Four Inane Questions with Holladay Distillery’s Kyle Merklein

Photo Courtesy of Holladay Distillery

Since 2016, Kyle Merklein has been the quiet force behind the barrels at Holladay Distillery. Born and raised in Kansas, Kyle brings a steady hand to his role as master distiller, with degrees in biological and agricultural engineering from Kansas State University and a deep-rooted passion for the science of fermentation.

According to him, bourbon is more than science; It’s a slow, thoughtful craft. “I probably think about time more than most people,” he says.

And he means it.

Patience, precision, and passion are how Merklein runs his operation.

That’s because every decision he makes today mandates what will taste amazing years from now. “If you produce a high-quality distillate, put it in a good barrel, and give it time, good things will happen.”

That same mindset fuels his next challenge: a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State, focused on data analytics and operations research. Between distilling, studying, and family life, Merklein still finds time to enjoy the fruits of his labor—ideally, with a glass of bourbon neat in hand.

We caught up with the distiller in between studying to bombard him with our bonkers questionnaire. Naturally, we clinked glasses when he was done. Bless.

Photo Courtesy of Holladay Distillery

The Pitch: If you were an ice cube shape, which ice cube shape would you be? 

Kyle Merklein: For me, the goal would have to be pebble ice. I view it as the Swiss Army knife of ice. It is an adaptable ice that can be used in things as straightforward as a Sonic drink, used for shaking in a cocktail or directly used in a cocktail like a Bourbon Smash or Mint Julep.

And, despite this sounding like I’m a people pleaser, I’ve never met a person who doesn’t like pebble ice.

What’s the single best lyric of any song ever created in the history of music? 

Like my bourbon preference, my music preference will change by the minute, so it really is impossible to answer this question. To avoid a non-answer: The other day when stressed about getting my kids to school on time (or something similarly insignificant), I heard “Good Old Days” by Macklemore and it hit hard:

“Never thought we’d get old, maybe we’re still young. Maybe I’ve been missin’ what it’s about. Been scared of the future, thinkin’ about the past. While missin’ out on now.”

Photo Courtesy of Holladay Distillery

What’s a word that people would use to describe you that you would NEVER use? 

A lot of people who don’t specifically know me might describe me as social. In my job, my role has shifted to be a lotmore consumer-facing where I do tastings for groups, I am on podcasts talking about bourbon, or I am hosting accounts at the distillery for barrel picks.

I am most definitely an introvert and never imagined spending this much of my job socializing. I used to get anxietybefore some of these social outings, and then I realized that once people had one glass of bourbon, they found me to be both smarter and funnier.

When making a PB&J sammich, what bread is the perfect vessel for said ingredients? 

I grew up on a farm near Phillipsburg, KS, which is a small town in the northwest corner of the state. Growing up, I don’t recall seeing a huge variety in the bread aisle at the grocery store. At my house, we either had homemade bread or the cheap store-brand loaf, and of those two, it was always cheap store-brand white or wheat bread for the PB&J.

Now, my wife and I will have brioche, potato, or other bread styles at our house that might work with a PB&J, but I wouldn’t dream of making one unless I have the cheapest store-brand bread. Nostalgia wins every time for the PB&J.

Bonus 5th Question: When enjoying S’mores, how do you prefer your marshmallows? Soft? Hard? Charred? 

I use a marshmallow-making analogy all the time when talking about barrels. A traditional bourbon barrel is caught on fire for a variable amount of time and develops charring but is not cooked all the way through.

Toasted barrels, which we have used in our Cave Collection, are toasted slowly to really heat through the oak barrel and then very briefly charred at the end. For bourbon, I prefer using traditional charred barrels.

But for marshmallows, I prefer toasting. That marshmallow needs to be toasted all the way through and be a light golden brown. If it catches fire, I’m out. I will have no choice but to start over.