Barrel Thief Academy - Spirits of the World

We love whiskey, of course, but we also love all of the different spirits traditions around the globe. We've picked three of our favorites, and will learn about each spirit's history, how it's made, the different styles, and how you can best enjoy them by themselves or in cocktails.

The classes are offered individually, every other week, or dive in and take the series of all three!

Introduction to Brandy
Thursday, Feb 25, 2021 @ 7:00pm

In this class, we'll primarily focus on the most famous brandy-producing country in the world, France, home to renowned Cognac, gritty Armagnac, and mysterious Calvados. We'll also touch briefly on other global brandy traditions, plus brandy cocktails. Joining us in this class will be Joan Harkin, an importer and distributor of French brandy, who will talk about her experience with these fine spirits.  Brandy has a long and important history in the world of spirits, and you'll leave this class with a new appreciation for it.

Introduction to Mezcal
Thursday, Mar 11, 2021 @ 7:00pm

Mezcal is an agave spirit produced in many regions in Mexico. Similar in some ways to Tequila, but forging its own path, Mezcal has become quite popular in the U.S. only in recent years, but it boasts a rich culture and a long history. There's just something mysterious about a clear spirit expressing this much complexity, and it's a fabulous and enlightening journey to learn about it.

Introduction to Rum
Thursday, Mar 25, 2021 @ 7:00pm

Our third class in the series dives into the world of rum. While most rum in the U.S. is consumed in cocktails, there are fine drinking rums produced in many countries, each with a different style. Rum has a long and storied history, of course, replete with legends and myth, and this class will be entertaining as well as educational.

Each class is accompanied by 5 tastes of spirts (0.5 oz bottles), which you'll pick up at The Barrel Thief Wine & Whiskey Bar in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, anytime the week before the series begins.

Classes are taught by Christopher Gronbeck, owner of The Barrel Thief and long-time wine educator, and moderated by Carolyn Sellar, proprietor of Adventures in Whisky. Classes are held via Zoom Meeting, and include a presentation, guided tasting, and interactive Q&A session.

Tickets to the three classes are offered individually ($50), or as a series of three classes ($120).  The series make great gifts for the holidays!

Students must be 21+.  Classes will be recorded so you can watch them later, if you can't attend live (students may elect to keep their video & audio off for privacy).