Newport’s New Riff Distilling appointed the first master distiller in the company’s history.
Brian Sprance, who has been with New Riff since its inception in 2014, goes from head distiller to master distiller.
“The person at New Riff leading that charge to make world-class whiskey to share with the world is our head distiller Brian Sprance,” New Riff founder Ken Lewis said in a press release. “So it’s fitting as we approach our tenth anniversary, that we recognize Brian for his leadership role in moving us forward toward that aspirational goal and for sharing with us all such outstanding whiskey by conferring on him the well earned title of master distiller.”
Sprance has extensive experience in the alcohol business, first entering the industry at age 21, according to whiskeyuniv.com. Prior to New Riff, he worked as a brewer for Boston Brewing Company — the second-largest producer of Sam Adams in the United States.
Lewis personally recruited Spance for the role of head distiller. Upon joining New Riff, Spance was mentored under the tutelage of consulting master distiller Larry Ebersold.
“Larry was an excellent teacher who rarely gave the answer, but instead, motivated me to reach a full understanding of each situation that presented itself in the whiskey making process,” Sprance said in the release. “While I consider Larry one of my biggest influences in whiskey today, I’m even luckier to consider him a trusted and valued friend.”
Spance’s promotion comes amidst a wave of expansion for New Riff. Just last week, New Riff unveiled a freshly renovated rooftop bar — The Aquifer, part of a $3 million overhaul of the distillery’s first and third floors.
“2024 will be a transformational year for New Riff,” Lewis said. “The team has put in a lot of work behind the scenes and I’m excited to share those efforts with our customers.”