Overview

Over the past decade, the craft distilling movement has exploded to include over 1800 small-batch distillers in the United States, some 250 in the UK, and nearly 200 in Canada. Yet despite this apparent growth, craft distilling has not managed to take a commanding piece of the beverage alcohol market share. Successfully making beverage alcohol takes more than passion. It demands a solid working knowledge of the science that underpins raw material selection, water chemistry adjustments, yeast microbiology, the fermentation cycle, the physics of fractional distillation, and the ageing reactions that occur in an oak cask. Once a craft beverage alcohol has been created, it must successfully be marketed. The subtle strategic nuances of the marketing process are almost as complex as the science of making the alcohol itself. This 5th edition of Field to Flask represents the culmination of the author's years of practical brewing and distilling experience combined with his considerable educational knowledge. This book is designed both for entrepreneurs contemplating the launch of a craft distilling business and for craft distillers to get better at what they do. As you turn the pages of this book, you will be taken on a journey that briefly looks at the history of alcohol and then goes on to deeply examine the science of raw materials, water, yeast, fermentation, distillation, oak ageing, and proofing. You will also learn the legal definitions of various spirit types, the legislation that affects the industry, and about the different licenses required. You will gain a solid understanding of the equipment needed to make beverage alcohol and the science of marketing beverage alcohol products. The book wraps up with a series of recipes to jump start your product development . Whether you are an existing craft distiller looking to gain market share or an entrepreneur thinking about launching a craft distillery, this book is designed for you.

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9781989078549

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Reviews

For 30 years, Malcolm Bucholtz was a homebrewer and winemaker, and in 2013, he was bit by the craft distilling bug and decided to leave his job working for a mineral exploration company. Dissatisfied with the available materials for those entering craft distilling, Bucholtz wrote Field to Flask: Fundamentals of Small Batch Distilling to use in his 5-day distilling workshop which he has been instructing in Kelowna British Columbia since October 2014. In 22 chapters, Field to Flask is comprehensive in its scope as its name implies. Starting with a brief history of alcohol, Bucholtz covers regulatory requirements, marketing, and business plans, but the core of the book is focused on the science of converting agricultural products into distilled spirits. Here is where the book shines with detailed discussions on the yield of various raw materials as well as basic information on microbiology, yeast, fermentation, distilling, aging, and proofing spirit. Field to Flask aims to be the starting point for those with the passion to start distilling as a hobby or to start a licensed small-batch craft distillery. To that end, Bucholtz has done an excellent job. There are plenty of more detailed books on the history or marketing or individual styles of spirits, but it is no small feat that Bucholtz has condensed so much useful information into a book of this size. Overall, it is one of the best serious introductions to the science and business of craft distilling. - Eric Zandona, American Distilling Institute Field to Flask: Fundamentals of Small Batch Distilling is an arsenal of knowledge for anyone seeking to begin or perfect the art of distilling spirits. Whether you are a DIY enthusiast looking to try a new business endeavour during the pandemic or a wide-scale distiller with years of experience in the industry, there is something for everyone to learn in this book. Bucholtz is a B. Sc. and an MBA who has been crafting alcohol for over 30 years. In 2014, he went on to complete his General Certificate in Distilling from the Institute for Brewing and Distilling to fully pursue his passion for entrepreneurship and crafting quality spirits. This expertise shines through from cover to cover of this comprehensive guide, which Bucholtz distributes to budding and experienced distillers during his 5-day workshops that he conducts across the nation.It was through Bucholtz and this fantastic book that I was fully able to appreciate the value and intricacies of society's favourite intoxicant. I was most impressed by the extent of Bucholtz's research to explain the history of spirits as a whole and the history of each individual spirits including but not limited to whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. This penchant for scientific rigour is also applied to other facets of the distilling process such as the molecular, mechanical, physical, and biological nature of crafting spirits and various distilling techniques. The same scientific meticulousness is applied in later chapters that detail the local legalities regarding the distillation, sale, and distribution of liquor in each Canadian province and U.S. state, as well as the entrepreneurship skills and consumer psychology that goes into running a successful distillery. As I read this book, I could not help but think that a historian, a mechanic, a business person, a lawyer, and a microbiologist could all read this book and get the same amount of enjoyment out of it. - SaskBooks Review

Author Information

Malcolm Bucholtz, is a graduate of Queen's University Faculty of Engineering in Canada and Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. After graduating from Queen's University in 1986, he embarked on a career in the steel industry. With his first paycheque in hand he went to a local home brewing store where he bought Charlie Papazian's book, The Joy of Home Brewing, along with all the tools and toys needed for making beer at home. Although not realized at the time, this purchase would have lasting and profound implications. In 1999, Malcolm completed his MBA from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University. This opened the door to exciting opportunities over the next 15 years in the financial brokerage industry as well as the junior mining industry. During this time, Malcolm started making beer using the all-grain method, wine from fruit, and a delightful beverage called mead. In early 2014, Malcolm began yearning for new adventures. While contemplating the idea of returning to Heriot-Watt University to pursue a graduate degree in Brewing and Distilling Science, he happened upon the U.K.-based Institute for Brewing and Distilling (IBD) and enrolled to write their General Certificate Exam in Distilling. In late 2014, Malcolm began delivering 5-day Distilling workshops in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. In early 2020, he shifted his workshops to Calgary, Alberta. When not delivering workshops, Malcolm offers his consulting services to entrepreneurs seeking to launch small craft distilleries. Assistance in crafting business plans, marketing plans, assistance with recipe development, and operational start-ups are just a part of what he offers. In 2017, Malcolm finally took the plunge and enrolled in the Heriot-Watt's M.Sc. Brewing and Distilling graduate program. In 2020, Malcolm was granted his M.Sc. degree from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. You can find Malcolm at his website, www.ProhibitionUniversity.com and on Facebook at his Prohibition University page. You can also join his Linked In Discussion Group appropriately called the Craft Distilling Discussion Group.

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