At Oak and Grist Distilling Company, we take pride in crafting every drop of liquor we produce.
Our artisan whiskey and gin undergo a very intentional distillation process that starts in the grain fields of our region. Inspired by the legacy of Scottish master distillers, we shape each small batch of our spirits completely from scratch using traditional methods and locally grown and malted grains. In an ever-growing field of sourced whiskey, we consider ourselves a true “grain to glass” distillery and treat each release of gin and whiskey with the utmost care and aforethought.
Raw Material Sourcing
It’s the first step in making Oak and Grist’s artisan spirits and sets the tone for the entire process. We’re serious about purchasing only the freshest grains and botanicals grown by local farmers.
You can taste our commitment to meticulous sourcing in the spirits we produce. It’s an authentic flavor derived from the fruits of the region, the farming practices used to grow them, and Appalachia’s rich soil.
Malting
The barley undergoes its first transformation at Riverbend Malt House just down the road from the distillery. They carefully steep, germinate, dry then kiln the barley to develop the desired flavor characteristics.
Brewing
Upon arrival at the distillery, the malted barley is crushed and mixed with water at very specific temperatures to convert the starch in the grain into sugar. The liquid or “wort” is then separated from the grain on its way to the fermenter.
This process builds on the flavor from the malt and great care must be taken to not extract too many tannins (bitterness).
Fermenting
Fermentation is a much-celebrated process responsible for creating alcohol. Most folks think beer when they hear the word “ferment,” but since you cannot make whiskey from anything other than grain and you must ferment grain to make alcohol it is central to distillation, too. Many distilleries skip this process and start with a distilled spirit, but at Oak and Grist, we’re the stewards of this wondrous step.
During fermentation, the sugars present in the malted barley are consumed by yeast and converted into alcohol. It’s a miraculous yet fickle practice that demands stable conditions and close monitoring by experts in order to create consistency in the taste and quality of the final product.
Distilling
The “distillers beer” is now ready to be boiled and then recondensed through our traditional pot still. We do a double distillation to get to our new make whiskey. First distilling the beer into “low wines” then distilling the low wines into whiskey. Crafting our gin requires an additional third distillation of our whiskey along with eight botanicals. In the simplest terms distillation is the separation and concentration of alcohol, but during this step further flavors and aromas are developed.
Aging
It’s the final step in creating artisan whiskey and sometimes gin. Aging imparts the distinct flavors of the vessel that hold newly distilled spirits. At Oak and Grist, we age our whiskey and gin in handmade oak barrels. Aging time varies depending on the type and style of spirit.
Are you as enchanted by the grain to glass process as we are? Learn more about our individual spirits or take a closer look at our methods on a distillery tour: