A premium whiskey or rum takes a few years to reach peak quality, and the same may be true for a distillery itself. On today’s episode, Old Alker Distillery owner Kevin Alker talks about the six years he spent bringing his new venture to the marketplace. Old Alker celebrates its grand opening on Aug. 2 and 3 at 8304 Oak St. Ryan Guillory, Old Alker’s head bartender and mixologist, joins the conversation to provide some Oak Street history and to detail some of the new cocktail creations he’s created using Old Alker products.
about
Kevin Alker spent 30 years in the marketing, advertising and printing industry in New Orleans. His family’s roots are in the barrel-making business dating back to 1848. His pivot into distilling began in 2018 when he joined a national craft distilling organization and began reading and attending classes and seminars to hone his craft with the idea that he would start a New Orleans-based distillery. His daughter Morgan joined the business in 2024 to help with marketing, social media, and sales.
Ryan Guillory is the chef de cocktail at Old Alker Distillery. He is one of the organizers of Po-Boy Fest, Midsummer Mardi Gras and Nola Funk Fest
