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10.17.22
Experimental Whiskey Library Expansion
As the summer fades into fall, we’re welcoming a change of pace with back-to-school events, football, and fall parties. With…
ISC Barrels
09.29.22
An ISC Visit to Limestone Branch Distillery
Chad Spalding recently stopped by Limestone Branch Distillery, which is located right down the road from our Kentucky Cooperage in…
Chad Spalding
09.15.22
Bourbon Filled Tailgate Appetizers
As the summer fades into fall, we’re welcoming a change of pace with back-to-school events, football, and fall parties. With…
ISC Barrels
08.23.22
The Effects of Climate Change on White Oak
The changing climate presents foresters and land managers with a variety of new challenges. The good news? With proper forest…
Dominic Stelzer
08.12.22
Sensory Evaluation for Aging Spirits
Sensory evaluation is one of the best parts of my job. It is as enjoyable as it is interesting and…
Andrew Wiehebrink
07.14.22
A Visit to Lux Row Distillery
A Visit to Lux Row Distillerswith Chad Spalding, ISC barrels Account ManagerIt’s always a pleasure to visit customers at their…
Chad Spalding
07.01.22
Extractive Concentration Changes During Maturation
Extractive Concentration Changes During MaturationBy Andrew WiehebrinkOur last post about aging whiskey on different levels of a warehouse sparked some…
Andrew Wiehebrink
05.18.22
Getting to Know the Irish Whiskey Market
It’s no secret – the Irish Whiskey market is booming. It is being fueled by new customers in emerging markets…
Mark Quick
05.06.22
Warehouse Experiment
Whiskey barrel warehouses come in a variety of different styles and configurations. Palletized, dunnage, traditional rick, and all kinds of…
Andrew Wiehebrink
04.05.22
Single Malt Whisky Collection
Peat is one of the more interesting ingredients in the whiskey making process. The use of peat goes back centuries…
Andrew Wiehebrink
03.17.22
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Our company was founded in 1912 and we have been fortunate to have had access to a steady supply of…
ISC Barrels
03.10.22
Bacon, Bourbon, and Pecan Brownies
Nothing says comfort food like a warm, gooey brownie. Add in bacon, bourbon, and pecans and you’ve elevated the traditional…
ISC Barrels
02.24.22
Peat Smoked Barrels
Peat is one of the more interesting ingredients in the whiskey making process. The use of peat goes back centuries…
Andrew Wiehebrink
01.20.22
Smoked Barrels
Two years ago, we began developing a new type of barrel to join our Small Batch Series called the Smoked…
ISC Barrels
12.14.21
Tis’ the Season for Eggnog
While by no means do I consider myself an eggnog connoisseur, or even an eggnog enthusiast, I’m going to give…
Chad Spalding
11.16.21
How to Add More Bourbon to the Thanksgiving Menu
If you’ve ever wondered how to add more bourbon into your Thanksgiving dishes, you’re in good company. We scoured the…
ISC Barrels
11.09.21
Finishing Tasting Kit
Here is the the fourth video in our Tasting Kit Series. This video features Chad Spalding and Andrew Wiehebrink discussing…
ISC Barrels
10.26.21
Char Level and Double Barreling
As coopers, we are often asked about the different char levels. Mainly, “Why are the higher char levels – Char…
ISC Barrels
10.12.21
Char Level Tasting Kit
Today we bring you the third video in our Tasting Kit Series. This video features Chad Spalding and Andrew Wiehebrink…
ISC Barrels
09.28.21
Benefits and Techniques of Oak Alternative Finishing
ISC Barrels’ sister company, Oak Solutions Group (OSG), and customer Left Bank Distilled Spirits gave a dual presentation on how…
Amy LaHue
09.21.21
American Single Malt Tasting Kit
Today we bring you the second video in our Tasting Kit Series. This video features Chad Spalding and Andrew Wiehebrink…
ISC Barrels
08.24.21
Australian Whisky – A Growing Industry
Australia has been producing whisky since the 1820’s, but the growth of craft distilleries didn’t begin until recently. Prior to…
ISC Barrels
08.10.21
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
The secret is in the sauce. Well, at least it is for The Smokin’ Barrel Boys BBQ team, made up…
ISC Barrels
07.20.21
An Experiment in Barrel Size
Guest Post by Nathen Gabriel, Balcones Distilling. In 2009, Balcones Distilling released the first Texas whisky since Prohibition. With no…
ISC Barrels
06.08.21
Guest Post: Industry Trends – Tour Experiences
We are excited to bring you a guest post on current industry trends from Bardstown Bourbon. Stay tuned – we…
ISC Barrels
05.27.21
Tours Now Open at Kentucky Cooperage
When Pat Daugherty was hired as our new Kentucky Cooperage Tour Guide in early 2020, the last thing he expected…
ISC Barrels
05.18.21
Small Batch Tasting Kit
Small Batch Tasting Kitswith Chad Spalding and Andrew WeihebrinkToday we are bringing you a brand new series featuring our ISC…
ISC Barrels
04.21.21
French Made Barrels
ISC Barrels is well known for our traditional spirit barrel, but we offer a multi-dimensional portfolio of products with the…
ISC Barrels
03.25.21
Master Craftsman Program
At our Kentucky and Missouri cooperages, most production employees specialize in one aspect of the barrel making process such as…
ISC Barrels
03.04.21
Missouri Woodland Steward Program
Supporting Missouri Woodland Owner EducationMissouri Woodland Steward is a natural resource education program through the University of Missouri College of…
ISC Barrels
02.22.21
Second Annual James B. Beam Institute Conference
It has been a long year, but here we are preparing for the second annual James B. Beam Institute Industry…
Andrew Wiehebrink
02.10.21
Tasting Kit Unboxing
ISC Barrels has recently developed a customizable tasting kit to help our current and future customers easily fine-tune their barrel…
Chad Spalding
01.21.21
Chocolate Caramel Bourbon Macarons
A light French cookie with a rich, decadent filling, this Chocolate Caramel Bourbon Macaron recipe is worth the effort. Macarons…
ISC Barrels
01.05.21
Spirits Selection Belgium
2020 Spirits Selection – An International Spirits CompetitionAt our blog, most content is focused on barrels to age bourbon and…
ISC Barrels
12.16.20
Supporting Safety through the Volunteer Firefighter Initiative
Our Volunteer Firefighter Initiative was launched in September with the mission to support fire departments who rely on volunteer firefighters…
ISC Barrels
12.04.20
Q&A with Angel’s Envy
ISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding recently caught up with the Distillery Manager at Angel’s Envy, Kyle Henderson.…
ISC Barrels
11.12.20
Q&A with High West Distillery
ISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding recently visited Isaac Winter, the Blending and Distilling Manager at High West Distillery.…
ISC Barrels
10.15.20
A {Virtual} Chat with Max Hames of Sagamore Spirit
Back in June, ISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding had to the chance to (virtually) catch up with the Sagamore…
ISC Barrels
09.22.20
Bourbon Marshmallows
Ooey gooey goodness with a healthy measure of bourbon, that’s what these marshmallows are. This recipe comes from our colleague…
ISC Barrels
08.31.20
A {Virtual} Chat with Murphy Quint of Cedar Ridge Distillery
ISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding recently (virtually) caught up with the Director of Operations at Cedar Ridge Distillery, Murphy…
ISC Barrels
08.25.20
Promoting the Long-term Sustainability of White Oak with the White Oak Initiative
Sustainability is always top of mind at ISC Barrels. Continuity of log supply is essential to ensuring we can make…
ISC Barrels
07.28.20
Bourbon Apple-Pear Turnovers
We’re excited to bring you a new series of posts with bourbon inspired recipes created and tested by our talented…
ISC Barrels
07.14.20
An Interview with WhistlePig Whiskey
ISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding recently (virtually) caught up with the Master Blender at WhistlePig, Pete Lynch. Listen to…
ISC Barrels
06.30.20
An Interview with Rob Arnold of TX Whiskey
An Interview with Rob Arnold of TX WhiskeyISC Barrels Account Manager Chad Spalding recently (virtually) caught up with the Master…
ISC Barrels
06.03.20
A Tour of the ISC Research Center
Join Andrew Wiehebrink, Director of Spirits Research and Innovation, on a video tour of our ISC Research Center in Lebanon,…
ISC Barrels
05.05.20
Bespoke Used Barrels
We all like to be different, to stand out amongst the crowd and be noticed. This sentiment holds true for…
Noah Steingraeber
04.09.20
A Peek at Our ACSA Presentation on Blending
If you read the recent blog post about the Small Batch Toasted Barrels, you knew I was scheduled to conduct…
ISC Barrels
03.12.20
Forest Management
Besides the differences in what an oak species can impart to the spirit in flavor, there are vast differences in…
ISC Barrels
03.03.20
Crafting Mash Tun Fermentation Barrels for George Washington’s Distillery at Mount Vernon
Crafting Mash Tun Fermentation Barrels for George Washington’s Distillery at Mount VernonThe rich history of bourbon is part of what…
ISC Barrels
02.10.20
Q&A with Four Roses Master Distiller
A few months ago Chad visited Four Roses and had the chance to chat with Brent Elliott, Master Distiller. Brent…
ISC Barrels
12.16.19
Introducing Our Small Batch Toasted Barrels
In 2019, ISC Barrels officially rolled out four toasted barrels in our Small Batch Series. Named after the characteristics they…
ISC Barrels
12.05.19
Q&A with Six Mile Creek
Chad recently traveled to Pleasureville, KY to sit down with Ken Pierce, Master Distiller at Six Mile Creek Distillery for…
ISC Barrels
11.21.19
Q&A with Still 630
While in Missouri recently Chad had the opportunity to visit Dave Weglarz at Still 630 in St. Louis. During his…
ISC Barrels
11.11.19
New Kentucky Cooperage Visitor Center
New Visitor Center Now Open at Kentucky Cooperage We have been hard at work the past few months improving our…
ISC Barrels
11.01.19
Q&A with O.Z. Tyler Distillery
Chad Spalding, ISC Barrels Account Manager, sits down for another Q&A with a Master Distiller. This time he visited Jacob…
ISC Barrels
10.11.19
Q&A with Wood Hat Spirits
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently visited Missouri and talked with Wood Hat Spirits’ Master Distiller Gary Hinegardner.…
ISC Barrels
09.23.19
Wave Stave Experiment Results
A little over four years ago, we began to experiment with a barrel now known as our Wave Stave barrel;…
Andrew Wiehebrink
08.15.19
Using Oak Alternatives in Spirits
When used in conjunction with barrel aging, oak alternatives are a natural way to use 100% oak to access a…
ISC Barrels
07.01.19
Bourbon Barrel Aged Wines
Most of you who follow the ISC Barrels blog post are familiar with the use of new charred oak barrels…
ISC Barrels
05.28.19
Acreage Purchased in Northern Tennessee
Independent Stave Company (parent company of ISC Barrels) recently purchased 3,000 acres of land in northern Tennessee. The land will…
ISC Barrels
05.02.19
Q&A with Preservation Distillery
Account Manager Chad Spalding interviews Head Distiller Matthew Jackson from Preservation Distillery [VIDEO]…
ISC Barrels
03.05.19
Product Profile: Small Batch Spiral Cut Barrel
After charring, we follow a proprietary process to cut spirals throughout the inside of the barrel, significantly increasing the surface…
ISC Barrels
02.12.19
Introducing the High Proof Series from Oak Solutions Group
The spirits industry is on fire. Large distilleries are expanding, the craft spirits industry continues to grow at a rapid…
Amy LaHue
02.08.19
Bourbon Pursuit Podcast Episode
In October Independent Stave Company CEO Brad Boswell sat down at Kentucky Cooperage with the guys of Bourbon Pursuit Podcast…
ISC Barrels
01.22.19
2018 Kentucky Cooperage Tour Stats
At Kentucky Cooperage we enjoy showing people how we craft barrels for the World’s Finest Spirits. Thank you to all…
ISC Barrels
12.18.18
From Forest to Barrel: Toasting
All ISC barrels that require a toast profile to be applied before charring are crafted at our Missouri Cooperage located…
ISC Barrels
12.07.18
Studying Maturation Dynamics with our Environmental Chamber
At Kentucky Research Center, most of our efforts are geared towards sensory analysis, customer product development and flavor discovery. However,…
ISC Barrels
11.28.18
International Spirit Spotlight: Rhum
Up next in our International Spirits category, we are excited to bring you a post on Rhum. If you missed…
ISC Barrels
10.01.18
2018 Kentucky Bourbon Festival
The Independent Stave Company team had a great time at the 2018 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Friday night we hosted our…
ISC Barrels
09.25.18
Q&A with Chattanooga Whiskey
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently visited Tennessee and talked with Grant McCracken, Chattanooga Whiskey Master Distiller.…
ISC Barrels
09.07.18
From Forest to Barrel: Barrel Assembly
As barrels exit the steam tunnel they move to the “windlass” where the top of the raised barrel is squeezed…
ISC Barrels
08.29.18
Partnering with American Forests
Independent Stave Company and American Forests have launched a one of-its-kind Oak Restoration Fund to invest in key projects that…
ISC Barrels
06.25.18
Getting an Age-ucation at Moonshine U
Earlier this summer, we successfully completed our inaugural maturation class at Moonshine University. The new class, entitled “Age-ucation” was a…
Andrew Wiehebrink
06.25.18
Q&A Prichard’s Distillery
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently visited Kelso, Tennessee and talked with Phil Prichard, Prichard’s Distillery Master Distiller.…
ISC Barrels
06.13.18
Product Profile: Finishing Products
Whether you’re barrel aging and looking for another oak component or working with a spirit that needs a different oak…
ISC Barrels
05.31.18
Barrels + Beer
I am always surprised how many people are unaware of the role that oak barrels play in the craft beer…
ISC Barrels
05.03.18
From Forest to Barrel: Stave Finishing
This is the fourth blog post in our series, “From Forest to Barrel”. Catch up by reading the last post.…
ISC Barrels
04.26.18
Q&A Woodinville Whiskey
Q&A: Woodinville Whiskey Co-Owner & Head Distiller Brett CarlileISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently visited Woodinville, Washington and talked…
ISC Barrels
04.16.18
The Role of Oxygenation in Barrel Aged Spirits Part II
In Oxygenation Part I, we discussed different variables that influence the rate of oxygenation during the maturation period. In this…
ISC Barrels
03.15.18
ISC Barrels Attends 2018 American Craft Spirits Association Convention
From March 4-6 our ISC Barrels team visited the city of Pittsburgh for the fifth annual American Craft Spirits Association…
ISC Barrels
02.28.18
International Spirit Spotlight: Tequila
At ISC Barrels we are proud to have our casks in distilleries around the world. While many barrels reside in…
ISC Barrels
02.07.18
Product Profile: Small Batch Wave Stave Barrel
Offered in limited quantities, our Small Batch barrels combine innovation and technology to bring out the best in your spirits.…
ISC Barrels
01.30.18
Oxygenation Part 1
Flavor development in barrel aged spirits is a complex process. As coopers, our focus is on oak extractives and their…
ISC Barrels
12.21.17
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from ISC Barrels
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our team!…
ISC Barrels
11.28.17
Product Profile: Cooper’s Reserve Barrel
Our Cooper’s Reserve barrel brings creativity to the forefront, allowing distillers to create a fully customized barrel tailored to their…
ISC Barrels
11.16.17
Q&A: Wilderness Trail Distillery
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently sat down with the Wilderness Trail Distillery Owners Shane Baker and Pat Heist.…
ISC Barrels
11.07.17
From Forest to Barrel: Stave Mill
At our six domestic company-owned stave mills, employees take the high-quality white oak logs and process them into rough staves…
ISC Barrels
10.24.17
Sensory Panel Introduction
Sensory analysis is a critical aspect of research and development at ISC. Each year we lay down new experimental barrels…
ISC Barrels
10.10.17
Product Profile: Classic Barrel
Our Classic barrel has been around for decades, earning it a reputation as the go-to barrel for distillers around the…
ISC Barrels
09.19.17
2017 Kentucky Bourbon Festival World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relays
ISC Barrels is proud to sponsor and judge the long tradition of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival World Championship Bourbon Barrel…
ISC Barrels
09.13.17
Missouri Forest Products Association’s Logging School
At ISC, we take sustainability and growth of our white oak resource seriously. We support the Missouri Forest Products Association…
ISC Barrels
09.06.17
Q&A with Bardstown Bourbon Company Master Distiller Steve Nally
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently sat down with the Master Distiller at Bardstown Bourbon Company, Steve Nally.…
ISC Barrels
08.24.17
From Forest to Barrel: The Log Yard
After logs are harvested in the forest, loggers transport their loads to one of our 11 domestic log yards for…
ISC Barrels
08.07.17
Product Profile: Cooper’s Select
Product Profile: Cooper’s SelectOur Cooper’s Select barrel was developed to allow distillers the opportunity to explore additional flavor characteristics for…
ISC Barrels
07.20.17
From Forest to Barrel: Harvesting
Before an ISC Barrel is even a twinkle in our coopers’ eyes, the process of sourcing the best American white…
ISC Barrels
06.27.17
ISC Team from Around the World Visits New Research Center
In mid-April, ISC team members from around the world convened at our new Research Center located in Lebanon, Kentucky. Attendees…
ISC Barrels
06.07.17
Q&A: Limestone Branch Distillery Co-Founder and Distiller Steve Beam
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently sat down with the Co-founder and Distiller of Limestone Branch Distillery, Steve Beam.…
ISC Barrels
05.25.17
Barrel Profiling – Part II
In Barrel Profiling – Part 1, we touched on a few topics relating to the heat treatment of oak barrels.…
Andrew Wiehebrink
04.12.17
Barrel Profiling – Part I
Historically, the benefits of aging spirits in charred barrels was discovered by accident. Intense heat was used in both barrel…
ISC Barrels
03.30.17
Oak Species for Cooperage
Oak is an excellent choice for crafting spirits barrels. Why? It contributes a wide variety of desirable flavors, it is…
ISC Barrels
03.07.17
Q&A: Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Greg Davis
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently sat down with the Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark, Greg Davis.…
ISC Barrels
02.28.17
Quality Assurance
In every facet of our craft, coopering high-quality oak barrels is the ultimate goal. Quality assurance starts in the log…
ISC Barrels
02.03.17
Q&A: Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell
ISC Barrel Account Manager, Chad Spalding, recently sat down with one of Wild Turkey’s Master Distillers – Eddie Russell.…
ISC Barrels
01.18.17
A Formula for Maturation – by Andrew W.
The thing about crafting good whiskey is it takes a long time – years aging in oak barrels – before…
ISC Barrels
01.04.17
Q&A: Michter’s Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann
A few weeks ago, ISC Barrel Account Manager Chad Spalding had the opportunity to sit down and have a chat…
ISC Barrels
12.13.16
Brad Boswell Interviewed on The Bourbon Show Podcast
On December 1, The Bourbon Show podcast aired an episode with an interview from our very own Brad Boswell.…
ISC Barrels
11.29.16
Construction Begins on ISC Research Center
Independent Stave Company (ISC) is pleased to announce the construction of a research center dedicated to oak innovation and experimentation…
ISC Barrels
10.31.16
Benton Wood Products to Open in Western Kentucky
In September, 20 employees, local and state officials, loggers, community members, and media representatives gathered at the site of the…
ISC Barrels
09.28.16
Rooted in Family and Tradition
As a fourth generation family cooperage company, our roots run deep. For over 100 years ISC has grown by focusing…
ISC Barrels
09.19.16
Crafting Bourbon Barrels – Video
ISC is proud to craft premium bourbon barrels to age America’s Great Spirit. Learn how our barrels are made in…