Bret from Tenth Ward will deliver a brief overview of the beginnings of distillation by colonizers in North America starting with the earliest evidence of brandy distilling by the Dutch in New Amsterdam. He’ll then take a brisk walk through the origins of bourbon, then transition to a more in-depth discussion of rye whiskey and its local history and relevance, including a review of leading local distilleries of the pre-prohibition era in Frederick County. Followed by a tasting, compliments of X Tenth Ward.
Bret is the head distiller at Tenth Ward Distilling. He got his start in the beverage industry in 1996 as a brewer and received his diploma in Craft Brewing Science and Engineering from the American Brewers Guild in October 1997. His first head brewer position was at Little Apple Brewing Company in Manhattan, KS, which he held while pursuing his education at Kansas State University. In total, he has held the position of head brewer at 5 breweries. As a distiller, he got his start in 2021 at Baltimore Spirits company before coming to Tenth Ward. Bret completed his General Certificate in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in February 2023 and he is currently pursuing his Diploma in Distilling from the same institution.
Where: The Museum of Frederick County History: 24 East Church Street, Reed Room.
When: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023
Time: 5:30-7:00 pm