Creativity is often associated with the arts, but it also plays a crucial role in entrepreneurship, craftsmanship, and innovation. In the latest episode of the COMPAS Creativity on Tap podcast, we sit down with Phil Steger, the founder and CEO of Brother Justus Whiskey Company, to explore the intersection of history, tradition, and reinvention in the world of whiskey.
Phil’s journey is anything but ordinary—he has smuggled humanitarian aid into war zones, studied theology, and worked in environmental activism, all before turning his focus to whiskey. Now, he’s using that same spirit of creativity to reimagine what American whiskey can be, drawing inspiration from Minnesota’s unique history and natural resources.
In this excerpt from the episode, host Frank Sentwali leads the conversation, uncovering Phil’s approach to creativity and how Brother Justus is rewriting the rules of distilling. You can check out the full episode here and also on Spotify and Google Podcasts.
And if you’re inspired by Phil’s story (we know you will be!) and want to learn more about his journey, join us for our next Creativity Unleashed event, which will be at the Brother Justice Whiskey Company distillery. It will be a fun, inspiring evening, and Phil will be on hand to share his perspective on how creativity fuels both artistry and entrepreneurship.
Frank: Your background is incredibly diverse: law, theology, humanitarian work, and now whiskey making. How has creativity been a common thread throughout your career?
Phil: I think creativity has been the driving force. Human beings are made to create, to take the vastness and complexity of the world and recast it into something we can experience and reflect on. In everything I’ve done, from humanitarian work to whiskey making, it’s about shaping something new, making something meaningful.
Frank: Where did this innovative mindset come from? What influenced you growing up?
Phil: I grew up in Marshall, Minnesota, right on the edge of the prairie. The vastness of the landscape shaped me. It’s humbling. You realize you’re just a small part of a much bigger world. Two other key influences were Pipestone, Minnesota, a sacred Native American site, and my mother’s work teaching English as a second language to Vietnamese refugees. Those experiences taught me about different cultures, creativity, and the layers of history embedded in everything around us.
Frank: You studied theology and even lived with monks. How did that experience shape your approach to both business and creativity?
Phil: It was a transformative experience. Monasteries aren’t just about tradition; they’ve historically been centers of innovation, whether it’s agriculture, medicine, or even whiskey-making. The key lesson I took was that true creativity isn’t about complexity; it’s about simplicity, about getting to the root of things. Meditation was also a huge part of monastic life, and I still practice it today. It helps me stay centered and open to new ideas.
Frank: Speaking of whiskey, what inspired you to start Brother Justus Whiskey Company?
Phil: I realized that Minnesota had every single ingredient needed to make world-class whiskey: The best water, the best grain, the best oak for barrels, and even peat. But no one had made a true Minnesota whiskey. I wanted to change that. Instead of just following industry norms, I applied the lessons I learned from pottery and art: let the ingredients tell their own story.
Frank: You’ve mentioned history played a huge role in shaping your vision for Brother Justus. Can you tell us about Minnesota’s hidden whiskey past?
Phil: Absolutely. During Prohibition, Minnesota was home to a legendary whiskey called Minnesota 13. Unlike other bootleg whiskey, it was consistently high-quality, so much so that it was sold in speakeasies from New York to San Francisco—even Paris. But what made it special was that it wasn’t the product of one distiller. It was a collective effort by over 1,200 farms.
At the center of this was Brother Justus, a Benedictine monk at St. John’s Abbey. He secretly taught farmers how to make safe, high-quality whiskey, not for profit, but to help them survive the economic devastation of the Great Depression. His only rule? Teach your neighbor. That’s the lineage we’re carrying forward.
Frank: That’s an incredible story. You’ve also pioneered a new way of using peat in whiskey. What makes your process unique?
Phil: Traditionally, peat is used in Scotch whiskey as a fuel to smoke barley, giving it that sharp, smoky flavor. But Minnesota has more peat than Scotland and Ireland combined. Instead of burning it, we asked, “What if we used peat as an ingredient, rather than a fuel?”
We developed a technique called cold peating, where we filter whiskey through peat, letting it absorb the flavors of 8,000-year-old Minnesota peat bogs. This had never been done before in whiskey’s thousand-year history. It was a simple idea—going back to nature—but it created something entirely new.
Frank: You’ve taken something ancient and made it innovative again. How do you see creativity shaping the future of whiskey?
Phil: I think the future is in authenticity—whiskey that tells a story. The industry has relied on tradition for centuries, but tradition alone isn’t enough. By stripping things back to the roots, we can find new ways to honor history while creating something fresh. That’s what Brother Justice is all about.
Frank: I love that. One last question—what’s your favorite part of this journey so far?
Phil: Without a doubt, it’s seeing someone try our whiskey for the first time. Whether I’m at a tasting event or just sitting in a bar, nothing beats watching someone take a sip, pause, and say, “Wow.” That’s the magic of craftsmanship.
Listen to the full episode here.
Learn about the Creativity Unleashed event here.
Want to learn more about COMPAS and how we can bring creativity to your school, organization, business, community center, library, and ANYWHERE ELSE? We’ve got you. Reach out here.
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things COMPAS here.
Creativity Unleashed is sponsored by
