Notes and quotes from the workshop, held Oct. 7-8, 2011 in San Diego

The Distilling and Fermentation Workshop on Oct. 7-8 2011 in San Diego, Calif., was a huge success. Participants in the first-ever workshop at the new White Labs headquarters and production facility learned detailed tips and recommendations for yeast and other fermentation topics.

Here are some quotes from the workshop:

"It was helpful in the multiple areas- in regards to yeast selection, nutrient selection, procedures during fermentation and distilling, etc. I found the whole workshop extremely helpful and I am very happy that I attended."

"I thought that this was an excellent workshop -- I learned so much and frankly can't wait to get home and apply some of my new found knowledge to my small operation."

“I found the new hands-on yeast lab section very useful. You can learn a lot from reading a book, but nothing beats working through the process ourselves, with the experts right there to handle our questions. Should be very useful for any distiller wanting to learn more about their process and QC.”

“Walked away feeling like I have 20 new people cheering for my success.”

“In my opinion, anyone who is seriously interested in distilling should attend the White Labs course.”

Note: The following material was prepared prior to the workshop but may be helpful to read if you are considering attending next year. Of course the topics and presenters will be updated as the 2012 workshop approaches, and the following only applies to the now-concluded 2011 event:

Why you should go:

Whether you’ve just opened a distillery, still deciding whether you should, or have been operating for years, the White Labs' Distilling Fermentation Workshop is intended to go over the basics of distillery fermentation and yeast. It will leave you with a fresh set of skills and the confidence to operate and maintain your craft distillery and fermentations. 

Our workshop will include lectures on quality control, microbiology, pitch rates, sensory, and discussions on various sugars and their fermentability. You will also learn about the specific flavors of your spirits that are created through fermentation.

Why spend hours reading textbooks when you can spend the day learning from fermentation experts? We’ll break the fermentation process down into simple and understandable procedures to save you time and confusion. Our staff and invited lecturers have years of fermentation experience and will be fully dedicated to answering your specific questions so that you can implement the techniques you learn in our classroom at your distillery. 

Distilling workshop schedule:

Thursday, October 6th
4:00 - 6:00pm
Registration
6:30 - 9:30pm
Opening Reception

Friday, October 7th
8:00 - 9:00am
Registration
9:00 - 9:30am
Welcome and Intro to Distilling: Dr. Christopher White, White Labs and Yuseff Cherney, Ballast Point Spirits
9:30 - 10:15am
Yeast: A Practical Guide: Dr. Christopher White, White Labs
10:15 - 11:00am
Yeast Strain Selection & Flavor Impact: Shea Comfort, The
Yeast Whisperer
11:00 - 11:45am
Water Treatment: John Wammes, WaterWorks, Inc.
11:45 - 12:30pm
Fermentation Control: Neva Parker, White Labs
12:30 - 2:00pm
Workshop Luncheon and Keynote Address :
Yuseff Cherney, Ballast Point Brewery & Spirits
2:00 - 2:45pm
Barrel-Aging: Eric Lindberg , The Barrel Mill
2:45 - 3:30pm
Challenges & Solutions for Rum Fermentations: Clayton Cone, Lallemand Inc. and Gordon Specht, Lallemand Inc.
3:30 - 4:15pm
What You Put in Your Bottle Tells a Story: JoAnne Carilli-Stevensen,President Colorado Distillers Guild
4:15 - 5:30pm
Q&A Panel with Speakers

Saturday, October 8th
9:00 - 12:00pm
Whiskey Mash 101 @ Ballast Point Spirits
Yuseff Cherney, Ballast Point Spirits
12:30 - 2:00pm
Lunch
2:00 - 4:00pm
Your Distilling Lab
White Labs Team
4:15 – 4:30pm
Closing Remarks

The workshop will begin with a welcome reception on Thursday, Oct. 6, where you can register and meet the other attendees. If you can’t make it Thursday night, registration will also be offered prior to the workshop at 8 a.m. Friday.

At 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, the workshop will commence with three speakers in the morning, followed by an afternoon lunch and trip to a local distillery. Friday evening we encourage you to join us for a night on the town before classes kick off again on Saturday at 9a.m. Classes on Saturday will run until 1 p.m. after which time you will receive a certificate of completion from White Labs.
The cost of the workshop is $400.

Plan to fly into the San Diego airport, about 20 minutes from the location. Super Shuttle can take you directly to the hotel.

After registration you will receive a packet with more information on the class schedule and pick up.

Hotel information: Holiday Inn, 9335 Kearny Mesa Road, San Diego, CA. Phone: (858) 695-2300. White Labs has a block of rooms reserved; mention White Labs when you make your reservation. The hotel is three blocks from White Labs.

Workshop location: The workshop will be held in our brand new headquarters at 9594 Candida St San Diego CA 92126.

Sign up: Call 1-888-5-Yeast-5 or log on to Yeastman, White Labs' tracking and ordering system. If you are a customer, log into your account and follow the tab to "Other Merchandise," and scroll to the bottom of the page. In checkout ignore the part about ship date. If you are not an existing customer, follow the link to "I am not currently a customer." When in the system, click the tab "other merchandise."

Alternatively, if you want to pay by phone or mail, please call 1-888-5-Yeast-5 or complete this online form for more information..

More information: 1-888-5-YEAST-5 or write us.