As of 2018, gin is the leading growth category in beverage alcohol, worldwide. Fueled by a booming cocktail scene, gin consumption is projected to increase over the next 5 years, providing a huge opportunity for distillers looking to capitalize on this trend. Using a broad palette of botanicals and styles, craft distillers are creating unique expressions of gins, absinthes, and amari that stand out on the shelf without needing to spend years in a barrel.
Our hands-on, three-day advanced workshop will focus on the art of botanical spirit production, giving you an edge while you stake your claim in this booming market. We’ll explore history, category styles, production methods, and distillation processes, as well as botanical mash bills, maceration, filtration, and finishing.
Students will also get to practice hands-on distilling of a botanical spirit, scaling up from compounding to a table-top still and finishing with a 50-gallon still. Other significant educational experiences include examining individual essences, discussing various business considerations, and conducting source material tasting and sensory training.
Whether you’re a seasoned distiller or newbie to the business, this class is for anyone who has or is planning to open and/or operate a distillery; non-traditional botanical spirit makers; professionals working with spirits in the hospitality sector; or anyone else seeking to refine their knowledge of botanical spirits.
This course is taught by Clay Smith, Operations Manager at Moonshine University and former Head Distiller at Corsair Distillery.
In addition to gaining valuable insights on botanical spirits production, we’ll take an in-depth look at:
Tuition includes all class materials; breakfast, lunch, and refreshments; and transportation between our contracted hotel and our campus. $2,750
**Early Bird Registration covers your stay at our contracted hotel from the night before Day 1 to the last day of class. The Early Bird deadline is 3 weeks before the first day of class.
Founded in 2012, Moonshine University is the nation’s premier educational distillery. Our facility was created from the ground up to teach new distillers how to get started in the industry, and to teach professional team members how to elevate key aspects of their craft and boost sales. Combining classroom instruction with practical, hands-on learning and sensory training, Moonshine University attracts people from all over the world, ensuring every attendee leaves with a complete and comprehensive education and skill set applicable to a variety of spirits and industry related areas.
In 2013, The Kentucky Distillers’ Association made Moonshine University their exclusive education provider. With the support of some of the industry’s leading institutions and distilleries, you can be sure that taking a class at Moonshine University will be worth the investment.
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