Founder Q&A: Shadow Ridge Spirits Company
Read about Shadow Ridge Spirits Company and a bit about how they came to be according to their cofounder Sean Hallman.
What is your role at Shadow Ridge Spirits Company, or what does your day-to-day look like?
I am the owner, distiller, and wear many other hats. I would consider our company Ultra-Small Batch and Boutique. My wife and I mash, ferment, distill, bottle, label, etc. to get our products ready for market. I also handle all the back-end operations of ordering supplies, accounting, marketing, and whatever else comes up. There are never two days that are the same, we kind of play it by ear and tackle whatever needs to get done. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and try to keep it fun.
Tell us something that might surprise people about Shadow Ridge Spirits Company products.
Shadow Ridge Spirits is just myself and my wife. We both work full-time, distilling and producing is a labor of love we do in our free time. We juggle our careers, running the business, and making time to relax together.
Something else that might be a surprise is that most of my whiskey recipes were created from the recipes I loved making as a home brewer. I love using Munich, Vienne, and Crystal Malt Barley in our whiskies. Also, we don’t use distillers’ yeast. We use ale yeast in all our spirits. I love the flavors that develop in whiskey from Belgium yeast. We use Kveik Ale yeast in our rums, and California ale to make a super clean 100% wheat distillate for our gins.
What’s your go-to, or current favorite, cocktail recipe at home?
I leave all the fantastic cocktails to the group of mixologists Crafted Pour has assembled. At home, I keep it simple. I love a good Bourbon Smash. My basic Bourbon smash is of course Bourbon, muddled lemon, mint, simple syrup and ice. Similar to a minty Whiskey Sour, or a lemony Mint Julep. I like to experiment with different bourbons, sweeteners, herbs, and fruits. I really enjoyed swapping out the lemon for black berries. Or substituting rosemary or sage for the mint.
Share your personal favorite recent ways to use Shadow Ridge Spirits Company products?
I really enjoy using our 1893 Navy Strength Rum in cocktails. I enjoy whiskey neat, but rum and gin in spirit-forward cocktails. Our Navy Strength rum in a minimum 114 proof distilled from a piloncillo sugar and molasses wash, then barrel aged in ex-bourbon barrels. I found it to be a great way to mix up your regular Old Fashion. Sometimes I feel that Old Fashions have become the cliche bourbon cocktail, so I either like to enjoy a different bourbon cocktail (a Bourbon Smash) or I change out the spirits in an Old Fashion. Drinking an Old Fashion with an Overproof rum has become my favorite way to use one of our products.
Most memorable cocktail bar - can be anywhere in the world!
Club 33 Disneyland, CA. A once in a lifetime experience and I am very grateful for the invitation [from Crafted Pour]. Unfortunately, I was on antibiotics, but I did get a chance to taste a few drinks. Absolutely incredible!
About Shadow Ridge Spirits Company:
“Shadow Ridge Spirits Company is a small, veteran-owned company consisting of my wife and myself. This is a part-time venture for us. I am a former Navy Surface Warfare Officer and currently work as a Federal Civilian Employee for the Department of Navy. My wife teaches high school. We spend most weekends at the distillery. We’re a great team and love distilling together.
Shadow Ridge Spirits Company specializes in premium small-batch, hand-crafted spirits. Our whiskies are 100 percent grain to glass and are aged in American White Oak barrels. We currently offer Bourbon, Rye, Peated Single Malt, and an American Single Malt. All of our whiskies feature unique grain bills that include specialty grains and malted barley. They are aged in charred oak barrels, which enhance the grain flavors and helps to develop vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon flavors. We primarily use 5 gallon, 10 gallon, and 15 gallons barrels.
Additionally, we offer both barrel-aged and silver rums which highlight the flavors and sweetness of high-grade sugars and molasses. We are in the R&D phase for Shadow Ridge Spirits Gin, which will provide a clean base-alcohol, allowing the hand-selected botanicals to shine.
Small-batch distilling enables us to have fun and experiment with new recipes to highlight the various grain and yeast flavor profiles, adding another layer of complexity to our whiskies. As a result, I believe Shadow Ridge Spirits Company is able to provide the unique flavors to craft spirit customers who are seeking something different from the big brands. Besides, it’s more challenging to come up with something on our own rather than replicate another company’s product. Our products are available in 375ml bottles at the Oceanside Distillers tasting room, liquor stores, and bars.”
Learn more about Shadow Ridge Spirits Company:
Content Copyright Crafted Pour 2023
