A Story Told in Every Sip: Inside Oklahoma’s Award-Winning Woodworks Distilling Co.

Behind the Pour

Crystal and Roger have been regulars at Woodworks Distilling long enough that Abby, the house manager, knows what they drink and how they talk about spirits. This episode goes behind the bar — Abby tells her own story, and it turns out to be one of the more complete spirits educations a single person can accumulate: winery, enormous liquor store, brewery, and now craft cocktail program at one of Oklahoma's award-winning distilleries. Roger gets offered a job. Crystal mentions that she and Roger used to homebrew beer 'BC' — before child.

What You'll Discover

• Abby's industry journey — every step of the spirits education ladder: winery first, then a large liquor store ('we had everything — cordials, the difference between mezcal and tequila and bourbon and rye'), then brewery management, then craft cocktails at Woodworks. Each stop added a different layer of knowledge.
• What the Woodworks craft cocktail program actually does: Abby and her team build seasonal menus from scratch, using house-made preparations, tinctures, and fresh ingredients. The framework is fundamentals — any spirit build in your head, plus tinctures and juices, flows from there.
• Crystal and Roger's mead era (BC): Crystal mentions they brewed mead at home before parenthood — honey, oranges, juniper, dandelion greens. Abby asks what kind. It is a brief moment that reveals how far back Crystal and Roger's spirits curiosity goes.
• Why craft cocktails feel like cooking: Abby's description of the craft cocktail world is one of the episode's most quotable moments: 'It felt like creating magic. Wow, you can literally do anything you want behind the bar if you can put it into a glass.'
• An award-winning distillery in Oklahoma: Woodworks has built a reputation that extends beyond its local market. The episode is an inside look at what makes the venue work beyond its spirits.

A Moment of Pourspective

The best bars feel like kitchens — places where someone is creating with real skill, real ingredients, and genuine care about what ends up in the glass. Find those places and become a regular. They will teach you something every visit.

Explore the Conversation

The Woodworks episode functions as a love letter from Crystal and Roger to a venue they have come to rely on. The reveal that they are regulars who have watched the menus evolve over time gives Abby's conversation a different quality — she is not pitching to strangers, she is talking to people who already know and value the work. Abby's career path resonates because it mirrors the TLC audience's learning curve in industry terms. Most people who end up serious about spirits get there through accumulation — a few bottles that surprised them, a conversation that reframed a category, a venue that showed them what the category could be. Abby did all of that as work. Roger's running joke about wanting a job behind the bar lands in the context of a channel that has always been about education through engagement. Crystal and Roger do not just review bottles — they show up in venues, talk to bartenders, and report back on what the drinking culture actually looks like outside the home.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where is Woodworks Distilling? Woodworks Distilling Company is located in Oklahoma. It has been a regular destination for Crystal and Roger and is known for its craft cocktail program and award-winning spirits.
• What does a house manager do at a distillery? The house manager oversees bar operations, staff, menu development, and the day-to-day experience for guests. Abby's role at Woodworks includes creating the seasonal craft cocktail menus and training the bar team.
• What is a tincture in cocktails? A tincture is a concentrated extract made by steeping botanicals in high-proof alcohol. A small amount goes into a cocktail to add an intense aromatic or flavor note without significant volume.
• What is craft cocktail culture? Craft cocktails are drinks built with attention to technique, fresh and quality ingredients, and balance — as opposed to drinks built with premade mixes. The craft cocktail movement treats the bar like a kitchen.

Episode at a Glance

• Guest: Abby (house manager at Woodworks Distilling)
• Hosts: Crystal (Roger behind camera)
• Category: Spirits Education
• Location: Woodworks Distilling Co, Oklahoma