30a is Feeling the Louisiana Spirit

Donner-Peltier Distillery in Thibideaux can now be found in cocktails up and down the Florida Panhandle! Boasting a line of three different Rouxgarou Rums, Oryza Gin and Vodka and LA1 Whiskey, DPD now has boots on the ground on 30a.

VP of Sales, Johnny Culpepper formed a strong collaboration with Havana Beach Bar & Grill's Corey Jernigan to create a cocktail made for sipping with your toes in the sand: Summer on 30a. When Corey isn't working his magic as Head Bartender in The Pearl Hotel's eatery in Rosemary Beach, FL, he's preaching the gospel of sweet Louisiana sugarcane.

Check out the recipe and let us know if this beach worthy cocktail has your vote:



Ingredients:

· 2 oz. Oryza Gin, or Oryza Vodka

· 1 oz. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

· .75 oz. Basil infused cane syrup

· .25 oz. Giffard's Vanille du Madagascar

· .25 oz. Elderflower liqueur

· 2-3 Small watermelon cubes

· 2-3 Slices of seedless English cucumber

Preparation:

Combine everything except the spirits, and gently muddle ingredients. Next, add spirits and shake vigorously. Double strain over crushed ice, garnish with a sliced watermelon rind.

Donner Peltier is a locally-sourced, micro-distiller. Located in the heart of Louisiana’s sugar cane country, where it is the only distiller in the world to make vodka from long-grain rice; and rum from Louisiana sugarcane.

Their brands of Rougaroux® rums, Oryza® vodka and gin, and their latest addition, LA1® Whiskey, are handcrafted in small batches using grains and sugar cane harvested from local farms. Remarkably, in the few short years Donner Peltier has been in existence, their spirits have won numerous awards and genuine admiration throughout the region; and enjoy ever-increasing demand.

To learn more about Donner-Peltier Distillers (DPD) & Rougaroux Rum, Oryza Vodka, Oryza Gin, & LA1 Whiskey. Please visit: www.dpdspirits.com

Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling

How did Beth Donner get the idea to start a Louisiana distillery?

“It was just that. It was just an idea," she said.

Beth, her husband Tom, and their business partners Henry and Jennifer Peltier, started Donner-Peltier Distillery in 2011.

Co-founder, Co-Owner, and President of Donner-Peltier Distillery in Thibodaux, Louisiana
Photo courtesy of the Donner-Peltier Distillery

After toying with the idea of opening a Louisiana rum distillery, they realized it had to be big. While there are only a handful of distilleries in the state, Louisiana residents aren’t new to libations, so they knew they needed to stand out.

The Donner-Peltier Distillery takes a unique approach to their product mix. Not only do they produce three different types of rum made from Louisiana sugarcane (and one with Louisiana pecans), they also churn out gin, vodka, and the first aged whiskey to be made in Louisiana since Prohibition using Louisiana rice.

Being “farm to bottle” is what differentiates Donner-Peltier from other spirits on the market.

It’s an interesting quadrangle of owners.

Jennifer Peltier is a nurse and works at the pediatric clinic with her husband, Henry, a pediatrician. Tom Donner is a practicing neurosurgeon, and Beth has her BA in International Trade and Finance from LSU, and an MBA from FSU (but we’ll forgive her for that).

Beth's background in business made made her the obvious choice to be President of Donner-Peltier Distillers.

As President, Beth handles a lot of the day-to-day duties of running a business, including accounting, financials, and managing staff; but marketing, creative collaborations, and branding falls on her shoulders as well.

“It’s the kind of job I’ve always wanted to do,” Beth explained, “but it’s been hard.”

Beth said there have been a number of times when felt she had to take a backseat when meeting with bars and distributors.

“It’s a male dominant industry, you know?" she said. "It is what it is."

For Beth, it's less about bar accounts knowing she's the boss and more about them pouring Donner-Peltier products.

Like a true woman in charge, she said her focus is on the company, getting their signature brand, LA1 Whiskey, established, and enjoying her favorite Oryza Vodka martini after a long day’s work.

Although her husband is a brain surgeon, Beth acts as the brains of the operation at the Donner-Peltier Distillery where she’s happy to be bringing the sweet nectar of south Louisiana to glasses all over the state in a way that supports and sustains the local economy.

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts

Erin White: Priestess of Pairing