Chemistry Teacher Turned Master Distiller Produces World-Class Spirits

 

Master Distiller Benay Shannon founded Restless Spirits Distilling Company with her husband, Michael Shannon, in 2015.  Located in North Kansas City, Restless produces a varied lineup of Irish & American-inspired products, including one that’s recently enjoyed recognition on a global scale.

 

 

In late August, Restless Spirits’ Builders Gin was awarded a Double Gold at the New York International Spirits Competition.  More than 1,200 entries are judged each year, spanning 30 countries and 60 spirits categories.

 

Shannon believes her background in teaching and homemaking helped contribute to her perfecting the recipe that would net this coveted award.  “As a scientist, I appreciate consistency and careful documentation, and I don’t shy away from calculations and chemistry,” says Shannon.  “As a homemaker, I really enjoyed cooking and reading recipes, which gave me an ability to mentally ‘taste’ and predict flavor outcomes.”

 

Shannon’s first foray into gin formulation began with classroom lab equipment in her home kitchen.  After creating mini-distillates of individual botanicals, Shannon used a tool often called a “radar plot” to design her ideal flavor profile.  After plotting out her recipe and distilling a small run, she had crafted a gin that was nearly perfect.  “I was extremely pleased with the results and only tweaked one thing before I calculated the extended recipe for a full batch,” says Shannon. 

 

Since then, Builders Gin has landed sponsorship deals at major league ballparks like Kauffman Stadium and Fenway Park, and Restless Spirits products are distributed in 13 states across the Midwest and Northeast. 

 

In addition to the Double Gold, Restless Spirits Distilling was awarded Missouri Distillery of the Year at the 2020 NYISC for the fifth year in a row.

 

Benay says achievements like these are not only gratifying on a personal level for her and the team, but a crucial step in growing the company’s footprint and expanding the Restless Spirits vision.  “I hope that achievements such as this and others help to establish our spirits more firmly on the national stage so we can expand our distribution,” says Shannon.  “I would love to be in every state so when people call or email me to request Builders Gin, I can tell them it’s available near them!”