Family, Tradition, and Mistakes: The Unique Distilling Journey of Joyce Nethery at Jeptha Creed

My Favorite Mistake: Business Lessons from Failures and Success

My guest for Episode #264 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Joyce Nethery, the master distiller and CEO of Jeptha Creed Distillery.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

With a rich background in chemical engineering and a unique journey through teaching and distillation, Joyce brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the world of Bourbon.

In this episode, Joyce shares the inspiring story of how a family dream, combined with her expertise and a fortunate mistake, led to the creation of Jeptha Creed's unique and beloved spirits. Join us as we explore the challenges and triumphs of running a woman-owned distillery in Kentucky and the innovative spirit that drives their success.

Joyce also discusses the critical mistake that led to the development of Jeptha Creed's signature mash bills, the unique challenges of being a woman-owned and operated distillery, and the importance of family and tradition in their business. Tune in to hear how Joyce’s expertise and a serendipitous error turned into a flavorful success story in the world of Bourbon.

Questions and Topics:

• Can you tell us about your daughter's role?
• How rare is it to be a woman-owned and woman-run distillery in Kentucky or elsewhere?
• Why did you end up in Wisconsin instead of working with a Kentucky distillery?
• Can you explain the malting process and its impact on flavor?
• How has your chemical engineering background and industrial experience helped with distillation and process methods?
• How long did you have to wait to see the impact of different barrels on your bourbon?
• As the master distiller, how do you predict what's going to age best?
• How do you approach blending different barrels to achieve a consistent product?
• How unusual is it to use malted wheat in bourbon?
• Can you describe your experimental batches and how you finalized your products?
• What is a mash bill?
• Can you tell us more about bloody butcher corn and why you chose it?
• How do you manage the ground-to-glass process at Jeptha Creed?
• What does the name Jeptha Creed mean and how does it reflect your values?
• How can people learn more about Jeptha Creed and visit your distillery?