For Redwood Empire Whiskey’s head distiller Lauren Patz, the secret to craft distilling is passion, palate and patience. Growing up in a winemaking family, she developed the palate and appreciation for good food and drink from a very early age.
After earning a dual degree in Classics and Japanese at Bates College, teaching English in Japan, and working at Tcho Chocolate’s factory, Lauren discovered her true calling when she joined Spirit Works, a small Sonoma County distillery, in 2013 as an apprentice distiller. Diving fully into learning her craft, she swiftly worked her way up to Head Distiller and managed all Spirit Works operations and product development for three years before joining Redwood Empire Whiskey in January 2021.
Lauren has judged at the American Distilling Institute since 2017, and taught distillation seminars and workshops in the local community. Her passion and creativity help to push Redwood Empire’s innovation forward without abandoning its roots. “l ask a lot of questions,” she says, “and I drive us further toward defining our identity on the distilling side.”
For every bottle sold, Redwood Empire Whiskey plants a tree. Redwood Empire Whiskey is proud to partner with Trees for the Future to make a clear commitment to sustain our planet’s climate and livability. For every bottle sold, we will plant a tree.
Website: https://redwoodempirewhiskey.com
Instagram: redwoodempirewhiskey
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redwoodempirewhiskey
Redwood Empire’s Story “The Redwood Empire stretches from San Francisco to Humbolt Bay and on to the Oregon border. It is a rugged, sparsley populated area still dominated by forest, including the protected groves of Muir Woods and the massive forests of the Humboldt Redwoods. A redwood forest is a perfectly balanced ecosystem where every element works in harmony. The grandeur of the redwoods can be experienced throughout our Northern California backyard here in Sonoma County.” Listen to this episode on Apple, Spotify, Google, Pandora, Amazon, Goodpods and any other podcast player. Listen to other episodes That’s How We Role here. Do you like Mezcal? Check out this episode with From Fashion to Mezcal with Maggy Gomez, Co-Founder of Don Sixto Mezcal.
