Fermentis is a business unit of the Lesaffre Group that develops, manufactures, and markets fermentation and characterization solutions for the beverage industry, based primarily on yeast and bacteria. Learn more at: https://fermentis.com/en/
Denise Jones is a Technical Sales Support Manager for Fermentis that specializes in fermentations for distillates and other unique beverages, joining Fermentis in October of 2020. She has 32 years of brewing, distilling and beverage manufacturing experience, and has served as a judge for the Kombucha Brewer’s International competitions, as well as an international beer judge for over 30 years. Denise attended the American Brewer’s Guild in Spring of 1995 and has created award winning beers for Great Basin Brewing Company in Sparks, Nevada, Third Street Aleworks in Santa Rosa, California, and Moylan’s Brewing Company in Novato, California. At Moylan’s, she began making whiskey washes for the sister distillery, Moylan’s Distilling, where she developed flavorful washes, assisted with distillations and barrel maturation decisions. In 2015 she accepted a position in Bamberg, Germany with Weyermann® Specialty Malts to become their Master Distiller/ Staff Brew Master, where she created biers, wines, whiskeys, gins, bier schnapps, and Bavarian fruit brandies. Denise now lives in Northern Nevada and offers technical fermentation support to distillers in North, Central, and South America.
What does being a sponsor of ACSA mean to you personally—and how do you see your role in shaping the future of craft spirits?
Denise Jones: Fermentis’ contributions to ACSA offer education and insight to distilleries seeking experience‑driven, analytically informed research across fermentation, fermentation nutrition, sugar‑source preparation, and innovative beverage solutions.
What do you see as the greatest challenges for craft spirits producers, and how does your company help distillers navigate those global and domestic market pressures?
Denise Jones: Today’s economic climate demands higher fermentation efficiencies. Fermentis helps guide distillers in meeting these challenges with products that support identity‑driven, efficiency‑focused, spirit‑directed fermentations. As agricultural commodities evolve with climate change, Fermentis continues to develop products that help distillers adapt to shifting raw‑material characteristics—reinforcing its role as a leader in diverse fermentation solutions.
What innovations or product developments from your company are most exciting for craft distillers right now?
Denise Jones: Fermentis offers solutions for advanced nutrition and targeted flavor composition through its portfolio of yeast strains, bacterial strains, and organic nutrition derived from yeast sources. Distillers can select products that align with their desired fermentation direction and craft a unique beverage signature.
How do you support sustainability or community‑driven initiatives within the craft spirits ecosystem?
Denise Jones: Fermentis is committed to sustainability and corporate responsibility across all levels of production—from the largest manufacturers to small craft distilleries. These standards are embedded in the company’s operations and guide how it partners with the food and beverage industries.
What role does technology and/or e‑commerce play in your strategy to support distillers?
Denise Jones: Fermentis dedicates substantial resources to research and development of both new and existing products, working closely with leading educational and research institutions to deepen understanding of how its solutions support distillers and their spirits. Through strong distribution partnerships, Fermentis ensures that its products remain accessible, consistent, and aligned with the highest standards of quality and performance.