Farm to Table: A Flavorful Journey
"Farm to table" is a concept that has become increasingly popular in the restaurant industry over the years. It emphasizes using fresh, seasonal ingredients and often reduces the distance food travels from its place of growth to the dining table. If you’ve dined at a farm-to-table restaurant, you’ve likely enjoyed the natural flavors of the ingredients, resulting in more flavorful meals.
Recently, I had the opportunity to experience a unique twist on this concept—let’s call it "farm to barrel or from grain to glass" Gary Hinegardner of Wood Hat Spirits and Russ Broker of Blacksmith Distillery have created an unparalleled experience. Officially named the UMake Barrel Program, this experience immerses participants in every aspect of the distilling process, embodying the farm-to-barrel philosophy.
The UMake Barrel Program: A Unique Experience
This two-day program begins with preparing the grain and mash for distillation. By the end of the first day, you’ll have the mash ready in the cooker. Similar to the trade secrets of popular cooking shows, when you arrive for day two, your mash will be ready for distillation. This is akin to prepping a 20-pound turkey, placing it in the oven, and then pulling out a fully cooked bird moments later to finish the show. Your knowledgeable instructors will guide you through the distillation process, allowing you to smell, feel, and taste the heads, hearts, and tails of the distillate. While you shouldn’t taste the heads, the other two are fair game. The experience culminates with you barreling your own 15-gallon distillate to take home.
A Transformative Learning Experience
Participating in this process was an incredible learning opportunity. Having been on many distillery tours, I can say this was entirely different. This intimate experience provided insights that a typical tour simply cannot offer. The smell and taste of the mash before cooking, witnessing the fire heating the mash, and patiently waiting for the mash to reach the ideal temperature was an unforgettable experience. Experiencing the distinct smells and textures of the three main parts of the distillate was fascinating. We even took home small bottles of each stage, which I now use to show guests how different each part of the distillation process can be.
Connecting to the Classroom
As a fifth-grade teacher, I recall a parent who was a chef wanting to create a curriculum to help students understand where their food comes from. Her goal was to create a farm-to-table experience for the students, culminating in a field trip to a farm where they built a meal together. Participating in the UMake Barrel program reminded me of that experience. I felt like a kid (of legal drinking age, of course), absorbing the knowledge of how the spirit I enjoy begins as a grain and ends up in a barrel.
Highly Recommended
I highly recommend this learning experience to anyone interested in understanding the process of making quality bourbon. Gary and Russ are approachable and incredibly knowledgeable, happily answering all your questions, no matter how trivial they may seem. If you’re interested or have questions, you can reach out to Russ Broker of Blacksmith at