486 - Turning the Wholesale Bourbon Marketplace Online with Rob Arnold of Barrel Hub

If you have followed the progress of this show since the beginning, you can see the evolution of what we talk about. In the beginning it was about brands and Master Distillers, then when we started Pursuit Spirits we were introduced into the world of brokers and the middle layer of people who own barrels without brands. That information has made its way to you and now you know more about the market. But that brokered market is heavily guarded. It's a series of handshakes, phone calls, and emails with excel spreadsheets with prices to see what's available. However, Rob Arnold with Barrel Hub is trying to make access easier for everyone. Rob isn't new to this game. He spent his undergraduate in Texas and is the person responsible for the pecan yeast strain used by TX Whiskey to this day. We talk about his background and how that led to the idea of creating a portal where industry folks can buy and sell barrels on the wholesale market. Show Notes: 00:00-Introduction to Bourbon Pursuit and Market Evolution 03:10-The Brokered Whiskey Market and Its Challenges 05:56-Rob Arnold's Background and Innovative Ideas 09:07-The Role of Yeast in Whiskey Production 11:53-The Journey of TX Whiskey and Its Unique Identity 15:08-Navigating the Craft Whiskey Landscape 17:53-The Science Behind TX Whiskey's Yeast 21:09-The Impact of Pernod Ricard's Acquisition 30:07-Navigating Challenges During COVID-19 32:23-The Science of Whiskey: Writing and Education 36:00-Innovative Barrel Financing Solutions 40:40-Introducing Barrel Hub: A Marketplace for Whiskey 46:12-Transparency in the Whiskey Market 52:44-Empowering Entrepreneurs in the Whiskey Industry Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices