Spring 2019
Editor
Erica Stacy
Assistant Editor
Mason Adams
Art Director
Shanin Glenn
Writers
Jenny Boone
Richard Lovegrove
Travis Williams
Grace Baggett (student intern)
Brendan Coffey (student intern)
Webmaster
Bruce B. Harper
Production Coordinator
Megan Zalecki
Director of Design & Digital Strategy
Brad Soucy
Executive Editor
Jesse Tuel
Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations
Matthew M. Winston Jr. ’90
Publisher
Tracy Vosburgh
Letters
To the editor
Straight-up
AGING GRACEFULLY: Ragged Branch has more that 1,400 barrels aging in their barrel barn.
It was interesting to read your story on Hokie alumni in the craft brewing industry (fall 2018).
My husband, Russell Nance ’94, and I are part owners in Ragged Branch Distillery in Charlottesville, Virginia, and we thought your readers might be interested in hearing about the Virginia Tech connections within our business as well as the agricultural component.
Ragged Branch Distillery produces two types of Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a rye-based bourbon and a wheat-based bourbon, as well as bourbon mash fed beef. Ragged Branch grows its own corn, wheat, and rye, which are ground and cooked daily. At the end of the distillation process, we feed the spent mash to our cattle (the alcohol has evaporated out). We sell the bourbon and beef in an on-site tasting room, and our bourbon is available in Virginia ABC stores as well as stores in Washington, D.C.; Maryland; Delaware; and Louisiana.
Our production team consists of recent Virginia Tech agriculture grads Josh Toomy ’14 and Chris Coggin ’13. They tend to the farm and the cattle, run the still, and so much more.
We have been in discussions with the Virginia Tech Agriculture Summer Internship Program regarding employing an intern.
We think our business is another great story about how Virginia Tech grads put their degrees to work in interesting ways.
Chrissy Nance ’95
New York, New York
Correction:
On page 45 of the fall 2018 issue of Virginia Tech Magazine, the class notes for Richard M. Arnold and Charles E. Hamner Jr. were listed incorrectly under the Class of ’49. These alumni are members of the Class of ’56.
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The university's flagship publication, Virginia Tech Magazine forges stronger relationships among alumni, donors, and friends of Virginia Tech. The magazine highlights the vibrancy of a university on the leading edge of technology, service, learning, research, and scholarship and showcases the achievements of alumni, faculty and staff, and students through a rich array of feature stories, alumni profiles, and university and alumni news. Virginia Tech Magazine is published quarterly by the Office of University Relations, with support from Alumni Relations. The Virginia Tech Foundation underwrites most production costs.