A lot is going on along Main Avenue in PASSAIC.

Near one end, anticipation builds as a rooftop bar is set to open soon. Yet, at the entirely opposite end, closer to Park Place, the city is celebrating the opening of its first-ever boutique whiskey distillery and tasting room.

The brain behind the pioneering ExquisiteSip Distillery and Lounge is none other than Binyomin Terebelo. This man is a rabbi, a master distiller, and has an experience of a retired moonshiner. In his free time, he indulges in chronicling stories of Jewish pirates while effectively running his fully-fledged distillery- the Terebelo Boutique Distillery, nestled in Utica, New York.

Recently, Terebelo found some time to speak about his love for whiskey, his plans of setting up a local distillery, and a lot more, right from the cozy and compact tasting room located on Main Avenue.

Does the type of music you play affect the aging process of whiskey, such as heavy metal tunes from Metallica or peaceful strains of classical melodies?

As Terebelo points out, the result hinges on the specific character of the whiskey you aim to achieve via what is known as sonic barrel aging.

The concept of incorporating music and sound vibrations into the spirit’s aging process is something that various distilleries are presently trialling. Certain connoisseurs argue that this method of sonic aging is beneficial for spirits that mature in wooden casks, such as whiskey, brandy, and bourbon. However, the process does not yield results for vodka or gin.

Soundwaves emanating from heavy metal music, Metallica’s for instance, are thought to impel the whiskey further into the oaken barrel staves. It is interesting to note that Metallica has its own whiskey brand, named Blackened, that employs its music to invigorate the spirit in the barrels.

Terebelo discussed the calming influence of sound waves, particularly from classical music, on whisky stirring gently.

Classical music is employed at the Terebelo Boutique Distillery in Utica, not so much the “1812 Overture,” but more akin to waltz dance tunes. It causes the whisky to move softly inside the barrels, lightly grazing the wooden staves.

Regardless, the whisky and alcohol’s maturation process is aided by the movement generated by sound waves, as they mellow during evaporation.

Terebelo explained, “Wood is porous.”

His whiskey exhibits a very smooth character, with minimal burn, and provides differing finish flavors based on the specific type of keg used, which include those from tequila, mescaline, and rum.

The tasting facility located on Main Avenue was inaugurated on March 10. Currently, tastings are conducted only by prior appointment. Once Terebelo acquires the New Jersey license, which he anticipates soon, he will have more freedom to expand operations. As he explains, his business has already cleared most regulatory hurdles. He currently holds the federal license and a local certificate of occupancy, and is awaiting the state’s approval for his craft distillery license within the coming few weeks.

In the meanwhile, Terebolo is engaged in scouting for a suitable location in New Jersey to set up a craft distillery. A New Jersey-based facility would facilitate easier access to New York City bartenders and make it convenient to market his product in the Garden State. Distillery-related laws in New York and New Jersey vary significantly, often posing challenges to the business.

Terebelo also opined that obtaining a Jersey license would provide him the leeway to experiment with an array of distilling techniques.

“If someone comes with something I’ve never heard of before, I say, ‘Let’s try it,'” Terebelo said. His confidence in trying new things comes from a long family history in the distilling business.

Terebelo said he has been distilling since he was a child, playing around with a still in his parents’ Lakewood backyard as his grandfather cheered him on. His grandfather Seymour knew what he was doing, as he was involved in rum-running in Detroit during Prohibition.

“He’d walk around with a bottle in his baby carriage during Prohibition in Detroit” to avoid police, Terebelo said. “He’d say they’d go after everything else, but they never hit the baby carriages.”

The family’s distilling days can be traced back to Belarus in Eastern Europe, where Terebelo’s great-great-grandfather Eliezer made spirits. He taught his son Binyomin, Terebelo’s great-grandfather, the process, and he brought it to the United States and passed it on to Grandfather Seymour.

That’s where there seems to be a break in tradition.

Seymour’s son, who is Terebelo’s father, chose another route, that of a rabbi. Terebelo combined the two.

“Until my father, they all had stills,” Terebelo said. His father’s first still came when he had a mechanic weld one for him.

“Dad was passionate about my distilling,” Terebelo said.

On account of the fact that New York law mandates that all liqueur products bear a name, Terebelo drew inspiration from an era in Jewish historical past that’s obscure: the era of Jewish pirates in the Caribbean.

Jews of Spain who were seeking to escape the Inquisition found solace in Jamaica where they set up a colony. Subsequent capture of the island by the British marked the emergence of Jewish sea robbers.

In his collection, Terebelo has a pair of whiskeys, the Yaakov Koriel and the Blauvelt, carrying the names of noted pirates.

High-spirited Terebelo looks forward to obtaining his distillery license in New Jersey. When that day comes, he will possess the liberty to conduct walk-in tastings and to produce local whiskey.

Only a few stores carry his New York whiskey. It can be found at Total Wine and More in Union, The Vineyard and Wine on the Nine, both in Lakewood, and Passaic’s Cork & Barrel, in Brook Haven Mall.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Try whiskey in Passaic tasting room made by a rabbi, aged with music