A visit to Ketchum, Idaho in Sun Valley, final resting place of writer Ernest Hemingway, sparked conversations at the Brain Brew Beach Bar.   

Papa as he was known – was a larger than life figure – writer – adventurer – drinker and a husband three times over. 

His dedication to the craft of writing – with his precision and never ending improvement – inspires me when writing AND inspires how we craft our WHISKeY at Brain Brew.

We’ve not won the Noble Prize or Pulitzer as Papa Hemingway did. But with Hemingway like dedication to our craft we have created 2 of the 20 top bourbons and ryes with scores of 97, 95  and double gold medals.

Sadly – there is a belief in the distillery world that “product doesn’t matter” – that all products are basically the same. And, that the key to success is marketing.   

My team and I disagree. We are and always will be a PRODUCT FIRST company.   I learned the power of this working for Procter & Gamble. At P&G I was taught that the secret to sustained business success is to make a product that delivers a meaningfully unique WOW and I mean WOW – then use marketing to educate the world about it. 

Some will call us old fashioned – we’re ok with that.   

And we believe Papa Hemingway would agree with us as well.  As he said…

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master…..I rewrote the ending of ‘Farewell to Arms,’ the last page of it, thirty-nine times before I was satisfied.” 

Cheers to Papa and to all who still believe in product and service craftsmanship!