Crafters Pizza & Drafthouse Team Selects Signature Bourbon, One Taste at a Time
Writer & Photographer / Stephanie Duncan
Owners of Crafters Pizza and Drafthouse in Carmel, Brian and Alexis Hall, routinely select unique single-bourbon barrels and have them bottled for their patrons to purchase. But they don’t do it alone.
This year, they assembled a team to travel to the Angel’s Envy campus in Louisville, Kentucky, to pick out the next barrel for their signature bourbon. Some distilleries offer to ship single bourbon samples for customers to choose from rather than tasting on site, but Brian prefers to be more hands-on.
“I really prefer to be here in person,” he says. “Then we can show our guests the process. Some people think you’re just putting a sticker on a bottle.”
Angel’s Envy is the first full-production whiskey distillery along Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville since Prohibition. Its bourbon is known for fruity notes, with hints of vanilla and caramel, thanks to aging in port wine barrels.
The tasting team included two experienced bartenders, Javier Colon and Sebastian Simmons, as well as a loyal customer, Matt Miller. Together, they brought their collective expertise to the table to help the Crafters team select their next single barrel of Angel’s Envy.
Before the tasting, the group went on an in-depth tour of the distillery. Angel’s Envy tour guide Charlie Neal showcased each step of the distilling process and the unique history of the building.
Upon entering the fermentation section, the group noted the distinct smell of fresh bread and whiskey. They got a closer look at the giant fermentation tubs, the machinery that cooks the grain and water that make up the bourbon, and the grain selection room, where each batch is tested for moisture content, starch levels, and potential contaminants such as pesticides—all factors that affect the final taste.
Next, Neal led the group into a room filled with bourbon barrels stacked high on pallets. More than 2,000 barrels are curated explicitly for Angel’s Envy’s Single Barrel Program. The distillery sources its port wine barrels from the Douro region of Portugal, and every barrel holds a nuanced flavor profile.
Neal hand-selected three barrels for the team. Each person used a special tool called a whiskey thief to extract a small sample from the barrels.
The group was then led to a private tasting room, where they sampled three distinct barrels. The host guided the team through the tasting process, and the team highlighted specific flavor notes, aromas, and nuances in each sample.
Between the three, the team noticed how different each barrel tasted. Sample 1 had an earthy flavor with notes of spearmint. Sample 2, a front-runner, featured a sweet berry taste thanks to strong contact with the port wine barrel. Sample 3 was also popular, with an approachable butterscotch flavor. After testing the picks at different proofs, they settled on 110 proof. Sample 3 won out based on its versatility.
“When we do a single barrel, we like it to taste great neat or on the rocks, but also so we can make a cocktail from it,” Alexis says.
This visit marked her third barrel pick at Angel’s Envy and her 13th barrel pick overall.
Crafters memorializes each selection with a framed certificate on the wall and keeps one bottle from each barrel pick.
Knowing what customers like plays a significant role in the selection process.
“The tasting is definitely easier the more I do it, but you also have to have a good palate and know what you’re looking for,” Alexis says.
That’s also why they included bartenders Colon and Simmons in the process. Their experience with guest preferences adds a valuable perspective.
“You have to pick somebody you trust,” Brian says. “Sebastian and Javi have been allowed to pick because I trust their palate.”
This was Colon’s third barrel pick, and he says knowing your customer is key.
“We didn’t even pick out our favorite,” Colon says. “When you pick your single barrel, you’re picking for the customers and what they like.”
The Halls also invited Matt Brown, a regular at Crafters, to participate in the selection. They want guests to know how much care goes into choosing the signature bourbon. Brown appreciated being included.
“It puts a little pressure to pick the right one,” he says.
It takes about six weeks for Crafters to receive their bourbon, but the owners and staff are eagerly awaiting the finished product.
One perk after the bourbon is bottled: the owners get to keep the barrel. Sometimes they ship it to a brewery to create a limited-edition barrel-aged stout. Some lucky Crafters customers can even win a barrel once it has been retired from brewing and distilling.
Crafters Pizza and Drafthouse is located at 2430 E. 146th St. in Carmel and offers tavern-style pizzas with globally inspired toppings, along with sandwiches, salads and popular sports bar appetizers. For more information, call 317-798-2056 or visit craftersdrafthouse.com.
