James ’16 Displaying Product

Geno James ’16: StilL 630 – Over the past month thanks to the Small Business Internship Fund, I’ve had the opportunity to work with David Weglarz ‘03, owner and master distiller of the St. Louis distillery, StilL 630. I had absolutely no experience coming into the distillation business, and didn’t know what to expect. On the first day when I walked into the distillery, a heavenly aroma pierced my nostrils, and I was instantly captivated by all of the barrels and bottles and decor in my line of sight. The excitement hit hard, and needless to say, I knew this internship would undoubtedly be an unforgettable one.

I was not expected to learn every detail right away, but I knew I needed to in order to be an exemplary intern, and not an obstacle throughout the summer. Cleaning, mashing, fermenting, distilling, distilling again, barreling, aging, tasting, proofing, bottling, labeling, boxing and distributing are all such unbelievably intricate processes. If there is any kink in the system, it all falls apart. Every step is expected to be executed with absolute perfection, or else the spirits could be ruined. And the worst part? You won’t know for over a year once they’re done aging. It is all truly an art.
So, every day I come in to the distillery and begin the process of draining the contents of the still from the previous day, climbing into the still and scrubbing it until it’s spotless, transferring a fermentation into the still, then distilling that product. Some days involve throwing in a new mash to cook and cool then ferment for a bit, others involve several cleaning processes to make sure the tanks are clean. Occasionally, we’ll take samples from the smaller barrels that hold some experimentation products. Then, when we need, we’ll pull product from a barrel, proof it, bottle, label, and box it so it’s ready to be distributed to the market. But, every day is definitely a busy one. This internship keeps me on my feet and not behind a desk, and I’m very happy about that.
Earning this internship and working with David has definitely taught me that you really do have to find something you enjoy doing. Set your dreams high and your expectations higher. The first month has taught me quite a bit about running a business in whole, and unfortunately, I feel like the second half of my time here will come to a quick end. But for now, at least I’ve learned to appreciate and enjoy whiskey. And owning a small business.