Conference Workshops
Deep-Dive, Hands-on learning guided by Industry practice leaders
This year, all workshops were held at the conference venue, UBC Robson Square.
All three workshops took place on Monday, October 23rd—one in the morning, and two in the afternoon.
Cooperage, Demystified
Cal Craik, Okanagan Barrel Works
Morning: 9am - 12pm
Oliver, B.C.-based Cal Craik of Okanagan Barrel Works, one of Canada’s only working coopers, instructed distillers on taking care of valuable barrel stocks. From necessary maintenance to basic tools and simple repairs over multiple usage cycles, he gave a primer on how to ensure your liquid assets remain safe and secure over time. Craik also addressed types of oak, construction, char and toast levels and the potential of custom commissions.
Fermentations for Flavor, Throughput and Sustainability
Haley Churchill, Mitch Codd & Annick Mercier
Lallemand DistillING
Afternoon: 1pm - 5pm (Lunch provided, starting at 12pm)
Can distillers manipulate yeast flavours to their advantage? Can you increase throughput in a cost-effective manner, while simultaneously preparing raw materials and fermenting sustainably? Yeast biology was at the centre of this workshop, as having a deeper understanding of yeast allows distillers to better use the microorganism to their benefit. During this half-day session, the Lallemand Distilling team guided participants on a journey into yeast, flavour development and how to increase throughput, while taking sustainability into account. The workshop also showcased various whisk(e)ys from around the world in a tasting and evaluation session.
Whisky R&D Workshop: Production and Innovation
Matt Strickland, Iron City Distilling
Afternoon: 1pm - 5pm (Lunch provided, starting at 12pm)
Designing new whiskies can be a challenging endeavor for any distillery, big or small. Iron City Distilling master distiller Matt Strickland has established distilleries across North America, and brought his expertise to this deep dive on creating individual bottlings, and a long-term whisky program, with intention. From mashbill/recipe to maturation and blending, this workshop covered methods and techniques to make whisky product development flow naturally in your distillery. A hands-on group blending exercise included the creation of unique flavour profiles, and closed with advice on sparking innovation and opportunities in the whisky space.
