Discover the Craft Behind America’s Spirits
Whether you’re a curious beginner, history lover, current or future distiller, our Distilling classes bring you inside real distilleries for a weekend of hands-on education across the country.
We believe better spirits are made, One distiller at a time…
Upcoming Classes
January 29 & 30 Distilling Class Kodak TN
Tennessee Whiskey & Moonshine Distilling Class
$775.00 per person
Two-Day Hands-On Distilling Experience
📍 Old Tennessee Distilling Company
3605 Outdoor Sportsman Place
Kodak, Tennessee 37764
📅 January 29–30, 2027
👩🏫 Instruction led by Amanda Bryant
🍽️ Lunch provided both days
🥃 Hands-on whiskey making, distillation, proofing & tasting
This isn't a class where you sit in a chair and listen to someone talk about making whiskey.
You're going to make it.
Join us in Tennessee for two full days inside Old Tennessee Distilling Company learning the history, science, and hands-on craft behind Tennessee whiskey and moonshine.
From developing a mash bill and cooking grain to fermentation, running a still, making cuts, proofing spirit, and understanding the finished whiskey, we'll walk through the process together from grain to glass.
Class size is intentionally limited so everyone has the opportunity to get involved, ask questions, and work around the equipment.
Day One: Mash, Fermentation & the Foundation of Tennessee Whiskey
We begin in the distillery tasting room with introductions before getting straight into the foundation of every great whiskey: the mash and fermentation.
Each student receives a detailed course handbook, and then we start building your understanding from the ground up.
Topics & Hands-On Work Include:
What defines whiskey and what makes Tennessee whiskey unique
Tennessee whiskey and moonshine traditions
Mash bill development and grain selection
Cooking a whiskey mash from start to finish
Temperature control, timing, and technique
Understanding gravity and fermentable sugar
Enzymes, conversion, and saccharification
Yeast selection and propagation
Fermentation strategy
Creating the ideal fermentation environment
Troubleshooting common fermentation problems
Throughout the day, we'll also explore the history of moonshine and American distilling, from early American whiskey production through Prohibition and into today's legal craft-distilling industry.
Lunch is provided midday.
We'll continue through the afternoon with fermentation work, demonstrations, discussion, and plenty of time for questions.
Approximately 5:00 PM — Day One Wrap-Up & Open Discussion
Day Two: Distillation & Spirit Development
Day Two moves from fermented mash to the still.
You'll spend the day learning the mechanics and techniques of actually running a distillation while we follow the spirit through the entire process.
Topics & Demonstrations Include:
Distillery and still safety
Copper still design and function
Preparing mash for distillation
Heat sources and managing a run
Understanding the vapor path and reflux
How temperature, proof, aroma, and flavor change throughout a run
Tour of Old Tennessee Distilling Company and its Moonshine Museum
Then we get into one of the most important skills a distiller can develop:
Making the cut.
We'll work through:
Foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails
Recognizing changes throughout the run
Nosing, tasting, and sensory development
Making cuts by aroma, flavor, proof, and experience
Blending and shaping the finished spirit
Proofing and tempering
Reading the bead
Barreling and maturation
Tennessee whiskey traditions and charcoal filtration
You'll experience the run from the first heat through the tails, with opportunities for hands-on participation, observation, and questions throughout the process.
Lunch is provided during the run.
The Tennessee Experience
This class isn't only about learning how equipment works. It's about understanding the traditions and skills that built Tennessee's whiskey and moonshine culture.
We'll finish the experience with a private tasting at Old Tennessee Distilling Company, connecting what you've learned during the weekend to finished spirits in the glass.
And when possible under the distillery's production and compliance requirements, you'll have the opportunity to help make and take home a bottle connected to the class experience.
What's Included
Two full days of hands-on distilling instruction
Whiskey mash and fermentation demonstrations
Hands-on distillation experience
Lunch both days
Tour of Old Tennessee Distilling Company
Private tasting experience
Printed Amanda Bryant Distilling course handbook
Certificate of Completion
Proofing and sensory training
Take-home class spirit/bottle where permitted
Continued access to guidance after the class
Invitation into our growing community of distillers and students
Who Is This Class For?
Beginners are welcome.
You do not need previous distilling experience to attend.
The class is designed for everyone from whiskey enthusiasts who have never touched a still to experienced hobbyists and people considering entering the professional distilling industry.
We intentionally keep our classes small so instruction can be personal, questions can be answered, and students can actually get their hands involved in the process.
Travel & Accommodations
Participants are responsible for their own lodging and transportation. The distillery is located in Kodak, Tennessee, convenient to the Knoxville, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Great Smoky Mountains areas.
Nearby lodging recommendations can be provided to registered students.
Reserve Your Seat
Seats are extremely limited. Once they're gone, they're gone.
If you've ever wanted to understand what really happens between a bag of grain and a glass of whiskey, come spend the weekend learning it firsthand.
Come learn the tradition.
Come understand the science.
Come run the still.
Come make Tennessee whiskey with us.
January 29–30, 2027
Old Tennessee Distilling Company — Kodak, Tennessee
$775 per person
Must be 21 years of age or older to attend.
Classes › January Tennessee Class 29 & 30
January 22nd & 23rd, 2027
Tennessee Whiskey & Moonshine Distilling Class
$775.00 per person
Two-Day Hands-On Distilling Experience
📍 Old Tennessee Distilling Company
3605 Outdoor Sportsman Place
Kodak, Tennessee 37764
📅 January 22–23, 2027
👩🏫 Instruction led by Amanda Bryant
🍽️ Lunch provided both days
🥃 Hands-on whiskey making, distillation, proofing & tasting
This isn't a class where you sit in a chair and listen to someone talk about making whiskey.
You're going to make it.
Join us in Tennessee for two full days inside Old Tennessee Distilling Company learning the history, science, and hands-on craft behind Tennessee whiskey and moonshine.
From developing a mash bill and cooking grain to fermentation, running a still, making cuts, proofing spirit, and understanding the finished whiskey, we'll walk through the process together from grain to glass.
Class size is intentionally limited so everyone has the opportunity to get involved, ask questions, and work around the equipment.
Day One: Mash, Fermentation & the Foundation of Tennessee Whiskey
We begin in the distillery tasting room with introductions before getting straight into the foundation of every great whiskey: the mash and fermentation.
Each student receives a detailed course handbook, and then we start building your understanding from the ground up.
Topics & Hands-On Work Include:
What defines whiskey and what makes Tennessee whiskey unique
Tennessee whiskey and moonshine traditions
Mash bill development and grain selection
Cooking a whiskey mash from start to finish
Temperature control, timing, and technique
Understanding gravity and fermentable sugar
Enzymes, conversion, and saccharification
Yeast selection and propagation
Fermentation strategy
Creating the ideal fermentation environment
Troubleshooting common fermentation problems
Throughout the day, we'll also explore the history of moonshine and American distilling, from early American whiskey production through Prohibition and into today's legal craft-distilling industry.
Lunch is provided midday.
We'll continue through the afternoon with fermentation work, demonstrations, discussion, and plenty of time for questions.
Approximately 5:00 PM — Day One Wrap-Up & Open Discussion
Day Two: Distillation & Spirit Development
Day Two moves from fermented mash to the still.
You'll spend the day learning the mechanics and techniques of actually running a distillation while we follow the spirit through the entire process.
Topics & Demonstrations Include:
Distillery and still safety
Copper still design and function
Preparing mash for distillation
Heat sources and managing a run
Understanding the vapor path and reflux
How temperature, proof, aroma, and flavor change throughout a run
Tour of Old Tennessee Distilling Company and its Moonshine Museum
Then we get into one of the most important skills a distiller can develop:
Making the cut.
We'll work through:
Foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails
Recognizing changes throughout the run
Nosing, tasting, and sensory development
Making cuts by aroma, flavor, proof, and experience
Blending and shaping the finished spirit
Proofing and tempering
Reading the bead
Barreling and maturation
Tennessee whiskey traditions and charcoal filtration
You'll experience the run from the first heat through the tails, with opportunities for hands-on participation, observation, and questions throughout the process.
Lunch is provided during the run.
The Tennessee Experience
This class isn't only about learning how equipment works. It's about understanding the traditions and skills that built Tennessee's whiskey and moonshine culture.
We'll finish the experience with a private tasting at Old Tennessee Distilling Company, connecting what you've learned during the weekend to finished spirits in the glass.
And when possible under the distillery's production and compliance requirements, you'll have the opportunity to help make and take home a bottle connected to the class experience.
What's Included
Two full days of hands-on distilling instruction
Whiskey mash and fermentation demonstrations
Hands-on distillation experience
Lunch both days
Tour of Old Tennessee Distilling Company
Private tasting experience
Printed Amanda Bryant Distilling course handbook
Certificate of Completion
Proofing and sensory training
Take-home class spirit/bottle where permitted
Continued access to guidance after the class
Invitation into our growing community of distillers and students
Who Is This Class For?
Beginners are welcome.
You do not need previous distilling experience to attend.
The class is designed for everyone from whiskey enthusiasts who have never touched a still to experienced hobbyists and people considering entering the professional distilling industry.
We intentionally keep our classes small so instruction can be personal, questions can be answered, and students can actually get their hands involved in the process.
Travel & Accommodations
Participants are responsible for their own lodging and transportation. The distillery is located in Kodak, Tennessee, convenient to the Knoxville, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Great Smoky Mountains areas.
Nearby lodging recommendations can be provided to registered students.
Reserve Your Seat
Seats are extremely limited. Once they're gone, they're gone.
If you've ever wanted to understand what really happens between a bag of grain and a glass of whiskey, come spend the weekend learning it firsthand.
Come learn the tradition.
Come understand the science.
Come run the still.
Come make Tennessee whiskey with us.
January 22–23, 2027
Old Tennessee Distilling Company — Kodak, Tennessee
$775 per person
Must be 21 years of age or older to attend.
Classes › January Tennessee Class 22 & 23
FARM TO BOTTLE: GEORGIA BOURBON DISTILLING CLASS
October 2–3, 2026 | Doc Brown Farm Distillers | Senoia, Georgia
Roll up your sleeves. We’re making bourbon this weekend, and this time, we’re starting in the field.
Join Master Distiller Amanda Bryant and the team at Doc Brown Farm Distillers for a special two-day Farm to Bottle Bourbon Distilling Class in Senoia, Georgia.
This class takes you beyond the distillery and back to where whiskey actually begins: the grain.
We’ll be making Doc Brown Farm Distillers’ Effie Jewel Bourbon, showcasing Jimmy Red corn and Abruzzi rye grown right here on the farm. Day One takes place at Doc Brown Farm, where you’ll experience the agricultural side of whiskey and work hands-on through grain selection, mash development, cooking, conversion, yeast, and fermentation. We’ll finish the day with a special dinner together on the farm, surrounded by the land and grain that inspired the whiskey we’re making.
On Day Two, we move to a local distillery and take that process all the way through distillation, cuts, proofing, barreling, and finished spirit.
Two days. Farm to still. Grain to glass. This is bourbon from the ground up.
Experience Details
📅 October 2 & 3, 2026
📍 Doc Brown Farm Distillers
9210 E Highway 16, Senoia, GA 30276
👩🏫 Two-Day Hands-On Instruction Led by Master Distiller Amanda Bryant
🌽 Featuring Farm-Grown Jimmy Red Corn & Abruzzi Rye
🥃 Making Doc Brown’s Effie Jewel Bourbon
🍽️ Lunch Provided Both Days + Special Day One Dinner on the Farm
Day One: Where Whiskey Begins
Before there is a barrel, before there is a still, and long before there is bourbon in your glass, there is a farmer and a field.
We begin Day One on the farm at Doc Brown Farm Distillers, getting our hands into the agricultural foundation of American whiskey. We’ll explore the grains being grown on-site and then take those grains into the mash process ourselves.
Students will receive a detailed course handbook and work through the fundamentals of bourbon production, including what legally defines bourbon, grain selection and mash bill development, milling, cooking a mash from start to finish, gelatinization and starch conversion, enzymes and saccharification, gravity and fermentable sugar balance, yeast selection, fermentation strategy, pH, temperature control, and troubleshooting.
Most importantly, you’ll see firsthand why grain isn't simply an ingredient on a recipe sheet. It is the beginning of the flavor story.
We’ll be working with the same Jimmy Red corn and Abruzzi rye grown at Doc Brown Farm as we explore how grain variety, agriculture, fermentation, and technique ultimately influence the whiskey that comes off the still.
Lunch will be provided midday, followed by an afternoon of hands-on mash and fermentation work, discussion, and preparation for Day Two.
Dinner on the Farm
After the work is done, we're not quite finished.
We’ll close Day One with a special dinner together at Doc Brown Farm, giving everyone a chance to slow down, enjoy the farm, share a meal, talk whiskey, and spend time with the people behind the grain and spirits we've been working with all day.
It’s an opportunity to experience the hospitality and community behind farm distilling, because whiskey has always been about more than what ends up in the bottle. It's about the land, the people, the food, and the stories shared around the table.
Dinner on the farm is included with your class experience.
Day Two: From Mash to Spirit
On Day Two, we leave the farm and head to a local distillery, where you'll experience the other half of the Farm to Bottle story.
The fermented grain we've been studying now meets heat, copper, and the still.
We'll walk through distillery safety, still design and function, preparing fermented mash for distillation, heat management, vapor path, reflux, proof, and the mechanics of running a still. Then we'll work through one of the most important skills a distiller develops: making the cuts.
You'll learn to identify and understand foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails; develop your nose and palate; evaluate spirit throughout the run; understand proofing and tempering; practice reading a bead; discuss blending, barrel-entry proof, new charred oak, maturation, and how a clear spirit eventually becomes bourbon.
This isn't a demonstration you're watching from across the room.
You're here to make whiskey.
Lunch will be provided during the day's distillation work, with plenty of time throughout the run for questions, conversation, and hands-on involvement.
From a Georgia Field to a Bottle of Bourbon
This class is about understanding that whiskey doesn't begin at the still.
It begins with dirt, seed, weather, grain, and the people willing to grow it.
Over two days, you'll follow that story from Jimmy Red corn and Abruzzi rye growing on a Georgia farm to mash, fermentation, distillation, barrel, and ultimately the bottle.
That's what Farm to Bottle really means and how Doc Brown Farm Distillers is putting their stamp on the term.
What’s Included
Two full days of hands-on distilling instruction
Day One experience at Doc Brown Farm Distillers
Special Day One dinner on the farm
Day Two distillation experience at a local distillery
Farm-grown Jimmy Red corn and Abruzzi rye education
Hands-on bourbon mash and fermentation
Full distillation experience
Printed Amanda Bryant Distilling course handbook
Lunch both days
Certificate of Completion
Tasting and sensory education
Take-home spirit/bottle experience where legally permitted
Continued access to guidance after class
Invitation to our growing distilling community
Reserve Your Seat
Class size is intentionally limited. Keeping these classes small means students can actually participate, ask questions, get their hands dirty, and spend meaningful time around the mash and still.
Whether you're dreaming about opening a distillery, already making spirits and want to sharpen your skills, or simply want to understand how real bourbon is made, this weekend is designed to take you beyond the bottle and into the process.
Come walk the farm.
Come meet the grain.
Come share the table.
Come run the still.
Come make bourbon with us.
FARM TO BOTTLE
October 2–3, 2026 | Senoia, Georgia
Must be 21 years of age or older to attend.
New Classes Just Dropped!
Last Shot Distillery Bourbon & American Whiskey Experience
📍 Located at Last Shot Distillery
Skaneateles, New York- 4022 Mill Rd. Skaneateles Ny 13152
📅 September 12th & 13th Saturday & Sunday
👩🏫 Instruction Led by Amanda Bryant
🍽️ Lunch Provided Both Days + Saturday Evening Gathering & Continued Consulting
Day One: Mash, Fermentation & The Foundation of American Whiskey
This class truly brings my journey full circle. For years, I distilled moonshine, chasing the craft one batch at a time. Then I met Master Distiller Chris Uyehara. Chris welcomed me into his distillery, this very distillery, Last Shot Distillery in Skaneateles, New York, took me under his wing, and introduced me to the art of crafting bourbon, America's Whiskey!
What I learned from Chris forever changed the way I think about distilling. He taught me that great whiskey isn't about shortcuts or secrets; it's about understanding the process, respecting the grain, and paying attention to every detail. Those lessons became the foundation of every class I teach today.
Now, for the first time, I get to bring you into the very distillery where that transformation happened. You'll stand where I stood, learn where I learned, and make bourbon using the same philosophy and techniques that Chris passed on to me.
Around the distillery, we call him "Papa U" for a reason. Master Distiller Chris Uyehara is one of the finest bourbon and whiskey makers I've ever had the privilege of learning from, and this weekend you'll get to experience the same welcoming, hands-on environment that shaped me as a distiller.
This isn't just another bourbon class. It's a chance to become part of the story that changed my life and launched everything I teach today.
Join us this September for the Finger Lakes Bourbon & American Whiskey Distilling Class at Last Shot Distillery and experience the craft where my own bourbon journey began.
Topics & Hands-On Work Include:
What legally defines bourbon and American whiskey
The history of bourbon and American whiskey in the United States
Mash bill development and grain selection
Understanding corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley and their influence on flavor
Cooking a bourbon mash from start to finish
Temperature control, timing, and proper mash techniques
Understanding gravity and fermentable sugar balance
Enzymes, starch conversion, and saccharification
Yeast selection, propagation, and fermentation strategies
Building an ideal fermentation environment
Troubleshooting common fermentation challenges
Throughout the day we'll also explore the history of American distilling, from early colonial whiskey makers and frontier distillers through the Bottled-in-Bond Act, Prohibition, and today's craft distilling revival.
Lunch is provided midday.
The afternoon continues with deeper fermentation discussions, production demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities for questions.
5:00 PM – Wrap-Up & Open Discussion
Day Two: Distillation & Whiskey Production
Day two takes you behind the scenes inside Last Shot Distillery for a complete whiskey distillation experience.
We'll move from fermented mash to finished spirit while walking through every stage of a production run together.
Topics & Demonstrations Include:
Distillery safety and operating procedures
Pot still design and equipment function
Preparing mash for distillation
Heat management throughout the run
Understanding vapor paths and reflux
Guided tour of Last Shot Distillery
Equipment selection and production considerations
As the still comes to life, we'll dive deeper into the craft:
Making proper cuts: foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails
Evaluating aroma and flavor throughout the run
Sensory development and tasting techniques
Blending and creating a balanced whiskey
Proofing and tempering
Barrel selection, maturation, and finishing methods
Reading the bead and understanding alcohol structure
Help Make Your Own Bottle!
You'll participate in the complete distillation run, from first heat through the final tails, with hands-on opportunities throughout the process.
Lunch is provided during the day's production.
Closing Experience
We conclude the weekend with a private tasting featuring a selection of Last Shot Distillery's whiskeys and specialty spirits, tying together everything you've learned from grain to glass.
Each participant will take home a bottle of the spirit produced during class (where permitted by law), along with lasting knowledge, new friendships, and confidence to continue their whiskey journey.
The weekend concludes with an informal gathering, conversation, and the opportunity to ask additional questions while connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
What's Included
Two full days of hands-on instruction
Lunch provided both days
Private tasting experience at Last Shot Distillery
Printed course handbook
Certificate of Completion
Take-home bottle of the class spirit (where permitted)
Continued access to guidance and consulting after class
Invitation to Amanda Bryant Distilling's growing distilling community
Important Notes
Class size is intentionally limited to provide a personal, hands-on learning experience.
Only registered participants may attend instructional portions of the class.
All activities are conducted in accordance with applicable federal, New York State, and distillery regulations.
Guests are responsible for their own transportation. Safe travel arrangements are strongly encouraged.
Travel & Accommodations
Participants are responsible for their lodging, though we're happy to recommend nearby hotels, inns, and local accommodations in the beautiful Skaneateles area.
Reserve Your Seat
This is a limited offering and part of a special collaboration with Last Shot Distillery. Class size is intentionally kept small to maximize hands-on instruction, and we expect this experience to fill quickly.
Join us for a weekend of authentic whiskey making, rich American distilling history, and an unforgettable hands-on experience.
Come learn the tradition.
Come experience the process.
Come make bourbon and American whiskey with us.
Must Be 21 Years of Age to Attend
Pennsylvania Whiskey Workshop June 13th & 14th Lititz PA
A Two-Day Hands-On Distilling Experience
Presented by: Stoll & Wolfe Distillery & Amanda Bryant Distilling
Do You want to learn to Distill? Love Moonshine, Whiskey, History & Sceince?
This is an intentionally small, experience-driven class designed to feel personal, engaging, and deeply informative. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or refining your craft, this weekend is built to meet you where you are. You're going to get Amanda as an Instructor both days, Plus Master Distiller Erik Wolfe!
A Weekend Built Around Craft, History & Community
This course goes over fermentation and distillation as both tradition and craft, with a special focus on the legacy of Rye whiskey, America’s original whiskey style.
We’ll look at where these processes come from, how they’ve evolved, and how modern distillers balance heritage with innovation.
More than anything, this weekend is about:
Learning by doing
Asking questions freely
Sharing knowledge and stories
Connecting with people who genuinely love the craft
Experience Details
📍 Stoll & Wolfe Distillery, Lititz, Pennsylvania
📅 Two-Day Immersive Course
👩🏫 Instruction led by Amanda Bryant, with collaboration from the Stoll & Wolfe team
🍽️ Lunch provided both days + Sunday evening gathering
Day One: Mash, Fermentation & the Foundation of Rye
Saturday, June 13th | 10:00 AM Start
We begin in the distillery tasting room with introductions and a relaxed icebreaker before diving into the foundation of whiskey: the mash.
You’ll receive a detailed course handbook and begin building your understanding from the ground up.
Topics & Hands-On Work Include:
What defines rye whiskey (and how it differs from other spirits)
Mash bill development and grain selection
Cooking a rye mash from start to finish
Temperature control, timing, and technique
Understanding gravity and fermentable sugar balance
Enzymes, conversion, and saccharification (without unnecessary jargon)
Yeast selection, propagation, and fermentation strategy
Creating an ideal fermentation environment
Troubleshooting common fermentation issues
We’ll also weave in the history of Pennsylvania rye, from colonial distilling through Prohibition and into modern craft production.
Lunch provided midday
We continue through the afternoon with deeper fermentation work and discussion.
5:00 PM: Wrap-Up & Open Discussion
Day Two: Distillation & Spirit Development
Sunday, June 14th | 8:00 AM Start
Day two brings you behind the scenes inside Stoll & Wolfe Distillery for a full distillation experience.
We’ll move from fermented mash to finished spirit, walking through every stage of the run together.
Topics & Demonstrations Include:
Distillery safety and best practices
Equipment design and function
Straining and preparing mash for distillation
Heat sources and managing a run
Understanding vapor path and reflux
As the still comes to life, we dive deeper into the craft:
Making cuts: fore shots, heads, hearts, and tails
Nosing, tasting, and sensory development
Blending and shaping a final spirit
Proofing and tempering
Barreling and finishing techniques
Reading a bead and understanding alcohol structure
You’ll experience the full run, from first heat through the tails, with time for questions, observation, and hands-on involvement.
Lunch provided during the run
Closing Experience
We finish the day with a private tasting session featuring a range of Stoll & Wolfe whiskeys and mash bills, connecting everything you’ve learned back to flavor and finished product.
The evening wraps with a relaxed, private gathering in the tasting room, food, conversation, and a chance to share stories and insights with the group.
What’s Included
Two full days of hands-on instruction
Lunch both days
Private tasting experience at Stoll & Wolfe Distillery
Printed course handbook
Certificate of Completion
Take-home spirit sample (where permitted)
Continued access to guidance and consulting after the class
Invitation to our growing distilling community
Important Notes
Class size is intentionally limited to maintain a high-quality, personal experience
Only registered participants may attend instructional portions
All activities are conducted in accordance with federal and Pennsylvania regulations
Guests are responsible for their own transportation; safe travel arrangements are strongly encouraged
Travel & Accommodations
Participants are responsible for lodging, but we’re happy to recommend nearby accommodations.
Reserve Your Seat
This is a limited offering and part of a special collaboration; we expect it to fill quickly.
Join us for a weekend of real distilling, real history, and a deeper connection to the craft.
Come learn the tradition.
Come experience the process.
Come make rye whiskey with us.
Must Be 21 Years of Age To Attend
We believe better whiskey is made one distiller at a time.
Our goal is simple: To document, share, practice, and carry on the craft of distilling. To make it accessible to anyone who feels the same passion for it that we do. To keep the craft alive, sharing it with those who love it is the best gift of all.
Follow along on social
For centuries, alcohol was currency, medicine, morale, and survival. Knowing its proof wasn’t a novelty, it was necessity.
There’s an old look a distiller gets in his eye when he watches liquor roll off a still. Somewhere between science and superstition. Somewhere between chemistry and gambling debt. The kind of look that says, I’ve seen enough runs to know whether this liquor’s worth a damn before anybody ever sticks a hydrometer in it.
Proof.
Funny word when you stop and think about it. Proof of what? Proof that what’s in the vessel is worth what you say it is. Proof that the spirit hasn’t been watered down by some slick bastard trying to stretch his profits. Proof that the person handing it to you isn’t full of it.