If you ever get the opportunity to have a drink with Matt and Mike Blaum, founders of the eponymous Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. located in Galena, Ill., make sure to do it. I accepted an invitation to have lunch and cocktails with these affable whiskey nerds, and during that time, I grew a stronger fondness toward their whiskey just because they have such a great story.
The irony here is that Matt and Mike pride themselves on having no story. What they mean is that Blaum Bros. Distilling, founded in 2013, wasn’t built on lore, such as an employee finding a secret recipe stashed in a long-forgotten storage cabinet. It’s just two dudes whose hobby is drinking.
Diverse Backgrounds
Don’t take that the wrong way. Both Matt and Mike are well-traveled and well-educated. The former, older by two years, has lived in Germany and Arizona and has an MBA. The latter has lived in Texas, Baltimore/Washington D.C. and the United Kingdom, and he holds an M.S. in Integrated Homeland Security Management. Although everyone on the 19-member staff wears many hats, Matt primarily serves as the CEO and Mike primarily serves as the COO and chief distiller.
I asked them how their diverse backgrounds and advanced education have helped them today. Other than Matt’s MBA, none of it really translates. But what does is their love of whiskey. Their goal was to avoid being known as “good for a craft whiskey,” Mike said, and I commend them for that.
Taking Their Time
Blaum Bros. doesn’t take any shortcuts. For example, the straight bourbon whiskey is aged four years, which Matt noted “is pretty old for a craft distillery.”
Matt and Mike also are not rushing their expansion. They said the tables have turned, with distributors now begging them for their product. In 2018, the distillery produced 7,000 cases, and this year it’s on pace for 9,000 cases. They also bought a storage barn last December.
Go Visit
Lastly, I want to mention how approachable these guys are. So much so that they’ve explained their entire distilling process and recipe to total strangers in the spirit of transparency. Say hi to them if you ever visit the distillery.
Read my review on the straight bourbon whiskey and the straight rye whiskey to see how much I enjoyed them. Besides the bourbon and rye, Blaum Bros. Distilling also makes gin, vodka and absinthe, and the products are carried here in Wisconsin.
Photo courtesy of Blaum Bros. Distilling Co.
Tags: Galena
