Harvest to Pour: Business of Beverages

Switchgrass Spirits

Episode Summary

In this episode of Harvest to Pour I interview Nick Colombo, co-founder of Switchgrass Spirits distillery in St. Louis, Missouri. Nick discussed how he got into distilling after working in international development and breweries. He started Switchgrass with his wife Sarah and partner Pat to create a worker-owned distillery focused on sourcing ingredients locally. Nick described Switchgrass's unique sweet mashing process, barrel aging techniques, whats unique about the buildings effect on the barrels , and goals of producing aged bottled-in-bond whiskies. Also, find out how sometimes in business, what you don't plan for is often what you need to make your business thrive.

Episode Notes

Show Notes

• Nick's background in international development and breweries 
• Starting Switchgrass Spirits with his wife Sarah and partner Pat as a worker-owned distillery 
• Sourcing ingredients locally, especially corn, wheat, rye from the Midwest region 
• Their unique "sweet mashing" process of making an ale instead of using bacteria 
• Manual batch distillation process and making cuts by taste 
• Aging whiskey in barrels and how the building's temperature regulation impacts barrel breathing 
• Goals of producing aged bottled-in-bond whiskies in 4+ years 
• Challenges of scaling up while prioritizing aging whiskey 
• Upcoming releases of 4-year aged whiskies and single malts

Events

Tours and Tastings

Location

DISTILLERY & BARREL HOUSE

(not currently open to the public)

6100 Idadale Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63133

314-203-6539

https://switchgrassspirits.com/