Java.Feb-web.2016

Burch doesn’t get sick of touring, either. The
connection to the crowd and the enthusiasm
of fans win him over every time. For him, it’s
instant feedback and gratification regardless
of the touring hassles. The road wins him over
every time.
Early in the band’s existence they used to ask
at the end of shows if anyone was willing
to let five smelly guys sleep on their floor.
This led to a lot of fun experiences, and one
in particular where the band was able to
tour the Jack Daniel’s facility. A seed was
planted in Burch that would later blossom
when he visited a distillery in Scotland. “I like
the Scottish approach in that it’s a two-step
process. It’s all single malt, with only one grain
involved, malted barley. The way they dry the
grain influences the final flavor. The barley is
smoked, then milled and steeped to extract the
sugar, but the smoke is carried through in the
fermentation,” said Burch. Seeing this process
firsthand entranced Burch, and he wanted to
bring that back to Arizona in some way.
Whiskey is a staple in the liquor world.
Originating in either Scotland or Ireland (it’s
hotly debated), farmers would take their extra
barley, after supplying the baker and brewer,
and distill it. In those days, it wasn’t just an
alcohol; it was a medicine. In Scotland they call
whiskey “the water of life,” and in that sense,
Burch is bringing water to the desert. Burch
personally enjoys drinking his whiskey neat
at room temperature, but sometimes adds a
splash of water. Adding water to the whiskey
helps open up the flavor. He says it’s a bit of a
rollercoaster when you add water, as the flavor
really comes alive.
CaskWerks has been a dream of Rick’s for
over six years now. There have been a lot of
obstacles to overcome; the main one being that
you couldn’t even get a craft distiller license
in Arizona until about a year and a half ago.
Burch was on the committee that drafted the
Arizona Craft Distiller legislation, and that
statute allowed him to move CaskWerks into
an industrial building in Tempe and establish a
distillery and a soon-to-come tasting room and
retail outlet. “The more (distillers) the merrier
because there’s just more creativity and people
to bounce ideas off of,” said Burch. “I hope
the Arizona craft-distilling scene develops into
a collaborative group because so much good
could come from that and there’s plenty of room
in the market for all of us.” He’s excited about
the ability to sell directly to customers on-site.
He plans to open the tasting room at the facility
later this year, which is now possible thanks to
the work he did with the licensing board.
CaskWerks has been distilling liquor for ten
months now and their citrus-inspired gin
and apple pie liqueur are featured at local
favorite spots, such as Valley Bar and Four
Peaks Brewery. The company’s approach is
very human-driven, as many of the decisions
in the distilling process are made using the
five senses. “The way we distill at CaskWerks
is very sensory based,” said Burch, “which
helps us determine when to collect the product
and when to stop collecting it. It’s like an art
form where human sensory components drive
decision-making. You could base everything off
of mathematics, but I prefer the more hands-on
approach. You can put sensors all over, but it’s
not as fun. I like to be right next to it. I like to
smell it—that’s what makes it fun.”
Burch is especially excited about their whiskey,
which is still being perfected. One of the main
ingredients will be Sonoran white wheat, which
has grown in the Southwest for hundreds of
years. “It gives a really soft flavor and is very
interesting on its own,” said Burch. The whiskey
won’t be completely ready for about two years;
however, CaskWerks will begin selling an
un-aged version in a couple of months, and it
should be available around town at local spots.
But it always comes back to the human
element, the idea of sharing. From a kid with a
tuba that was too big for him, to a big-hearted
man who has shared his music around the
world: Now Burch is ready to connect to people
beyond the music—with the spirited notes of
whiskey and fine liquor.
www.caskwerks.com
JAVA 15
MAGAZINE