Welcome back, Alright guys today we are chatting with Brandon over at Olde Raleigh. They are doing some amazing things, they are based in North Carolina.

Badmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3

https://www.instagram.com/zsmithwhiskeyandmixology?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Patreon.com/the_whiskeyshaman

OUR STORY

The Dedication Of A Blender's Dream

In January 2017, Olde Raleigh Distillery was established in Zebulon, N.C. Though at the time, the hope was to open within three to four months, Master Blender Brandon McCraney officially opened the doors four years later, in January 2021. Doing so required McCraney to overcome county change orders, a 401k liquidation and 12 lender rejections.

McCraney credits his perseverance to his military background. This, along with strong local support, helped Olde Raleigh succeed in building a business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within its first operating year, Olde Raleigh Distillery grew from a bar and tasting room, having not yet produced a batch, to a true gathering space, eventually holding celebrations for the five batches it rolled out later that year. Olde Raleigh Distillery is proud to be a part of the charge to revitalize Zebulon, NC.

About Olde Raleigh Distillery

Olde Raleigh Distillery is on a mission to simply make unforgettable and damn good whiskey. With a laser focus on the art of blending and distilling spirits, our attention to detail is noticeable in every drop of our small batch bourbon blends.

Find us located in downtown Zebulon, NC, in an abandoned 10,000-square-foot brick building that we hand crafted with the same passion we do our whiskey. Our venue is a family-owned and operated distillery, tasting room and popular event space in The Triangle. We want to share our passion with you. Visit us today to taste our unique blend or book a tour to explore the art of making whiskey.

Meet The Man Behind The Bourbon

OUR DISTILLER & MASTER BLENDER

Brandon McCraney has spent years immersing himself in the spirits industry to dissect the world of whiskey. As Blender, he hand-selects and ages each barrel using a vigorous process known as élevage to identify the perfect point in the time to harvest our distinct and flavorful small batch spirits. When not working on production or sampling barrels, he leads Olde Raleigh’s workshops and Whiskey Master Classes. In the pursuit in mastering the art of blending whiskey, follow Olde Raleigh’s journey as we release blended whiskies from around the world.

Brandon’s role extends beyond the distillery’s walls, fostering partnerships with local farmers and introducing heirloom grains in the heart of Old Tobacco country. As a Raleigh resident, he aims to build a meaningful brand that gives back to the community he loves. The goal is to showcase the positive environmental and economic impacts distilleries contribute from farm to glass.

This desire to have a broad impact stemmed from his experience as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, where he proudly served for four years. Brandon’s education includes a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and Master’s Degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Harvard University. He is a certified Executive Bourbon Steward, Whiskey Sommelier, teaches at the Whiskey Marketing School and has industry affiliations with Moonshine University, the American Distilling Institute and the U.K.’s Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

As the sole owner and operator, Brandon has his sights set on making his family name one to be reckoned with in the craft whiskey world.

This is a strange one. i hope its acceptable. Not much else to say i think i said it all.

Badmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3

https://www.instagram.com/zsmithwhiskeyandmixology?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

More than 2.1 million barrels of Bourbon flowed through Kentucky distilleries last year, accounting for 95 percent of the world’s production.

Keeping the world awash in Bourbon requires more than just the best quality grains and pure limestone water. The mechanics of distilling require tons of piping, heating, cooling, and other equipment to get the classic taste.

And the reality of machinery is that things break and result in facility issues that impact production, quality, and flavor.

It’s important to understand where mechanical issues in distilleries can happen and when to call for repairs. Let’s look at the most common problems that can happen to your pipes, ventilation, and plumbing.

Pipes serve as the arteries of the enterprise, moving mash from the cooker to the fermentor and spirits from the tank to the cask. They twist, bend, and join in a lot of places along the path making them vulnerable to springing leaks.

Age, corrosion, and pressure strain your pipes and can lead to leaks over time. Inspecting your pipes should be a daily habit to catch distillery issues before they become big problems.

Don’t think you’ve dodged this bullet because you’ve gone with copper piping rather than stainless steel or galvanized. Copper can still corrode and leak at the seams, despite its superiority in other ways.

A clog in the piping can show up in a couple of different ways, the most common being that you notice a decreased flow rate between elements of the system. But an increase in pressure in the still can also mean a blockage down the line. Adding glass balls to your column helps to increase surface area, but it can unintentionally result in over-pressurization of the still if you’re careful.

The heart of a distillery is its boiler. A reliable boiler should give you consistent heat and steam pressure quickly and on-demand.

Most modern boilers require little maintenance beyond blowing down at the end of the day to clear sediment that collects at the bottom. Not taking this simple step can result in facility issues that damage your drains and plumbing.

Beyond that, your regular distillery maintenance checks should include looking for any holes in the drums or clogging of the condensate line. Boiler accessories like copper coils for potable hot water should also be checked regularly for holes or clogs.

If your boiler starts getting noisy or inconsistent, it’s time for a thorough checkup to make sure you don’t need a new boiler.

When you’re making a grain-based beverage like whiskey or vodka, there’s going to be a lot of grain dust in the air, which is highly explosive. Moving all that out requires good ventilation and air filtration with a backup manual system in case something breaks.

The ventilation needs to extend to the fermentation room and cask storage as well. Fermenting releases carbon dioxide while alcohol vapors come off the still and casks. Both create an unhealthy breathing environment for your workers.

Like the HVAC in a home, you should check your system to replace air filters and ensure the parts are clean and humming along nicely. You can do this sort of maintenance yourself monthly and have a professional check the system annually.

Humidity control allows for consistency and conformity in your product. The many temperature changes in the distillation process result in a lot of humidity. If you’ve noticed trouble maintaining the proper moisture levels, check for a clog in the line moving condensation out of the building or a dirty filter.