously […]
If there was ever a time to have a glass of bourbon, now is it. Back in 2007, Congress passed a resolution declaring September National Bourbon Heritage Month. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon, to talk about why the month-long holiday was created and how to properly celebrate it. So fix yourself a glass of bourbon and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich […]