When Beer Met Whiskey

Though the book tour has been utter madness, I've still been able to eke out a few minutes here and there to pen stories such as this doozy in the latest Imbibe. At its core, whiskey is basically unhopped beer (dubbed wash) that's been distilled, then aged in oak barrels. By and large, most distilleries don't give a darn about creating a flavorful wash. Instead, they're most concerned with creating the largest measure of fermentable liquids. But lately, distillers have been thinking a lot like brewers, creating imperial stouts that are distilled down, or even dosing white dog with Centennial hops. It's a tasty development, one that's blurring the lines between distilleries and breweries—some of which double as distilleries. Check out my story in the magazine this month. Any thoughts? I'm curious to hear what you think about this burgeoning new genre.