Iron City Distiller Added to Siebel Institute Craft Distilling Operations Course
From Siebel Institute of Technology
While we are known for our brewing courses, our 5-day Siebel Institute Craft Distilling Operations and Technology course has been one of our most popular offerings since 2013. This year, we are proud to welcome Matt Strickland to our Chicago campus in the role of course author and lead instructor for the course running Oct. 20 – 24, 2025.
Matt Strickland is the Master Distiller for Iron City Distilling in Creighton, PA just outside of Pittsburgh. He has assumed numerous roles in the industry and has established several distilleries in the U.S. and Canada. His primary production focus is whiskey though he has also produced a number of award-winning rums, gins, vodkas, and liqueurs.
Matt is an active teacher in the distilled spirits industry sitting on the faculty of Point Park University, The Distilled Spirits Epicenter and he has taught at Siebel Institute in the Craft Distilling Operations and Technology course. He also sits on the Board of Examiners for Distilling at The Institute of Brewing & Distilling. He is an active writer, producing numerous technical scripts for industry publications such as Distiller Magazine, Artisan Spirit, and Brewer Distiller International and regularly contributes to Whisky Magazine. He has authored two books for distillers, Cask Management for Distillers (White Mule Press, 2020) and Batch Distillation: Science and Practice (White Mule Press, 2021).
You can get complete information on this entry-level course here. For questions regarding the course, contact Keith Lemcke at klemcke@siebelinstitute.com.
2025 Pennsylvania Distiller Medals
Best in Class & Gold
- Wigle Whiskey – Dutch Style Gin
Gold Medals
- Botanery Barn Distilling Revivalist Garden Gin
- Sweet Rust Strip District Blend
Silver Medals
- Eight Oaks Barrel-Aged Applejack
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Manhattan
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Old Fashioned
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Port Rye Whiskey
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Straight Penna Rye Whiskey
- Lawrenceville Distilling 1129 Ridge Ave. Absinthe Blanc
- Lawrenceville Distilling Co. Parking Chair Vodka
- Maggie’s Farm Blueberry Brandy
- Maggie’s Farm Rum and Ginger RTD
- Maggie’s Farm Sherry-Cask Finish Aged Rum
- Wigle Reserve 4 Year Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
- Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon
- Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon
- Wigle 8 Year Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
- Wigle American Rye Kilted Cask Whiskey
- Wigle Madeira Cask Finished Bourbon
- Wigle Oaked & Ember Smoked Bourbon
- Wigle Pennsylvania Wapsie Bourbon
- Wigle Coffee Liqueur
Bronze Medals
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Pinot Noir Finished Bourbon
- Eight Oaks Farm Distillery Veterans Cut Single Barrel Bourbon
- Lancaster Craft Spirits Distillery Ale Cask Rare Bourbon
- Lawrenceville Distilling 1129 Ridge Ave. Absinthe Rouge
- Liberty Pole Spirits Old Monongahela Full Proof Rye Whiskey
- Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery Single Barrel Rum
- New Castle Union Station Craft Distillery Gandy Dancer Gin
- Wigle Reserve 4 Year Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon
- Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Rye
- Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Rye
- Wigle Limoncello
