Latest news with #BrianAllen
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
True Standard Distilling comes to downtown Frederick
One of the keys to True Standard Distilling's operations sits away from the shiny white quartz countertop of the new tasting room or the 500-gallon copper still that sits behind a glass wall nearby. In a corner of a back room of the distillery — which celebrated its grand opening on Frederick's North Carroll Street on May 29 — is a case of glass beakers, each labeled with a strip of blue tape. The beakers contain extracts pulled from various types of fruits and spices, which head distiller Kristian Naslund, co-owner Brian Allen, and their team use in creating the distillery's products. Each of the extracts — whether from orange, grapefruit, lime, peppercorn, ginger, cardamom, or other items — is made in-house, said Allen, who co-owns the business with his wife, Ashley. The products include silver rum, spiced rum, silver spiced rum, and dark spiced rum, as well as a vodka. 'We're a house of cane,' Allen said, with their drinks based around cane sugars. The silver spiced rum is especially good for light, refreshing summer drinks, Naslund said. 'We want to be able to appeal to anyone who walks in the door,' he said. The neighborhood near Frederick's East Street has a history of brewing and distilling, Allen said. He and Ashley looked at the building, a former antique store, several years ago when they were looking for a location, then came back to it in 2021, he said. They kept most of the exterior walls, but gutted almost everything else, took off the roof, put in new trusses, and rebuilt the front wall. It took about a year to design the new building, and about two years to construct, he said. Allen started distilling as a hobby about 15 years ago. He and Ashley have three children. Eventually, she told him, he needed to find another location for his hobby other than at their house, he said with a laugh. He said he most enjoys the art and craftsmanship of experimenting with chemistry to create different products. Naslund also started distilling as a hobby, and began working professionally in Colorado in 2008. He said he likes trying to improve on a technique developed a long time ago, as well as the people he comes in contact with. 'For me, it's the people and connections, he said. He said that when he met Allen, he showed Naslund what he had in mind, then let him go to work. About 90% of what they produce goes into old bourbon barrels to age, Allen said. The barrels are stacked along a rear wall of the distillery's back room. The rest goes into the spiced rum and other drinks. Rum is traditionally aged in barrels, and flavors are pulled out of the wood, Naslund said. Along with the tasting room in Frederick, they're also focusing on distribution to be able to sell their product outside the Frederick area, Allen said. The tasting room is about 1,500 square feet, while the building is about 9,000 square feet overall, he said. They currently have 11 employees, bur plan to eventually have 15 to 20, he said. They're looking for a good chef, but are currently coordinating with some food trucks to provide food options, he said. As the business continues to grow, both Allen and Naslund are enjoying making a living at what they love. 'Once you get into the hobby of distilling, it gets into your blood, literally and figuratively,' Allen said.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Historic downtown Frederick carriage house now an eclectic family-owned distillery
FREDERICK, Md. (DC News Now) — A young Frederick couple has brought some exotic spirits to the downtown. Brian and Ashley Allen have repurposed a historic building to house copper pot stills for barrel aging of specialty rums. The couple is behind an architectural renovation that has won distinction from the Frederick County Building Industry Association. Shakira WorldPride concert canceled; issue with Boston performance given as reason The Carriage House on N. Carroll Street in the heart of Frederick's historic downtown dates back to 1860. Ashley Allen and her husband had been looking for a special building to house their dream of a craft distillery. 'You can't beat the downtown area here in Frederick,' said Ashley Allen. 'World-class rum deserves a world-class building!' With Ashley's help, Brian Allen put five years of passionate detail into planning and designing their business dream. 'We won the number one renovation award in the commercial building category from the Frederick County Builders Association,' said Brian Allen. True Standard's in-house distiller, Kristian Nusland, relocated to Frederick from Colorado, loves the 'downtown vibe,' as he puts it. As for being part of this creative launch in western Maryland, 'this facility is top notch,' Nusland said. 'It allows me to be creative through my process.' And talk about eclectic spirits! 'We have an Oxford reserve, which is an unaged rum finished on American and French oak,' Brian Allen explains. True Standard Distillery's doors are officially open. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Rams C Brian Allen retires from NFL at age 29
Former Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen has decided to retire from the NFL at the age of 29. His agency announced the news on Wednesday night, as the center calls it a career after five seasons in the league. Allen joined the Rams as a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft and while he was active for 13 games as a rookie, he didn't make a start until Year 2. That season, he played and started nine games before being placed on season-ending injured reserve. He didn't play in 2020 as he recovered from knee surgery, but he returned in 2021 and started 16 games, along with four in the postseason – including the Rams' win over the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. One hell of a ride for Brian Allen. May the next chapter be the BEST chapter! #AMDG — AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) March 5, 2025 Allen spent two more years with the Rams before being released following the 2023 season. He signed with the Browns last May but was placed on IR in July and released a few days later. He didn't play in 2024. Injuries certainly hindered Allen's career but his comeback story in 2021 after missing all of 2020 was memorable. He went from being a forgotten player on the Rams' roster to the starting center in Super Bowl LVI. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Former Rams C Brian Allen retires from NFL at age 29
USA Today
06-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Rams C Brian Allen retires from NFL at age 29
Former Rams C Brian Allen retires from NFL at age 29 Allen was the starting center in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI win over the Bengals One hell of a ride for Brian Allen. May the next chapter be the BEST chapter! #AMDG — AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) March 5, 2025 Former Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen has decided to retire from the NFL at the age of 29. His agency announced the news on Wednesday night, as the center calls it a career after five seasons in the league. Allen joined the Rams as a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft and while he was active for 13 games as a rookie, he didn't make a start until Year 2. That season, he played and started nine games before being placed on season-ending injured reserve. He didn't play in 2020 as he recovered from knee surgery, but he returned in 2021 and started 16 games, along with four in the postseason – including the Rams' win over the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Allen spent two more years with the Rams before being released following the 2023 season. He signed with the Browns last May but was placed on IR in July and released a few days later. He didn't play in 2024. Injuries certainly hindered Allen's career but his comeback story in 2021 after missing all of 2020 was memorable. He went from being a forgotten player on the Rams' roster to the starting center in Super Bowl LVI.
NBC Sports
06-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Former Rams C Brian Allen announces retirement
Former Rams center Brian Allen officially has retired, his agency announced. He has not played since 2023. 'One hell of a ride for Brian Allen. May the next chapter be the BEST chapter,' AMDG Sports said in a statement. Allen, 29, was the starting center for the Rams' Super Bowl LVI-winning team. The Rams made Allen a fourth-round pick in 2018, and he appeared in 50 games with 32 starts in five seasons. He signed with the Browns in May but went on injured reserve July 29 and the team cut him from injured reserve a few days later.
