Amaro is bitter, complex, and a little mysterious — and most people have no idea what it actually is. So in this episode, Eli talks with the folks behind Sennza Finne, a Seattle-based amaro producer making small-batch, seasonal expressions. We get into what amaro is (and isn’t); how their experience as bartenders shaped their process; and why every bottle they make is designed to reflect a specific season — not just its flavors. So whether you’re amaro-curious or already a bitter believer, this one’s for you.

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What is Amaro?

Recipes

TOPICS & TIMES:

What Is Amaro / Sennza Finne Amaro Line (3:43)

Why Produce Amaro? (7:11)

Origins of Sennza Finne (19:58)

Seasonality (22:03)

Amaro for Cocktails (29:27)

The Naming Process (36:17)

Production Methods (47:40)

Bottle Design (55:40)

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Jonathan talks knives and knife making with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.

We talk about what’s changed and what hasn’t about the way knives are made today; we dive into the details of blade shape, blade materials, and handles; we talk about what separates a great knife from a mediocre one; and more.

If you’re interested in culinary knives but somehow haven’t come across Jamison or Acre, you’re going to really enjoy this episode. And for those of you who haven’t invested in a really quality knife, well, fair warning, this conversation might change that.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Skis? (3:53)

Getting into Knifemaking (9:37)

Is there a more conventional path? (16:29)

Current State of Bladesmithing (17:43)

The Acre ‘Collective’ (23:23)

Knife Maintenance (27:11)

Metallurgy (30:07)

Carbon Steel (32:52)

Materials (36:00)

Acre Macrum Knife vs ‘Signature’ Knives  (43:08)

Hand-Forged vs Machine-Made (46:52)

Styles: Japanese vs Western Knives (53:44)

Acre vs ‘Big Box Store’ Knives (56:21)

Acre vs Other High-Performance Makers (1:00:54)

Sharpening (1:05:21)

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Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation, you’ll see why maybe we should.

Because fermentation isn’t merely a chemical process, it’s the key to many of those things we love. And for Nile Zacherle, the founder of Mad Fritz, it’s the common thread to everything he makes: barrel-aged beer, Napa Valley wine, and meticulously roasted coffee. And today, Nile is back on CRAFTED to talk about it all with Eli Brown & Jonathan Ellsworth.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

What’s in Nile’s Glass? (2:32)

Nile’s Winemaking Background (5:04)

Why Study Fermentation? (11:20)

What is Fermentation? (16:49)

How Theory Impacts Reality (31:34)

Reevaluation of All Values (36:50)

Aging (46:41)

Aging Coffee (56:38)

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Craft N/A Cocktails are on the rise, but there is still much that needs to change in this space — fundamental things like what we should and shouldn’t be calling this whole category, and why that matters. Today, Jonathan Ellsworth discusses these things with our CRAFTED co-host and professional mixologist Eli Brown, who sees the real-world importance of these things every day. You’ll hear about the project Eli’s working on to create change, and you’ll learn why one of the fastest-growing whiskey companies in the world, Uncle Nearest, is so interested in the N/A space.

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Raise the Bar program

CRAFTED ep 66: Eli w/ Bar 5

TOPICS & TIMES:

Eli’s ‘Raise The Bar’ Project (1:46)

Zebra Striping & Other Consumer Behavior (7:51)

Current Stats in N/A (12:09)

Defining a Category By What it Isn't (16:24)

Ice Cream Analogy (21:05)

Inclusivity (36:37)

More on Conventions & Terminology (40:03)

Cocktail Creation (45:42)

Uncle Nearest & Historical N/A Ties (49:51) 

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Madness. That’s what you call it when a former sponsored skateboarder gets a Ph.D. in fermentation, then starts brewing super-premium beer in Napa Valley. In this conversation, Eli Brown talks with Nile Zacherle, the founder & master brewer of Mad Fritz.

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Winemaker’s Review (Nile’s Podcast)

TOPICS & TIMES:

Origins of Mad Fritz (5:31)

Nile’s Background (10:08)

Hawaiian Beer: Culture & Challenges (16:07)

Skateboarding (25:08)

Winemaking (27:27)

Transition Back to Brewing (35:34)

Diving into Mad Fritz (42:00)

Jupiter & Camel (44:41)

Brewing System (47:13)

Barrel Aging (1:03:32)

Where to Find the Beer (1:11:09)

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Steve Matthiasson is one of the most respected winemakers in Napa Valley, and together with his wife Jill, they make wines under the label of Matthiasson Wines that buck some of the most fashionable trends in Napa wine. Steve is also a passionate mountain biker and snowboarder, a teacher, and a wine consultant; today, we dive into all of these aspects.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Sherry (1:58)

Orange Wine & White Grapes (4:17)

Tannins (15:53)

Complexity & Punk Rock (22:28)

Principles of Matthiasson Wines (29:47)

Trademark Wine & Proof of Concept for Wine World (39:55)

Alcohol Content in Wine (46:23)

Why Steve Got a New Bike (50:36)

Small Wine Producer, Large Wine Programs (56:18)

Natural Wines (58:54)

Being an Outlier in Napa? (1:04:42)

Wine Consulting & Sustainability (1:09:31)

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Brandy doesn’t get the love that it deserves, especially given that it was America’s founding spirit, and no category has a bigger folk hero tied to it (Johnny Appleseed, anyone?). At its core, it’s distilled fruit—wine’s fiery cousin—born from orchards and alchemy, and few do it better than Clear Creek Distillery.

In this episode, we dig into what brandy really is, why it nearly vanished from American drinking culture, and how Clear Creek is helping it make a long-overdue comeback. We also cover pears, patience, and how to make brandy that doesn’t just sip smooth, it sings.

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Clear Creek Distillery

TOPICS & TIMES:

What is Brandy? (3:26)

Johnny Appleseed (8:58)

History of Clear Creek (9:55)

Everett’s Background (14:31)

The USA & Brandy (17:47)

Rise & Fall of Popularity (24:29)

Why Distillers Like Brandy (30:25)

Provenance of Brandy (34:15)

Distillation Process (38:20)

Fir Brandy (45:17) 

Checking the Stills & Types of Pears (54:50)

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Today on CRAFTED, Eli is joined by fellow Blister contributor Zack Henderson to talk all things paella. What started as a casual interest has turned into a full-blown culinary rabbit hole — and we dig into everything from technique to tradition, with some very unconventional twists.

We also dive into the mysteries of the socarrat; explore a Pacific Northwest take on the dish; and brainstorm potential flavor combinations (some more plausible than others). Along the way, we talk table beer, saffron, Fernet, and confront Eli’s long-running rice curse.

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TOPICS & TIMES: 

Bike Season (1:11)

Why Paella? (3:26)

What is Paella? (7:40)

The Process (10:20)

Best Potential Flavor Combinations (16:15)

The Fernet and Saffron Diatribe (24:35)

Potential Beverage Pairings (34:10)

Paella Mixing and Pan Bottom (41:31)

Serving (43:13)

Paella Rules (46:02)

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Today Jonathan talks about books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing — and our guest is the perfect person to talk about it all. Arvin Ram is a writer, an avid reader, and the co-owner (along with his wife Danica) of the independent bookstore, Townie Books. Arvin is also the director of the Mountain Words Festival here in Crested Butte, and we also discuss the mix of mountain culture and book culture.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

News: Mountain Words Festival (00:47)

We Finally Get Arvin to Blister HQ (2:10)

Arvin's Background (3:50)

Running an Independent Bookstore Today (7:06)

Arvin’s Path to Opening a Bookstore (18:40)

Coffee, Tea, & Bookstores (26:55)

The War for Our Minds (32:55)

Fiction vs Nonfiction Sales Today? (40:11)

Favorite Authors? (41:44)

Arvin’s Own Writing (50:52)

Mountain Words Festival (58:42)

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CRAFTED co-hosts Simon Stewart and Eli Brown talk with Troy Rarick, the founder of Over the Edge bike shops and the person who first got Simon into tequila, about why tequila might be the quintessential craft spirit; they discuss a fun history of tequila; the different variations of it; and Troy reminisces about filming a Tequila Talk Show. They share some current favorite tequilas; plus advice on how to choose a good bottle; and more.

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Over the Edge

TOPICS & TIMES:

Troy & Simon’s First Tequila Tasting (2:05)

Why Troy Loves Tequila (2:22)

Troy’s “Tequila Talk” TV Show (4:43)

Eli on Mescal vs Tequila (7:51)

The Dusty Bottle on the Shelf (11:04)

Meeting Juan Carlos (12:23)

The Town of Tequila in Jalisco (14:14)

The Different Types of Tequilas (21:45)

Tequila Tasting Glassware (27:47)

A Drop of Water — Or Not (32:09)

The Legend of Casta Weber (37:41)

Tariffs’ Effect on Tequila (46:59)

High-End Tequila in Cocktails (1:00:25)

How Much Should You Spend on Tequila? (1:03:09)

Top Tequila Picks (1:04:15)

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