Whiskey Tango ALCHEMY DISTILLERY W RIT T E N BY AMBE R G. CH RIS T E NSEN-SM ITH
Y
ou can hear the sound of yeast bubbling when you linger around the fermenters, busy doing their work just like Amy and Steve Bohner in their young Arcata, California DSP, Alchemy Distillery. The Bohners work comfortably around each other, moving in a silent tango of fluid movements while concocting their whiskey. The Bohners have worked together for nearly two decades at their own construction business, so they know about marital partnerships as it relates to working together. And that’s probably why starting a new distillery is working so well for them. Just as in their construction business, they’ve found their spaces and roles here. “I think the secret is to each figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are and what your niche is,” explains Amy. “When we’re working together there are not a ton of words about what
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PHO TO S B Y AM AND A JO Y CHR ISTENSEN
“ When we’re working together there are not a ton of words about what we’re doing. We know what the steps are and what needs to be done. If he’s busy dialing in the boiler, I’ll get the hoses down, get the pump out. It’s like a dance.”
— AMY BOHNER WWW.ARTISANSPIRITMAG.COM