Ryan Lang is the founding head distiller and CEO of Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 2008, Middle West Spirits combines a reverence for traditional whiskey-making techniques with innovative practices.

In this episode, Ryan discusses his path to starting Middle West Spirits and how his grandfather and some Irish distilleries provided some inspiration for the distillery; the role of Ohio agriculture in Middle West’s products; the company’s recent expansion; and some of the economic headwinds and market access challenges currently facing craft spirits producers.