After receiving a degree in Fermentation Science and Technology from Colorado State University, Kate discovered her passion for distilling. Kate began as an intern, distilling in a Colorado distillery not far from the brewery. She grew fascinated by the distilling process and learned more about the maturation and mind-boggling reactions during whiskey production. She later became a member of the distillation crew at O'Shaughnessy Distilling Company in Minneapolis. As the Head Distiller of Old Elk Distillery, She enjoys inventing and hand-crafting award-winning spirits. Kate oversees and executes all stages required to ensure correct mashing, fermentation, distillation, and barreling. She is also in charge of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control program, which includes sensory panels and lab tests, and many more. 

What has your distilling career been like? Tell us a little about your background.

I graduated with a degree in Fermentation Science and Technology from Colorado State University. The program focuses on brewing, which I initially saw my career going. The Monday after graduation, I started as an intern distilling at a Colorado distillery not far off the brewing path. I became enamored with the distillation process and learned more about the maturation and mind-blowing reactions that occurred when making whiskey (that’s what got me hooked). Eventually, I grew into the role of the head distiller, where I developed a well-rounded gin, introduced and perfected the proofing process, and endless blended batches of various mash bills built my palate with every expression created.

Continuing my distilling journey, I joined the distilling team at O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company in Minneapolis. Here we are focusing on utilizing the best qualities of American whiskey and Irish whiskey to create something extraordinary. This means taking a triple pot distilled spirit and letting it rest and age in new barrels. To say it’s been a shift is an understatement and working with master distiller, Brian Nation, has given me deep insight into the foundation and values the company was built on.

Keeper’s Heart Whiskey is a blend of Irish Pot Still Whiskey, Irish Grain Whiskey, and American Rye Whiskey. While I am extremely familiar with the American rye, we are using. My palate has thoroughly enjoyed diving into the nuances and flavors of Irish Whiskey. Now, we’re on the path to blending the two Irish whiskeys with bourbon. Getting to sit at a table with Brian Nation and David Perkins while blending and tasting whiskies is a dream come true.

Image: Kate Doerges (Left), Keeper’s Heart Whiskey (Right)

How do you think the Spirits industry has evolved?

Seeing more and more women take on various roles in the industry has been empowering and inspiring. For example, when I first entered the industry, Marianne Eaves (Barnes) just became the first female Master Distiller in Kentucky. Since then, she paved the way for many more notable women in the industry.

I met up with Marianne before coming out to visit O’Shaughnessy for the first time, and it was humbling to discuss a big career move with someone you’ve looked up to your whole career, and I hope to be that for others in the industry.

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Tell us a little about your day-to-day role.

Oh gosh, it depends on what’s happening that day. We have a small production crew, so I am brewing our barley mash some days while working on our Forsyth stills. I can also be found crunching numbers on the computer or running tests in the lab. I also visit markets with our distributor or host tastings in various markets. Being on the ground floor of O’Shaughnessy means there is never a dull moment!

Image: Kate Doerges

What's unique about OSDC that you like?

I love how family-oriented O'Shaughnessy is, and it's unlike anything I've experienced before. I see Kelly and Patrick O'Shaughnessy almost every day. We sit together in the Potato Bar and have a drink while casually talking about whiskey and life-related things. It's not just how close the family is to the business, and it's how much the O'Shaughnessy's care about your family. I felt it immediately, so much so I decided to move states!

What were some of the challenges you faced when you distilled your first spirit?

It was getting used to the sensory of spirits. In the FST program at CSU, we were trained on beer sensory, where we took a lite beer and spiked it with off notes in beer so we could learn to identify the flavors and aromas. So it was a big change going from a 4% beer to a 40% or higher spirit. But training your palate is just like training anything else. It takes time and repetition.

Image: Kate Doerges

How do you think a distiller can help in driving marketing and sales personally?

It’s all about connection and understanding your core consumers. The best way to get to know your consumers is to interact and engage with them. Whether that means visiting an account and sitting with a mixologist for a tasting or hosting an educational seminar, our main goal is to be accessible to our partners and consumers.

What are some of the essential skills required to distill?

You have to have your heart in this business. That’s one of the reasons our whiskey is called Keeper’s Heart. There is no instant gratification in distilling whiskey, as you have to have a sense of adventure to stick around for it to become the best it can be. It requires patience, as maturation takes years. It’s worth it, though, because you get compounds once in the wood that turn into compounds that taste like coconut, fig, or tobacco. Being along for the ride is half the fun!

Define a good distiller.

A good distiller is a constant student. To me, this means having humility, patience, and continuous curiosity.

What advice would you give to future distillers?

Get in there! Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t do it, prove that you can. You never know where one opportunity can take you. If you have any questions, my DMs are always open Instagram: doergesdistilling

Which is your go-to drink and what is the perfect setting you enjoy it in?

My go-to when out for a cocktail or at the distillery after work is an Old Fashioned. Our team and the beverage director, Pip Hanson, just created an Old Fashioned series, which I’ve started to dabble with myself. Ever since trying an Old Fashioned with Keeper’s Heart, I’ve made it a mission to create the perfect at-home version for myself. So let’s just say that I may have the experience making whiskey, but I should leave it to the mixologists and their expertise to create the perfect Old Fashioned.

What do you do when you are not distilling?

My husband and I just moved to the Minneapolis area with our three dogs, so we spend a lot of time exploring our new space and playing with our pups, Banana, Blue, and Winnie.

What is your idea of a good life?

As cheesy as it sounds, I’m living it – I make whiskey for a living! I have a passionate Master Distiller and a mentor to all of us. I have the incredible opportunity to work on the most delicate equipment with legendary people and icons in my field. And to top it all off, I get to blend the Irish distillation style with the American style of maturation.