AESTHETIC INNOVATION PREVAILS IN THE 4TH ANNUAL CRAFT SPIRITS PACKAGING AWARDS. MEET THE MEDALISTS!
the career-elevating event of a lifetime at the Craft Distilling Seminar in Montréal. Featuring 21 in-depth mini lectures from elite distillers representing 7 countries, this seminar is truly the best 2-day educational craft distilling event in the world. After attending, you will receive a certificate for your records. Register today and elevate your craft distilling education.
CRAFT DISTILLING SEMINAR
InterContinental Hotel, Montréal
August 20-21, 2024
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The Pinnacle of Packaging Perfection Presenting the medalists from the Fourth Annual Craft Spirits Packaging Awards
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Spotlight on Excellence
A closer look at the Best in Class honorees from the 10th Annual Judging of Craft Spirits
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Getting to Know
ACSA Member Producers
Profiles on 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Co., Cotton & Reed, Distillery of Modern Art, Hinterhaus Distilling and Salvation Spirits Distillery
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DISTILLING DESTINATIONS
Golden Opportunity
San Francisco Bay Area distillers embrace local roots in crafting unique spirits
BY JOHN HOLLCover photography: Jon Page
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LEGAL CORNER
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Crafting Connections
Dispelling myths and building bridges with goverment agencies
BY TERI QUIMBYIN THE LAB
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The Yeast to Know
Exploring the outsized role of a microscopic ingredient in craft spirits BY ANDREW KAPLAN
SALES & MARKETING
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Are You Content with Your Content?
A pair of marketing sessions at the recent Access Live trade show and conference sought to demystify content creation and promotion.
BY JEFF CIOLETTISAFETY
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Safer Storage
Some ways to cut down on the risks of mishaps with forklifts
BY ANDREW KAPLANSNAPSHOTS
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Images from ACSA’s 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show
CRAFT SPIRITS MAGAZINE
CEO, AMERICAN CRAFT SPIRITS ASSOCIATION | Margie A.S. Lehrman, margie@americancraftspirits.org
EDITOR IN CHIEF | Jeff Cioletti, jeff@americancraftspirits.org
SENIOR EDITOR | Jon Page, jon@americancraftspirits.org
ART DIRECTOR | Michelle Villas
MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE | Annette Schnur, sales@americancraftspirits.org
CONTRIBUTORS | Lew Bryson, John Holl, Andrew Kaplan and Teri Quimby
AMERICAN CRAFT SPIRITS ASSOCIATION
IT STRATEGIST & TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER | Akshay Anikhindi, akshay@americancraftspirits.org
EDUCATION MANAGER | Kirstin Brooks, kirstin@americancraftspirits.org
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP | Anna Klainbaum, anna@americancraftspirits.org
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT | Albab Melaku, albab@americancraftspirits.org
DIRECTOR OF MEETINGS & EVENTS | Stephanie Sadri, stephanie@americancraftspirits.org
ACSA ADVISORS
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS | Alexandra S. Clough, GATHER PR
LEGAL | Ryan Malkin, Malkin Law, P.A.
PUBLIC POLICY | Jim Hyland, The Pennsylvania Avenue Group STATE POLICY | Michael Walker, The Walker Group, LLC
ACSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2023-2024
PRESIDENT | Gina Holman, J. Carver Distillery (MN)
VICE PRESIDENT | Kelly Woodcock, Westward Whiskey (OR)
SECRETARY/TREASURER | Jessica J. Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)
Jordan Cotton, Cotton & Reed (DC)
Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. (VA)
Jessica J. Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)
Tom Potter, New York Distilling Co. (NY)
Colin Spoelman, Kings County Distillery (NY)
Jaime Windon, Windon Distilling Co. (MD)
Thomas Jensen, New Liberty Distillery (PA)
Gina Holman, J. Carver Distillery (MN)
Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits (NM)
Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Company (WY)
Mark A. Vierthaler, Whiskey Del Bac (AZ)
Thomas Williams, Delta Dirt Distillery (AR)
ACSA PAST PRESIDENTS
2020-2023 | Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.
2018-2020 | Chris Montana, Du Nord Craft Spirits
2017-2018 | Mark Shilling, Genius Liquids/Big Thirst
2016-2017 | Paul Hletko, FEW Spirits
2014-2016 | Tom Mooney, House Spirits
PACIFIC
Lucy Farber, St. George Spirits (CA)
Jeff Kanof, Copperworks Distilling Co. (WA)
Kelly Woodcock, Westward Whiskey (OR)
ACSA PAC
Jordan Cotton, Cotton & Reed (DC)
Lew Bryson, Alexandra S. Clough, Sly Cosmopoulos, Kamilah Mahon, Prof. Dawn Maskell and Teri Quimby
For advertising inquiries, please contact sales@americancraftspirits.org For editorial inquiries or to send a news release, contact news@americancraftspirits.org
P.O. Box 470, Oakton, VA 22124
© 2024 CRAFT SPIRITS magazine is a publication of the American Craft Spirits Association.
I’m still beaming about ACSA’s 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention & Vendor Trade Show, which concluded at the end of February. The Denver event was our biggest and best convention yet and we’ve got plenty of pages of images and recaps in this issue to prove it. I’ll let that coverage speak for itself. What I want to talk about here is a trade summit for another beverage alcohol sector that I attended a month prior to our epic convention: the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.
Sure, I’m an employee of a craft spirits organization and it may seem odd that I’m at an event for wine folk. But my reason for attending Unified is the same reason that I make a habit of going to the Craft Brewers Conference (whose next edition is in April): some differing legislative and regulatory priorities notwithstanding, there’s more that unites us with our fellow craft beverage producer than divides us. A lot of the suppliers to the industry seem to think so, as well, considering there’s much overlap among vendor categories at all three sectors’ trade shows. And the trend toward craft brewers crossing over into distilling operations is very much alive among winemakers, as well.
Here are a few of the items that I spotted at Unified that were of particular note. And please be advised, my inclusion here doesn’t necessarily equate to an endorsement. These are just some exhibitors that caught my eye.
Our previous issue included quite a comprehensive look at alternatives to conventional barrels (written by veteran contributor Andrew Kaplan), so I won’t go too deep here. But I will say Modern Cooperage’s stainless steel barrels with spaces for the insertion of oak staves piqued many attendees’ curiosity. According to the company, the barrels’ thinner exterior composition enables the vessels to hold 31% more liquid. Producers can also experiment with different types of oak within the same barrel. Once inserted, a hand crank rotates the wood to ensure maximum contact. A month later I got to see some of these containers in action at a spirits production facility on one of the stops during the ACSA convention’s distillery tour.
Innerstave offered another intriguing solution in the form of its Chain of Oak delivery method to revitalize older barrels whose ability to impart oak flavors is greatly diminished. The system’s designed to be installed through the barrel’s existing bunghole, attached by an eyehook on the bottom of the bung. Producers then can add new wood to their existing barrels without removing hoops and barrel heads.
As you’ll read in this issue’s installment of Data Distilled, RTDs are, in large part, driving overall growth in the spirits industry. Can and canning equipment suppliers are well aware of this and many of their offerings appeal to small spirits producers looking to put their RTDs into aluminum. Wild Goose Filling showcased its Gosling 2.0 unit, designed to package limited volumes with ease—up to 12 cans per minute. It enables a great deal of trialand-error and experimentation with different packaging formats for different products, without too much costly risk.
Wild Glass by Estal & Vetrispeciali developed its Rude Collection of glass bottles, which it describes as “rude and rough, imperfect and real” and having “craft appeal.” They’re made from 100% post-consumer recycled glass, with purposely uneven color and imperfections that create variable tactile experiences—or as Wild Glass says, “industrially standard, but always different.” They’re available in two colors, the clear, Wild Flint and the more opaque Wild Dark.
MCC Label highlighted its Mosaic solution, a digital design tool that enables producers to automatically create millions of unique designs from a single pattern. It allows for a vast range of color variations based on a unifying design theme, which could enable individualized looks for limited releases or a collectible series of bottles.
This was just a taste of some of the solutions on display. Many of the other solutions and innovations will find their way into our editorial departments in our future editions. In the meantime, enjoy the wealth of design-related dynamism in this issue, among the medalists in the 2024 Craft Spirits Packaging Awards. ■
Jeff Cioletti Editor in Chief
Lew Bryson has been writing about beer and spirits full-time since 1995. He was the managing editor of Whisky Advocate from 1996 through 2015, where he also wrote the American Spirits column, and reviewed whiskeys. He is currently a Senior Drinks Writer for the Daily Beast, and also writes for WhiskeyWash.com, American Whiskey and Bourbon+. He is the author of “Tasting Whiskey” (Storey Publishing, 2014), a broad survey of the whiskeys of the world, their history and manufacture. He has also written four regional brewery guidebooks.
John Holl is a journalist covering the beer industry. He’s the author of several books including “Drink Beer, Think Beer: Getting to the Bottom of Every Pint” and “The American Craft Beer Cookbook.” He is the co-host of the podcast Steal This Beer, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast and more. John has lectured on the culture and history of beer and judged beer competitions around the world.
Teri Quimby, JD, LLM is an attorney, president of Quimby Consulting Group and a former state alcohol regulator. She is known for her outspoken position on the need to modernize alcohol laws and regulations. Writing on legal, compliance and alcohol issues, her work has appeared in places like USA Today, Detroit News, Governing, Reason and American Spectator. In 2017, Crain’s Detroit Business recognized Teri on its list of Most Notable Lawyers in Michigan.
Andrew Kaplan is a freelance writer based in New York City. He was managing editor of Beverage World magazine for 17 years and has worked for a variety of other food and beverage-related publications, and also newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @andrewkap.
The American Craft Spirits Association would like to thank all of our annual sponsors and our key supporters of education. We are grateful for all of your support throughout the year. Interested in becoming a sponsor?
Visit americancraftspirits.org/sponsors or contact membership@americancraftspirits.org.
New Riff Distilling of Newport, Kentucky, has announced the release of its 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the distillery’s oldest bourbon yet released and an unprecedented “first fruit” of initial whiskeys set back for further aging. The 100-proof release is the newest installment to New Riff’s core product lineup.
In celebration of its 11th anniversary, Astoria, Oregonbased Pilot House Distilling announced the release of an ocean-aged single malt whisky. Batch No. 13 of A-O Come Hell or High Water Oregon Single Malt Whisky was aged in-house and then embarked on a journey aboard the Maverick fishing vessel. The 80-proof spirit promises a distinctive flavor profile infused with the essence of the salty sea, making it a truly unique and unforgettable spirit.
To mark the upcoming total solar eclipse, Hopkinsville, Kentucky-based Casey Jones Distillery announced the launch of its new four-grain Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon and the re-release of its previously sold out Total Eclipse Moonshine. Created by master distiller Arlon “AJ” Casey Jones, both releases are 100 proof.
Blackland Distillery of Fort Worth, Texas, proudly announced the release of its latest spirit, Texpresso Whiskey, a 70-proof Texas whiskey infused with rich flavors of coffee, brown sugar and pecans. The new addition to the distillery’s lineup launched in tandem with Blackland’s fifth anniversary in March.
SOLO begins a new future as an innovative model that revisits the essential codes of the best-selling OSLO, while offering itself as an even more extraordinary character design! Sensible in form, SOLO, like its predecessor, draws inspiration from old apothecary bottles, while incorporating the notion of a sustainable way of life. Weighing in at an incredibly light 450 grams, SOLO is a symbol of efficiency and practicality.
Blanco, Texas-based Milam & Greene Whiskey announced its first release from the 2024 Wildlife Collection, the Golden Eagle Single Barrel Bourbon, a limited-edition, 128.2-proof cask-strength sipper. The Wildlife Collection reveals how drastic weather in the Texas Hill Country influences flavor development inside the cask. The trailblazing series both brings awareness to the increasingly intense Texas climate and donates proceeds to Texas Parks and Wildlife causes. This bourbon yielded only 169 bottles.
Milton, Delaware-based Dogfish Head is introducing two new higher-ABV recipes, Pineapple Orange Rum Mai Tai and Passion Fruit Citrus Vodka Mule Clocking in at 12% ABV, both of the canned cocktails— like all Dogfish Head’s RTD cocktails—feature real spirits alongside a thoughtfully crafted duo of real fruit juices for deliciously distinct flavor experiences.
Kansas City, Missouri-based J. Rieger & Co. has deepened its partnership with the University of Missouri with the launch of two new ready-to-drink vodka sodas under the Electric Park Canned Cocktails brand: CoMo Cocktail, with a robust raspberry flavor, and Truman Twist, featuring a subtle lemon flavor. Both are 4.5% ABV and made with Rieger’s Vodka and flavored with real fruit juice.
Brooklyn, New York-based New York Distilling Co. is proud to introduce Jaywalk Straight Rye, meticulously crafted and built on Horton Rye, an historic varietal of rye native to New York. Jaywalk Straight Rye is bottled at 92 proof and its artfully crafted blend makes it an ideal ingredient for rye-based cocktails. It is joined by two other spirits built on Horton. Jaywalk Bonded Rye showcases a blend of exclusively 7-yearold whiskey at 100 proof and Jaywalk Heirloom Rye is an annual offering of scrupulously selected single barrels, bottled at cask strength (114-116 proof).
It’s
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Partnering with member distilleries and wholesalers throughout the United States, we provide a comprehensive training program and provide job exposure for those of different races, color, national origins, abilities, genders, and sexual orientations.
Vergennes, Vermont-based Lost Lantern has traditionally curated and released its collections around specific themes, but the Spring 2024 collection marks the independent bottler’s inaugural regional collection. With a focus on the Midwest, Lost Lantern aims to spotlight a whiskey region it believes deserves more attention. The collection features the return of three previous Lost Lantern partners—Starlight Distillery, Cedar Ridge Distillery and Tom’s Foolery—as well as three new distillery partners: Wollersheim Distillery, FEW Spirits and Middle West Spirits
Westward Whiskey of Portland, Oregon, introduced its first club release of 2024, Westward Whiskey Vienna Malt. When the distillery’s grain supplier delivered two-row Vienna malted barley instead of their standard two-row pale, Westward’s team of brewers-turned-distillers had a decision to make: back down or venture forward. This 90-proof expression is the embodiment of bold, decisive action, blending the award-winning technique of Westward Whiskey Original with destiny to bring taste buds on a sweet, toasted, malty journey.
Key West, Florida-based Papa’s Pilar Rum, the worldlysourced and Florida-finished rum brand inspired by legendary novelist Ernest “Papa” Hemingway, announced availability of the latest rum in its Legacy series, Legacy Edition 2023, crafted in honor of surfing legend and big wave pioneer Greg Noll.
The St. Regis Bar at The St. Regis Deer Valley and Alpine Distilling—both of Park City, Utah— announced that the second generation of the 90-proof St. Regis Barrel Select Gin is now available. The 600 bottles, aged for two and a half years in American oak barrels, are distilled, bottled and handlabeled by Alpine Distilling and corked with Germanengineered walnut bar stoppers. The additional years of aging results in a deeper complexity of flavor that only comes with time in the barrel.
Baltimore-based Old Line Spirits is adding a PX Sherry cask finish to its rapidly growing Double Oak American Single Malt Series. Finished in freshly emptied Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks and bottled at 100-proof, each bottle is at least four years old, including six months in finishing casks. According to the distillery, this release presents tasting notes of vanilla sponge, citrus, dark chocolate, raisin, plum and cherry.
Driftless Glen Distillery of Baraboo, Wisconsin, announced the upcoming release of its 110-proof Pineau-Finished Bourbon. The distillery took a 6.5-year-old bourbon and aged it in a Pineau des Charentes barrel for more than a year. Driftless Glen produced 310 bottles and says each bottle promises notes of stone fruit and toasted hazelnuts, with an herbaceous finish.
Milwaukee-based Central Standard Craft Distillery, and Leinenkugel’s of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, announced their collaboration on a ready-to-drink North Brandy Old Fashioned. The 8% ABV RTD combines North Brandy from Central Standard Craft Distillery and iconic flavors like cherry, cranberry and orange from Leinenkugel’s beers.
Thompsonville, Michigan-based Iron Fish Distillery is celebrating the release of its oldest bourbon to date: Mad Angler Bourbon Batch No. 4. This 5-year-old, 92-proof bourbon is meticulously crafted from a mash bill comprising 70% organic corn, 16% wheat, 9% northern Michigan barley and 5% winter rye sourced from Iron Fish Farm. Mad Angler Bourbon is exclusively sold in Michigan. The Mad Angler name is inspired by the writings of northern Michigan poet Michael Delp.
Author: Natalie Bovis
Publisher: Running Press Adult
Release Date: April 2
Fascinating feline trivia meets easy-to-make drink recipes in this tasty tome dedicated to the fluffiest, sassiest and most independent household pet—cats! The charming, pet-centric cocktail book combines a devotion to cats with celebratory drinks. Inside you’ll find everything you need to know to set up your home bar and craft 60+ scrumptious cocktails organized into catthemed chapters, featuring rescue cats, famous furbabies, cocktails for pawlidays throughout the year and more.
Distilled in Washington: A History
Author: Becky Garrison
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing/The History Press
Release Date: March 18
The state of Washington has a tortured history with liquor. Efforts to ban or restrict it date back to 1854, before the region even attained statehood, with blue laws remaining on the books well into the 20th century. From Jimmie Durkin, an enterprising saloon owner, to Roy Olmstead, a former Seattle cop turned gentleman bootlegger, the business of liquor has inspired both trouble and innovation. Author Becky Garrison traces the history of the barrel and the bottle from early settlement to the modern craft distilling boom in the Evergreen State
Author: Elliott Clark
Publisher: Media Lab Books
Release Date: April 16
This visually stunning book provides all of the information readers need to understand the needs of a home bar and tailor those needs to the space they live in, enabling them to create the optimal bar space for entertaining, parties, friendly gatherings and more.
Written by self-proclaimed cocktail nerd, Elliott Clark, the book reads as if you’re having a personal conversation with the author, during which he shares all of his good advice, tips and the occasional secret for developing a killer bar, along with the materials needed to ensure you can make the widest range of drinks needed on demand.
The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood
Authors: Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix with Megan Krigbaum
Publisher: Abrams Books
Release Date: April 30
Award-winning mixologists Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero co-founded Speed Rack, a global all-women bartending competition where competitors show off their talents making both classic and original drinks as quickly as their arms can shake and stir—all in the name of raising money for breast cancer charities. Shining a spotlight on the most influential women behind the bar today and their inventive drinks, this hot pink celebration of the incredible Speed Rack community is an unconventional, inspiring resource for home bartenders and professionals alike.
Atlanta-based Staghorn has named awardwinning craft whiskey maker Lisa Wicker as the first master distiller of its recently opened Garrard County Distilling Co. in Lancaster, Kentucky. The former Widow Jane Distillery leader will oversee whiskey making at the largest all-new independent distillery in the commonwealth, capable of producing 8.5 million proof gallons or 150,000 barrels of whiskey a year. The distillery began operations in January.
Wicker brings more than 20 years of distilling and winemaking experience to Garrard County Distilling Co. In her new role, she will manage all aspects of whiskey production, including grain selection, fermentation, distillation, blending and aging for the company’s owned whiskey brands, including All Nations, as well as contract-distilled whiskey.
Prior to joining Garrard County Distilling Co., Wicker was the president and master distiller at Widow Jane Distillery in Brooklyn, New York, where she worked for nearly six years. There, her highly regarded whiskeys earned such accolades as Whisky Magazine’s Best Small Batch Bourbon 2022, Best in Class at the 2019 Whiskies of the World Awards, and a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. She was also nominated for the Icons of Whiskey Master Distiller/Blender of the Year. Under Wicker, Widow Jane was the largest heirloom corn crop whiskey in the U.S. for several years.
Wicker’s other experience in the spirits industry includes lead distilling roles at Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., Samson & Surrey, Limestone Branch and Starlight Distillery. For years, she served as a consulting distiller at George Washington’s Distillery, the revival of the first president’s historic distillery at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
“I am so grateful to the team at Staghorn for this amazing opportunity to lead the whiskey making team at this beautiful new facility,” said Wicker. “Though this is one of the largest distilleries in Kentucky, my focus will remain on creating whiskeys using the hands-on, traditional craft disciplines I have honed over the past several decades.”
“When we were looking for a head distiller at Garrard County Distilling Co., we wanted someone with deep experience in timehonored distilling methods but also someone with an eye for what’s next. This made Lisa our obvious first choice,” said Ray Franklin, founder of Staghorn.
Until the whiskey currently in production matures, Wicker will focus her attention on Staghorn’s All Nations brand, selecting and blending whiskey from the company’s more than 17,000 sourced-barrel inventory. Garrard County Distilling Co. plans to announce several new brands in 2024.
“High-rye and wheated bourbons are going to be the calling card for Garrard County Distilling Co., but I am also excited to explore rye
LabelGPT, an artificially intelligent tool that reviews spirits, wine and malt beverage labels for compliance, recently launched on ChatGPT.
Avi Aisenberg—the owner of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based South Florida Distillers—combined a decade of experience in the distilling industry with a background in programming to create LabelGPT. He hopes the tool will help distillers, designers and more to simplify and streamline the label approval process with the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
“I believe that LabelGPT has the potential to significantly benefit industry professionals by saving time, reducing the risk of non-compliance, and ultimately speeding up the time to market for new products,” says Aisenberg.
LabelGPT is available at no additional cost
to subscribers of ChatGPT’s Plus plan, which is currently $20 per month. To review the label, a user simply needs to upload an image and ask the bot to review the label for compliance. LabelGPT will then evaluate the label and provide a detailed report and summary that estimates whether or not it is compliant.
To create the tool, Aisenberg used TTB checklists and manuals, as well as 10 years worth of feedback his distillery has received from TTB. He says he has received positive reactions from other companies that have tested LabelGPT and that additional feedback should only make the tool stronger.
“If enough of the responses from the TTB are pumped back into this thing, there’s a very good chance that we can reduce the overall need for how many reviews are done on labels across the industry,” says Aisenberg.
whiskey, American single malt and some other emerging categories,” continued Wicker. “Key for me will be to have a premium whiskey for everyone, so expect a broad portfolio across multiple price points, from your daily sipper to the bottle you pull out for special occasions.”
Located 30 minutes south of Lexington, the 210-acre Garrard County Distilling Co. site includes the 50,000-plus-square-foot distillery, as well as two 20,000-square-foot rickhouses, with plans for a total of 24 aging warehouses by 2030, each holding nearly 25,000 barrels. A visitor center with tasting room and restaurant is scheduled to open by the end of this year. This is the first commercial distillery in the formerly dry county since the 1800s.
Aisenberg is clear, however, that he does not see LabelGPT as a replacement for human labor.
“You may not think AI is coming, but it’s here,” says Aisenberg. “You should embrace it because it will help you. It’s not meant to get rid of you. I don’t want people to say, ‘I don’t need any employees because this thing exists.’ That’s not the point. It’s more like a calculator to give to somebody and say, ‘Hey, you can use this.’”—Jon Page
Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse has announced the next chapter of growth with the upcoming construction of a new state-ofthe-art distillery and tasting room in Louisville, Colorado. The new facility, slated to be completed by the end of 2025, will feature an expanded tasting room experience, and multiple expanded private event spaces, and will also bring all production and barrel-aging on-site under one roof. Once completed, Ironton will be fully transitioning all production and taproom operations from Denver to the new facility.
The two-acre facility, which is conveniently located in downtown Louisville with easy access to nearby biking and hiking trails, will build on the holistic tasting room experience at Ironton’s current location. Boasting a spacious ground-level tasting room, a rooftop deck, and sprawling outdoor patio space, this new family-friendly distillery pub welcomes guests to enjoy Ironton’s world-class spirits, cocktails and culinary program while kicking back and taking in Colorado’s natural beauty.
“Since our inception, Ironton has prided it-
self on creating rich, authentic connections to the state of Colorado from our exclusive use of local grains to our support of local artists, nonprofits, and community organizations,” said Kallyn Romero, co-founder of Ironton Distillery. “We are so thrilled to join the Louisville community and are excited to add another great gathering place for families and residents to foster meaningful connection.”
The new facility will also continue to feature a full scratch kitchen highlighting handcrafted distillery pub fare incorporating spent grain from the distilling process to pair with Ironton spirits and cocktails as well as local guest beer, wine and non-alcoholic options.
“We’ll always share a deep connection to Denver and the incredible community that helped get Ironton off the ground and thriving for the past six years,” said Romero. “While we’re excited to start a new chapter in Louisville, Denver will always be special to us and we’re still exploring options such as popups and storefront partnerships with hopes to maintain some sort of presence in the city once we transition to the new facility.”
Seattle-based Westland Distillery announces another proud achieve ment: earning B Corp Certification, which demands adhering to the highest levels of social and environmental performance, public trans parency and accountability.
Administered by the nonprofit B Lab, B Corp certification puts Westland within a global community of for-profit leaders pledging to use business as a force for good—making decisions based on their positive impact on people and the planet. To become a Certified B Corporation, companies undergo a rigorous review of the impact of their operations and business model on their workers, customers, communities and environment, and must meet a minimum verified score on the B Impact Assessment.
“Achieving B Corp status has been central to Westland’s mis sion since its inception,” says Jason Moore, Westland Distillery’s managing director. “When we speak of being ‘thoughtfully made,’ we don’t just mean our award-winning single malts. We strive to be thoughtful throughout every aspect of our business, which is why the entire Westland team is so immensely proud to achieve this incredible milestone.”
Central pillars of the B Corp verification process evaluate such tenets as transparency; the health, wellness and safety of workers; customer satisfaction; environmental impact, and relationships with local suppliers.
“Knowing our farmers and grain breeders directly, plus our work with Washington State University’s Bread Lab, are critical to our suc cess with our community and our resulting whiskies,” says master dis tiller Tyler Pederson, who oversees the creation of Westland’s Flagship American Single Malt Whiskey and the Outpost Range of limited edi tion single malts—Garryana, which showcases the Pacific Northwest’s rare indigenous oak Quercus Garryana; Colere, which showcases local barley varieties source through local farmersp and Solum, which is the first nationally released American whiskey peated with American peat.
“Pioneering the use of American peat, working to preserve and replant Quercus Garryana oak trees, and achieving Energy Star certi fication are just some of the steps we’ve taken in our comprehensive approach to sustainable practices,” says Pederson. Westland invests in technology that ensures optimal environmental impact throughout the production process, such as employing a cooling tower to recycle water for condensers and thereby reduce water waste.
“Westland is an open book when it comes to transparency,” says Moore. “We find that sharing as much information about sourcing and production as possible—especially with our whiskey releases—is what sets us apart.” This sharing philosophy is central to the tasting room visitor experience at Westland in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood.
Veteran farmers focused on conservation can now take advantage of a new funding opportunity.
Eight Oaks Farm Distillery in New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, is collaborating with PA Veteran Farming Network to make four $1,000 grants available to honorably discharged veterans who farm in Pennsylvania. Funds will be used to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses incurred when installing conservation best management projects.
The grant program is a reimbursement grant and more details can be found at pavetfarms.org/2024-eight-oaks-grant
“Veterans who farm share a passion for feeding their communities, and state and federal conservation programming helps them in their mission to also be good stewards of the land. This grant program will help these family farmers by offsetting some of the cost that goes along with doing the right thing,” said Mimi Thomas-Brooker, executive director of the PA
Chad Butters, Army veteran and founder and CEO of Eight Oaks Farm Distillery, previously engaged with both the NRCS and the Lehigh County Conservation District for technical assistance and payment incentives to improve the sustainability and water quality, and soil health of his 25-acre farm.
In 2022, Butters installed a high tunnel using NRCS EQIP. In 2023 he was one of the first farmers in his county to benefit from ACAP funding to install a fence, watering system, stream crossing, and other practices supporting regenerative agriculture.
According to Butters, his mission was to “establish a well-balanced ecosystem that uses a holistic approach and regenerative farming techniques to grow small grains, fruits, vegetables and raise pasture-fed livestock. That livestock will eventually provide healthy food to our community while improving our soil health and leaving our land better than we found it.”
the relentless challenges on that journey, not the least of which is financing their operation.
“While there are government programs available, many of them still require large out-of-pocket expenses. We hope that these grants can help meet that demand and help farmers get to the work of farming.”
Newport, Kentucky-based New Riff Distilling has named Brian Sprance master distiller and Rawnica Dillingham chief sales officer. Sprance’s promotion to master distiller is the first designation in the distillery’s history. Sprance has been with the company since its inception in 2014.
With more than 25 years of combined spirits, wine and hospitality experience, Dillingham’s unique blend of industry acumen and passion for customer engagement formed an undeniable alignment with New Riff’s commitment to innovation and culture authenticity.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer, New Riff is embracing a year of growth, including leadership changes that set the company up for success in the years ahead.
Founder, co-owner and chief executive officer Ken Lewis will retire this spring and a new leadership transition will follow, with Hannah Lowen as chief executive officer, Mollie Lewis as president and Denny Gorman as chief operating officer. The company’s director of sales, Mollie will become the second generation to be a part of the New Riff leadership team, succeeding her father in his role as president. Additionally, New Riff is expanding its national distribution footprint into four new markets in Q1 of 2024.
The addition of Dillingham rounds out a predominantly femaleled executive team, alongside Lowen and Lewis, further reinforcing the distillery’s commitment to diversity at all levels of leadership. “I am thrilled to join the exceptional team at New Riff Distilling,” said Dillingham. “I’ve long admired the brand’s dedication to innovation, authenticity, and the art of crafting exceptional whiskey. As one chapter closes, another begins, and I am eager to contribute to New Riff’s continued success.”
Upon joining New Riff, Sprance was mentored by consulting master distiller and “godfather of rye whiskey” Larry Ebersold, an unrivaled authority in the world of distillation and American whiskey. Together with New Riff co-founder Jay Erisman, they launched the distillery and laid the foundation for the flavor profiles of its spirits and aging regimen.
“Larry Ebersold was instrumental in my training as a distiller and I consider myself extremely lucky to count him as a mentor,” Sprance said. “Larry was an excellent teacher who rarely gave the answer, but instead, motivated me to reach a full understanding of each situation that presented itself in the whiskey making process.”
Rockford, Michigan-based Eastern Kille Distillery quietly opened its new $4.2 million distillery, cocktail bar and restaurant late in December to ensure its staff and the space was ready to operate. In the weeks following that soft opening the distillery has been overwhelmed with support from the community in West Michigan.
“We’ve had over 6,000 people through our doors in less than 30 days. We’ve already expanded our days and hours to meet demand,” said co-owner Steve Vander Pol. “We are grateful to our loyal customers from Grand Rapids along with new local customers that have come out to support us since moving to Rockford.”
The new facility includes 8,000 square feet of distillery space, 4,000 square feet of restaurant space and sits on 16 acres of field and forest adjacent to the White Pine Trail, a 92-mile walking, biking, snowmobiling and cross country skiing destination.
Local architect, Mathison I Mathison Architects designed the space with high ceilings for functionality, creating more storage space
in production, and to offer an expansive view of the natural setting through a glass curtain wall for customers.
“With our neighbors Third Nature Brewing and direct access to the trails, we look forward to making this a new destination and unique experience for visitors from across the state and country,” said Vander Pol.
The restaurant currently seats 100 inside and in the summer will seat another 100 outside. The menu features primarily pizza and small plates. “We look forward to the full summer experience with outdoor space to eat, drink and play with the whole family, including the dog.”
The capacity of the distillery, including a new 1,000-gallon stripping still and a larger mash kettle, allows Eastern Kille to nearly triple the amount of spirit production per year over the previous location.
Whiskey remains the focus for the distillery and to celebrate the opening of the new location Eastern Kille is introducing a cask finished series.
Throughout 2024, Eastern Kille will release
five unique bourbons, all finished in a different European cask. Each whiskey is over five years old between the initial aging and cask finish. Cognac and Vermouth cask finished bourbons are the first releases in this limited series and are available at the distillery now. Oloroso Sherry, Apricot Brandy and Tawny Port cask finished bourbons will be released throughout the rest of this year.
“Good whiskey takes time—and is a distinct product of the climate where it is aged,” said Vander Pol.
The United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) announces that a nationwide search for the organization’s next executive director is underway.
The USBG seeks a new executive to build upon departing executive director Aaron Gregory Smith’s capstone projects which brought the Guild’s operations into the modern age while navigating an industry in crisis during a global pandemic which effectively shut down the hospitality industry.
As the USBG heads into its 76th year, Smith and the USBG board of directors view 2024 as the optimum time for a fresh perspective at the helm of the guild and it is why they have enacted the executive director succession plan that was created in 2017.
Staff, volunteer leadership and all stakeholders have shared their enthusiasm for new perspectives which will continue to strengthen the organization and support the values of service, integrity and sharing knowledge that make involvement in the USBG so beneficial for its members.
USBG president Ingrid Rodriguez notes, “Never before in our 76year history have we had the unprecedented chance for the organization’s leadership to positively influence its future. Our board members eagerly anticipate evaluating executive director candidates who offer innovative perspectives, robust organizational abilities, and valuable insights gained from experience.”
The USBG executive committee has the authority to serve as the search committee or to delegate authority to an independent search committee. For this, the USBG’s first executive transition, the committee selected a search committee to execute the succession plan.
The passing of the torch to the next executive director begins with the formation of the nine-member search committee composed of seven industry leaders and led by Jess Pettitt and Marc Pitman as non-voting co-chairs, both of whom are outside consultants with years of association and philanthropic expertise. Committee members have been selected to provide the widest and most diverse swath of bartending, drinks and hospitality industry professionals in order to maintain the organization’s commitment to a well-informed search.
Committee members are now kicking off the first phase of this process of finding a qualified candidate. Their first order of business is to make public the updated job description so that candidates can be sought via multiple outlets including professional search firms and recruiters, job boards and personal referrals. The process includes multiple rounds of interviews and background checks before a candidate is selected by the board of directors and the job offer is extended by the executive committee. The new executive director’s start date typically falls two to five weeks after that depending on existing personal and professional commitments.
While the search is ongoing, operations at the Guild remain business as usual. Jarrette Moore, currently the director of membership and marketing, will be named acting executive director effective July 1. Smith will be available to provide counsel and mentorship to the new executive director who may come from another field.
Departing executive director Aaron Gregory Smith notes, “My time leading the USBG has been one of the most rewarding decades of my life. I am proud of the work we have all done strengthening the financial and operational aspects of the guild, building membership, taking care of members in need and, together, weathering the storm of the pandemic.”
Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB Brooklyn), the premier international trade event for the bar and beverage industry, announces that registration for the highly anticipated 2024 show is now officially open. Set to unfold June 11 and 12 within the vibrant campus of Brooklyn’s Industry City, this year’s show promises expanded space for exhibitors, including new international pavilions, along with enhanced programming opportunities and interactive experiences throughout the venue.
Heading into its sixth in-person edition, Bar Convent Brooklyn continues to thrive, having established itself as a cornerstone event since its inception in 2018. Offering a welcoming and collaborative environment, it serves as a platform for industry professionals to engage in discussions and celebrate liquid culture through networking, education and exploration of the latest trends and innovations in the dynamic world of spirits and beverages. With each passing year, the event has experienced significant growth, reaching new heights in 2023 with 4,5000-plus industry professionals, 198 exhibitors, 55 education
sessions and 475,000 drinks and spirits samples poured over the two-day event.
“The evolution of Bar Convent Brooklyn has been truly remarkable,” expresses Jackie Williams, event director of Bar Convent Brooklyn. “Building upon the successes of previous years, we are thrilled to anticipate yet another milestone event in 2024. Our curated programming and education sessions promise to captivate and empower visitors, reflecting the dynamic innovations within the spirits and beverage industry. As we embark on this year’s show, I’m eager to see the emergence of new ideas and trends that will shape the future of our industry.”
Tickets can now be purchased online on the Bar Convent Brooklyn website, starting at an Early Bird Rate of $60 for one-day and $100 for two-days available until April 1. From April 2 to June 3, pre-purchased tickets online will be priced at $90 for one-day and $140 for both days. After June 4, upon availability, tickets will be $120 for one day and $180 for two days. During the two-day event, participants will engage in a wide array of innovative
education opportunities covering emerging trends, techniques and products both domestically and around the world.
San Diego-based Speakeasy Co., a directto-consumer (DtC) e-commerce solution for the beverage alcohol industry, recently announced the launch of its new online marketplace, the Liquid Library, providing customers with a convenient and innovative way to shop for their favorite alcohol brands, and brands they have yet to discover. Since its launch in October, Liquid Library has already seen significant growth and success.
With nearly 300 brand partners, Speakeasy Co.’s unique centralized fulfillment model allows beverage alcohol suppliers to create white-labeled e-commerce sites to sell products DtC, while remaining compliant to the three-tier system that is required for all alcohol brands in the industry. This empowers brands to have full control over their growth and customer experience, as well as access to valuable data and analytics of their target customers. Now, Liquid Library is a new, competitive advantage for Speakeasy, as brands have another place to sell products online.
“Liquid Library is a game-changer for Speakeasy and its alcohol brand partners,
allowing for expanded market reach and enhanced brand visibility,” said Michael Bowen, co-founder and COO of Speakeasy Co. “This e-commerce marketplace, similar to our whitelabel solutions, not only streamlines operations but also provides invaluable data-driven insights that can drive innovation and adaptability in a fast-evolving market. It’s more than just a sales platform; it’s an ecosystem driving growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, all while helping our brands dominate the digital landscape.”
The marketplace has already seen a significant increase in organic traffic since launch, with organic store sessions averaging a 45% increase month over month. While also utilizing in-house marketing services to support growth, Liquid Library immediately generated revenue after launching email and SMS campaigns, equating to a 64% lift in conversions.
“Brands can strengthen their online presence and also tap into a wider audience by utilizing our Liquid Library marketplace,” says Josh Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of Speakeasy Co. “In the near future we expect
expansion of our product catalog to include more brands and also provide personalized recommendations to customers as we begin to learn their drink preferences. Even further, we are educating customers with our industry specific blog posts, truly making Liquid Library a resource and one-stop-shop.”
The Liquid Library blog adds a level of education for customers looking for information on best sipping whiskeys, best reposado tequila, bourbon reviews, and other beverage related topics. Recent top sellers include Paul Cullen Wines, Clear Water Distilling’s ScandaLust Cinnamon Whiskey, and Big Nose Kate Western Whiskey. Subscribing to email and SMS updates from the Liquid Library will keep users up-to-date on new featured products and exclusive promotions.
After 35 years of homeownership, this year I’m finally getting a home bar. It’s a great space: our basement dates back to the first half of the 19th century. We’re keeping the original stone walls and using some of the old beams in the actual bar, capping the rustic look with a minimally-enhanced, live-edge black walnut slab for the bar top.
I love the olden-times look, but I’m no authenticist when it comes to function. The floor was wood on packed earth, now it’s a concrete slab with drains and plumbing; we’ll stain it, and then put a braided rug on there. I’m installing a proper steel double sink behind the bar, and fitting a glass rinser into the bar top.
And we’re going to have two taps set into a barrel head on the back wall behind the bar, with all of the mechanicals tucked away behind the wall, out of sight. I got an apartment fridge on clearance, and after we drill and gasket that, carefully measured and set lines will connect to the taps. One tap will be beer, probably from a local brewery, and the other … will be seltzer.
Yup, plain, pure fizzy water. When I first mentioned the idea of a seltzer tap to my wife, she didn’t react well. I was getting carried away, she said. It would be like the bartop citrus press (she loves to bring up the citrus press); expensive, more gadgetry, and never used!
I said to her what I’m saying to you, as the point of this column: highballs, spritzers, nonalcoholic options. I said nothing else, but then we had highballs on the porch, bourbon, with big cubes of ice and wedges of lime. Next morning, she’d rethought the whole thing, and green-lit the seltzer tap.
If you’ve got a tasting room, you should do the same thing. Let me explain.
First and foremost: highballs. Sampling neat spirits is fine when people are there to get in, buy four bottles, and get out, but if they’re going to hang around and unwind,
you’ll want something a bit more hospitable, something long and tall. If you’ve got a porch, and warm weather, guests to your taproom will appreciate the inviting clink and clank of hard-cold ice in a tall glass of whiskey and seltzer, with or without that lime wedge.
It’s not just whiskey, of course. Swap in your gin, squeeze half a lime, and you’ve got a Rickey. Lemon instead of lime, some simple syrup, and it’s a Tom Collins; now switch the whiskey back in and it’s a John Collins. And of course, there’s Mister Pays The Bills, the Vodka Soda, with lemon or lime, or hell, why not both? That’s your house Vodka Soda TwoWays special, right there.
A seltzer tap is a drink-making machine. Are you making an amaro? We can talk about that later, but once you are, an Amaro Spritz is going to draw the sophisticated almondmunching, olive-popping crowd to your bar. If you’ve got a coffee liqueur (and we’re definitely talking about that later), you can make a sippable, smashable cold brew.
You’ll make better drinks than with bottled seltzer, too. Your own seltzer is always cold, so the ice will last longer, and it doesn’t go flat. Consider taking advantage of the control and getting it stimulatingly buzzy. Folks dig that.
Next level? Well, I’m planning on getting some 8-liter PET kegs with ball lock connects that a homebrewer friend suggested. They’re about 10 bucks each, and you can charge seltzer in them … but you can also put flavorings in. I’m going to use them to make my own tonic water, after some experimentation, and ginger beer. That’s two more taps, and a lot more drinks.
I can also mix bulk cocktails in the PET containers, charge them, and keep them cold in reserve. Spritzes, sure, but if you ease off on the fizz, and just use the pressure to push, you can do draft mojitos, palomas, margaritas, Cosmos, Mai Tais, Bee’s Knees … the only limit is imagination, and you’ve got them batched
A seltzer tap is a drink-making machine.
and ready to go for Friday afternoon. Prep garnishes, clean glassware, check the ice supply, and you’re flying!
I did mention non-alcoholic options. The chances of someone having a non-drinking friend seem to be greater these days, so you’ll want something fun for them, too. So put some time and tinkering into non-alcoholic recipes—not non-alc spirits, that’s a whole other thing—and remember that fizz is always more fun.
What’s the downside? Cost, of course, is a consideration. You’ll have to get the CO2 tank, the multiple regulator, a good-sized keg for seltzer and then the smaller ones for cocktails and mixers, the taps, the tubing, and all the little accessories, and the smart stuff for keeping everything cool. There’s the time and brainwork getting it all set up properly (the length and diameter of the tubing is crucial). And then there’s some gear and time to keep it all clean.
Still, if I can afford it on Social Security and what they’re paying me here, you can! And the benefits are great. You’ll have a fizzy cocktail program that’s easy to dispense, and a reason for folks to stay and get to know your products, and your brand. ■
Lew Bryson has been writing about beer and spirits full-time since 1995. He is the author of “Tasting Whiskey” and “Whiskey Master Class.”
In late February, ACSA welcomed more than 1,300 registered members of the craft spirits community to Denver for an unforgettable gathering at our 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show. Amidst the backdrop of Colorado’s dynamic spirits scene, we moved mountains to help our members succeed.
The record number of attendees and exhibitors immersed themselves in insightful educational sessions; navigated through a bustling trade show floor; witnessed the awards presentations for our Judging of Craft Spirits and Craft Spirits Packaging Awards; reconnected and forged new friendships at an array of networking events; and much more!
Our trade show floor was buzzing with energy as more than 150 exhibitors—including 40 first-time vendors—displayed their latest offerings and products designed for producers of craft spirits. We also expanded our educational offerings to the trade show floor with meetups and a series of Ask the Expert and Tradeshow Talks in four salons.
Our educational programming offered invaluable strategies for success. The agenda featured more than 50 sessions covering a wide range of topics for everyone from a novice to the most seasoned attendees. The three main tracks included sessions on technical/production, sales/marketing and business/compliance. Our best-attended session was a panel on premiumization trends driving craft spirits packaging innovations.
Our agenda also included the TTB Bootcamp in which a panel from the U.S. Alcohol
and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau covered permits, formulas and labeling. Prior to the convention, we also held our popular 1.5-day Distillery 101 class.
During a luncheon, we announced the winners of our 10th Annual Judging of American Craft Spirits and 4th Annual Craft Spirits Packaging Awards. ACSA proudly bestowed the blind-tasting competition’s ultimate honor, the Best in Show award, to Garrison Brothers Distillery for its Cowboy Bourbon. In addition to Best in Show and the Best of Class distinctions, the judging panel awarded 55 gold, 107 silver, and 92 bronze medals.
The 4th Annual Craft Spirits Packaging Awards awarded 27 medals, and Botanery Barn Distillery captured Best in Show for its Revivalist Garden Gin. You can read more about the awards later in this issue.
At lunch on the final day of the convention, ACSA CEO Margie A.S. Lehrman presided over a town hall meeting. Attendees heard from a wide range of ACSA board members, committee chairs, advisors and partners who provided updates on ACSA’s strategic plan, the Craft Spirits Data Project, education initiatives, ACSA’s PAC, potential legislation affecting craft spirits producers and much more.
During a reception at Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse for members of ACSA’s PAC, we toasted to bolstering the business landscape for craft spirits producers. Our guests speakers included Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie and Senate President Steve
Fenberg. Special thanks to our guest speakers and to Ironton for hosting the event!
In a small gathering at The Family Jones Spirit House, the STEPUP Foundation held its second graduation ceremony for interns Ashley Grayson and Amy Salter. Inaugural interns Erin Lee and Yakntoro “Yaki” Udoumoh and current interns Alexcia Pugh and Erica Paul were also in attendance, and 2023-24 mentors and DSP hosts were introduced and celebrated.
Special thanks to The Family Jones and Rob Masters for hosting the event.
Visit stepupinternship.org or email info@ stepupinternship.org to learn more about how to support or participate in the program.
Throughout the course of the convention, we offered numerous opportunities for attendees and exhibitors to network over drinks, hors d’oeuvres, singing and dancing. Prior to the convention, we offered two distillery tours, which featured visits to Leopold Bros., The Family Jones, Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, Laws Whiskey House, Bear Creek Distillery, Spirit Hound Distillers, Root Shoot Malting, Boulder Spirits, Talnua Distillery and Copper Sky Distillery.
We partnered with the Colorado Distillers Guild for a happy hour in the exhibit hall where more than 15 Colorado distilleries poured spirits and cocktails. We hosted our opening reception at Puttshack, where attendees
The election for new members of the ACSA Board of Directors is now open with a deadline of April 8. Which leaders will best change our economic landscape? Which leaders can most influence legislative and regulatory reform? Which leaders will represent your vision of where our industry should be in five years, 10 years and beyond?
The candidates include:
Victor Young, Dunamis Premium Spirits (FL)
Adam Polonski, Lost Lantern Whiskey (VT)
Greg Keeley, Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. (KY)
Greg Eidam, Sugarlands Distilling Co. (TN)
CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN REGION
Olivia Stewart, Oxbow Rum Distillery (LA)
Eldon Nygaard, Stone Faces Distillery (SD)
Devin Walden, Big Machine Distillery (TN)
Phil Steger, Brother Justus (MN), Thomas Bard
The Bard Distillery (KY)
PACIFIC REGION
Alex Villicana, Re:Find Distillery (CA)
Nate Randall, Hinterhaus Distilling (CA)
Voting members should have received an online, electronic ballot from vote@simplyvoting.com. If you do not see the ballot, please check your spam filter. If you did not receive it, please contact membership@ americancraftspirits.org
WATCH VIDEOS FROM THE CANDIDATES
enjoyed drinks, food and indoor mini golf.
At our hospitality suite, we tasted many of the spirits that received medals in our Judging of Craft Spirits competition. We also joined in as our fellow attendees belted out tunes during a spirited karaoke session, adding an extra layer of camaraderie to the evening’s festivities.
And on the final evening of the convention, we enjoyed a concert by award-winning honky-tonk singer Casey Prestwood at The Globe Hall.
SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM OUR CONVENTION ON PAGE 84
ACSA gratefully acknowledges the generosity of those that have provided support for our 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show, including:
Lallemand Distilling: Sponsor of Distillery 101 class
The Digest of Wine & Spirits Law: Sponsor of tote bags
Berlin Packaging: Sponsor of central Denver distillery tour
Saverglass: Silver sponsor of CRAFT SPIRITS Yearbook
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.: Sponsor of hospitality suite
The Strategic Sourcing Hub: Sponsor of mobile app
Blue & Co.: Sponsor of exhibit hall coffee
Crafted ERP: Sponsor of exhibit hall coffee
Kraftwork: Sponsor of exhibit hall coffee
Niagara Label: Sponsor of mobile charging units
Big Thirst: Sponsor of registration bag materials
The Country Malt Group: Sponsor of registration bag materials
Apholos: Sponsor of registration bag materials
CF Napa Brand Design: Sponsor of registration bag materials
Independent Distributor Network: Sponsor of salons
The Brewers Association: Sponsor of opening reception
Colorado Distillers Guild: Partner for exhibit hall happy hour
The beverage alcohol market experienced some significant headwinds throughout 2023 and spirits, in many cases, felt those as much as the other adult beverage sectors. That was among the key messages coming out of the SipSource Trends Breakfast during the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America’s Access Live convention earlier this year.
Total spirits shipments and off-premise retail sales were up a respective 1.7% and 5.0%, according to data presented by analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton of SipSource, the industry’s only data source based on aggregated wine and spirits distributor depletion data. However, the market owes a debt of gratitude to RTDs, which are doing much of the heavy lifting in keeping those
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numbers in positive territory. If you strip out RTDs, depletions were actually down 3.6% and off-premise sales were down 2.3%. Since spirit-based RTDs still have a very limited presence on-premise, overall spirits sales were down 5.3% in bars and restaurants.
Despite the fact that inflation has shown signs that it’s cooling, it’s still making an impact on consumer buying decisions. Spirits growth has shown considerable slowing in the high-end price tiers, which suggests that the premiumization trend that has, for so long, driven spirits performance, is taking a bit of a back seat—at least for the time being. Interest rates also remain high, consumer debt is reportedly at an all-time high and consumer trends are shifting, especially as
more members of Gen Z have reached legal drinking age and may be showing less interest in beverage alcohol than previous age groups. Further, wholesaler and retailer inventories are at the highest points they’ve been in years— some of that due to the pendulum swinging back after the pandemic-related supply chain issues significantly lowered inventory levels— and they’re pulling back on ordering.
Additionally, Brager and Stratton noted that 2024 is a pivotal year for the future performance of the industry. Topics that loom large this year include moderation trends; changing consumer demographics; whether premiumization returns and to what degree; the economy’s performance; and more.
Quench your thirst for knowledge in ACSA’s Craft Spirits Classroom.
For more information or to register, visit our website at americancraftspirits.org/education/webinars.
The liquid inside a bottle or can is ultimately the most crucial element of success for a craft spirits brand, but producers cannot overlook their packaging. It catches your eye on the shelf and tells you a bit about the personality behind the bottle. It communicates the brand’s identity, values, story and more. It complements the quality of the liquid inside, providing a holistic experience that resonates with consumers and fosters brand loyalty. The medalists in the Fourth Annual Craft Spirits Packaging Awards completely grasp that concept.
Presented by the American Craft Spirits Association and CRAFT SPIRITS magazine—and sponsored by the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI)—the Craft Spirits Packaging Awards celebrates the best in craft spirits labels and packaging. This installment of the awards drew 110 entries from 81 companies. The medals and Best in Show honors were officially announced in February during a ceremony at ACSA’s 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show in Denver. ACSA board members announced the medalists and Scott DeFife, president of GPI, presented Best in Show honors to Revivalist Garden Gin.
Judging for the Craft Spirits Packaging Awards took place virtually in January, with an esteemed panel of judges evaluating each entry on the following criteria.
AESTHETICS: How does the packaging appeal to you from a design/artistic perspective?
INNOVATION: How original is the design? Does it stand out on a shelf?
EMOTIONAL APPEAL: How does the packaging make you feel? Does it connect with you?
BRAND COMMUNICATION: How well does the packaging tell the story of the brand/product through visual/design/copy elements?
The packages that rated highly on all of those criteria are the ones that connect with consumers and drive trial and sales, even when those consumers have not previously encountered your products.
Erika Rietz is a freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience covering craft beer, spirits and a breadth of culinary topics for print and digital publications. She was previously the editor-in-chief of DRAFT Magazine, and is currently the owner of Se_Ku Skatewear, a brand of athletic apparel for figure skaters.
Jim Flynn is a New York-based creative director who has worked in the marketing and advertising industries for over 25 years. During that time, he has led design and campaign efforts for numerous spirits clients, including Sazerac, Proximo, and Diageo.
Shane O’Donnell is a professional photographer living in Los Angeles. This Wisconsin native and University of Missouri-Columbia Photojournalism graduate has collaborated and created advertising and editorial photography all over the world for over 20 years.
Michelle Villas is an art director with more than 25 years experience in publication design. After spending her career in New York and California, she now calls New Mexico home. She is the creative director on a range of lifestyle publications for The Golden State Company and also serves as the art director for BeachLife magazine.
Sailor Guevara is an accomplished and highly regarded spirits specialist, hospitality veteran, digital media specialist, published author, podcast host, and award-winning mixologist who has been making significant contributions to the spirits industry for over 30 years.
Andrew Kaplan is a freelance writer based in New York City. He was managing editor of Beverage World magazine for 17 years and has worked for a variety of other food and beverage-related publications, and also newspapers. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ andrew-kaplan
Botanery Barn Distillery
Elverson, Pennsylvania
Package design: Sandstrom Partners (Jack Peterson)
Glass manufacturer: Global Package (Erica Harrop)
Closure design: Apholos (Diego Gneri)
Botanery Barn Distillery meticulously selects the finest botanicals from both local surroundings and global sources for all of its spirits. So it’s no surprise that the Chester County, Pennsylvania-based company’s Revivalist Garden Gin pays homage to a garden-inspired aesthetic.
There’s a leafy leg to the R on the translucent green bottle, which appears forest green in dim lighting and shines emerald green in sunlight. Crowning the bottle is a custom-designed golden stopper that looks, feels and spins like a real garden hose faucet.
“The bottle really represents the beauty of a garden— botanicals that you would find in your kitchen garden at home and around the world,” says Botanery Barn cofounder and COO Scott Avellino of the package, which was designed by Sandstrom Partners. “The faucet top is really the pinnacle of that design, and that’s meant to reference the life source of every garden, which is water.”
Avellino says that Botanery Barn, which was formerly known as Brandywine Branch Distillers, began the process of creating Revivalist Garden Gin about two years ago. Previously, the distillery offered four seasonal gins. “When you go into a retailer, when you go into a bar, and you show them four different gins, it’s a lot to handle,” says Avellino. “There’s no way that they’re going to give you four spots. We refocused and said we want to take one gin national.”
Botanery Barn sought out ethnobotanical ingredients— which refers to botanical products that have traditionally been used for holistic and practical purposes—to create Revivalist Garden Gin. The recipe includes ashwagandha root, hemp seed, lemon verbena leaf, rose hip petals and plum fruit. Avellino says Botanery Barn—which also produces Resurgent Whiskey—has plans to take the gin to all 50 states and to Europe over the next year and a half.
“The package is spectacular. Sandstrom really just knocked it out of the park,” says Avellino. “And that’s the first obstacle you have on a retail shelf is do people want to pick it up and grab it? Our job as a distiller was to make the juice so good that they want to buy it again, and I think we’ve done that.”
—Jon Page
Dynasty Spirits
Dallas
Agency: Caliber Creative
Creative credits: Brandon Murphy, Ernesto Pacheco, Kris Murphy, Gina Lecca, Christina Lee, and Erin Brachman
El Tequileno
Tequila, Mexico
Creative agency: 117 Global
Packaging supplier: 117 Global
Ideation and design: 117 Global
Muralist: Pau Castiello
Creative designer: Ana Laura Pino (El Tequileno)
Arnold, California
Artwork: Justin Page Design Co.
Label supplier: Blue Label Packaging
Glass supplier: Berlin Packaging
Beaver Dam, Kentucky
Creative director: Lindsey Kops Mundy
Designer: WorkLabs (First Edition, Signature Edition) and Alyson Design (Cask Strength Edition)
Glass and decoration: Liquor Bottle
Library box: Stephen Gould
Print: Niagara (bottle labels), Prisma (library card/envelope), MRL (First Edition neck hanger), Innovative Ink (Signature Edition neck wrap)
RYE keys: Metal Dynamics
Commissioned artwork: James Cook (Signature Edition back label)
Leather Necker: Apholos (Cask Strength neck wrap)
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co.
Vail, Colorado
Design: 970 Design
Glass provider: Liquor Bottle Packaging International
Star Union Spirits
Peru, Illinois
Design: Kevin Cantrell and Erik Attkisson of Satellite
Bottle manufacturer: O-I Glass
Botanery Barn Distillery
Elverson, Pennsylvania
Closure design: Apholos (Diego Gneri) PACKAGING
Package design: Sandstrom Partners (Jack Peterson)
Glass manufacturer: Global Package (Erica Harrop)
Lighthouse Distillery/Foley Family Wines
Mira Loma, California
Creative direction: Anne Gustafson
Agency: IGNITE Beverage Branding
Design: Dave Bourne and Janelle Hammerstrom
Glass supplier: JEM Sourcing PACKAGING
Wolf Spirit Distillery
Eugene, Oregon
Agency: COHO Creative
Glass supplier: Verallia
Renais Spirits Ltd.
Poole, United Kingdom
Bottle Designer: Berlin Packaging - Studio One
Eleven
Label designer: Jack Hawkins
Bottle supplier: Berlin Packaging
Skylark Distillery
Lostwithiel, United Kingdom
Label and bottle designer: Benjamin Carr
Bottle supplier: Berlin Packaging
Happy Raptor Distilling
New Orleans
Design: TILT
Pepe Margo Distillery
Oranjestad, Aruba
Designer: Brad Barth, creative director, WRIGHT Creative Branding & Labels
Printer: WRIGHT Creative Branding & Labels
Bottle supplier: Saverglass
Dutch Head Premium Rum
Breda, Netherlands
Custom bottle designer: Berlin
Packaging - Studio
One Eleven
Bottle supplier: Berlin Packaging
Backwards Distilling Co.
Casper, Wyoming
Design: The Bark Firm
Iron Fish Distillery
Thompsonville, Michigan
Creative direction and design: Iron Fish Distillery
Bottle supplier: Vetroelite S.r.l.
Label supplier: Artex
Label & Graphics, Inc.
Gay Water
New York, New York
Packaging label designer: Ryan Sagawa
Packaging supplier: Warneke Paper Box Co.
End of Days Distillery
Wilmington, North Carolina
Design agency: Creature Theory
Designer and art director: Jonathan Williams
Creative director: Matt Ebbing
Illustrator: Joshua Noom
Bottle supplier: Saverglass
Label print supplier: Eurostampa
Star Union Spirits
Peru, Illinois
Label designer and illustrator: Ed Griffin
Bottle distributor: Berlin Packaging
Pastis 12/12
Marseille, France
Label artist: Quentin Monge
Packaging supplier: Berlin Packaging
Swamp Fox Distilling Co.
Buena Vista, Georgia
Designer: Michael Truhe, senior designer, WRIGHT
Creative Branding & Labels
Printer: WRIGHT Creative Branding & Labels
Bottle supplier: Veritiv Corporation
Hinterhaus Distilling
Arnold, California
Artwork: Justin Page Design Co.
Label supplier: Blue Label Packaging
Glass supplier: Berlin Packaging
Skagway Spirits
Skagway, Alaska
Design and artwork: Grant Gunderson of Dunn & Co.
Label and printing: Blue Label Packaging Co.
Glass supplier: Verallia
Destileria Espiritu Andino
Lima, Peru
Design agency: IS Creative Studio
New Holland Distilling Co.
Holland, Michigan
Design agency: Jimmy Morrissey
Glass supplier: Liquor Bottle Packaging International
Safe House
Distilling Co.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Agency: Caliber
Creative
Creative credits:
Trevor Scott, Brandon Murphy, Erin Brachman and Emily Massey
Minden Mill
Distillery/Foley
Family Wines
Minden, Nevada
Creative direction: Anne Gustafson
Agency: IGNITE
Beverage Branding
Design: Janelle
Hammerstrom
Bottle supplier: Saverglass
Spirits distillers take pride in their craft, and North American glass manufacturers take pride in making premium sustainable packaging for their product.
Consider North American glass for your next order.
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This February, the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) announced the winners of its 10th Annual Judging of American Craft Spirits medalists and Best of Class recipients in person at ACSA’s 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show in Denver.
During an awards luncheon held at the Convention, ACSA proudly bestowed the blind-tasting competition’s ultimate honor, the Best in Show award, to Garrison Brothers Distillery for its Cowboy Bourbon. In addition to Best in Show and the Best of Class distinctions, the judging panel awarded 55 gold, 107 silver and 92 bronze medals.
Awards entries were submitted in seven main categories: whiskey, gin, rum, vodka & grain spirits, brandy, distilled specialty spirits, and ready to drink (RTD). The Best of Class distinctions, the highest honor in each of the seven judging categories, were awarded to a mix of both established, awardwinning distilleries and younger newcomers. These winning distilleries will be presented with hand-carved barrel heads courtesy of Thousand Oaks Barrel Co., and all medal recipients receive custom medals.
ACSA would like to thank its Judging of American Craft Spirits competition partners, which include Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, LibDib and Sojourner Imports.
The competition was judged in January at Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse in Denver. Colton Weinstein and Jeff Wuslich served as judging co-chairs. Scores were submitted, tallied and averaged, creating a competition based purely on numerical scoring rather than typical collaborative discussions.
Once again, the judges encompassed a diverse range of spirits experts within the industry.
The judging panel included Nicole Shriner,
Kristen Wemer, Jason Zeno, Meredith Ann Barry, Chris LeBeau, Martin Cate, Chris Schmid, Steffani Scheurich, Stephen Beal, Chad Michael George, Hoby Wedler, Denaya Jones-Reid, Jonathan Morse, Phillip Morgan, Caley Shoemaker, Dwayne Bershaw, Brian Smith, Charlie Hoxmeier, Nicole Austin, Lisa Wicker, Justin Vallandingham, Jakim Noske and Matthew Scherff.
ACSA works rigorously to develop and fine-tune its methodology in order to ensure it continues to be one of the most valuable judging competitions in the industry, creating a scoring card that generates meaningful, detailed feedback for entrants. Spirits were scored on appearance, aroma intensity, aroma complexity, palate concentration, palate complexity, body, character and nature of alcohol, texture, and finish. Finally, each judge was asked if they would pour the spirit for a peer.
The scoring of spirits was based on a 100-point system, with spirits judged on the overall, cohesive impression of the spirit. Spirits were then assigned a medal based on the average score determined by the following benchmarks: 70-79 = Bronze; 8089 = Silver; 90-100 = Gold.
The top awarded spirits were selected based upon their numerical score with the highest scores earning Best of Class and best in show distinction. CLICK
The annual Innovation Award, created to showcase true creativity, honors an innovative, remarkable spirit that is not commonly associated with a flavor profile in a known spirits category.
Upon accepting the award for Warming Hut, a 76-proof specialty spirit, Hinterhaus Distilling co-owner and head distiller Nate Randall said that Warming Hut, a 76-proof specialty spirit, is the result of a happy accident. “One of our finished bourbon casks had spent a bit too long in its port barrel and we decided to see how we could make it a stand-alone product by playing into its warm, rich notes,” said Randall.
“After months of R&D, we arrived at a blend that features bourbon, port, and local honey alongside other ingredients. It’s allowed us to explore the landscape of distilled spirit specialties which can be among the most creative and under-appreciated categories.”
Echoing the sentiment, Hinterhaus co-owner and operator Bonnie BoglioliRandall said “smaller distillers like us are constantly searching for ways to problem solve and improve with limited resources.
Receiving the Innovation Award is a huge and unexpected honor for us. We thank the judges for recognizing the efforts that go into Warming Hut, as well as the truth shared by all of us in the craft distilling industry that you often have to roll up your sleeves and think outside of the box.”
The competition’s top honor went to Garrison Brothers Distillery, Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery. Cowboy Bourbon is an annual release that comes from what master distiller Donnis Todd calls his “piggy bank” barrels that are too flavorful on first taste to bottle. This uncut, unfiltered, cask-strength release clocks in at 140.9 proof.
On The Craft Spirits Podcast in September, Todd said that this release of Cowboy Bourbon is the highest proof since the distillery started releasing the vaunted bourbon in 2013. But breaking the 140-proof barrier wasn’t intentional. “I’m just a voice for the bourbon,” said Todd. “I don’t ever try to manipulate the bourbon and I definitely don’t go into any release wanting that liquid to accomplish what I want it to do. I just taste through the inventory; I get to know that inventory; I put the barrels together where I think it highlights the liquid; and then I let that liquid speak for itself.”
Dan and Nancy Garrison expressed deep humility when they accepted the awards for Best in Show and Best of Whiskey in Denver.
“It has been an incredible 20-year journey with Garrison Brothers Distillery,” said Nancy Garrison. “We literally built a distillery from the ground up. We do everything grain to glass. We made it our mission, and literally in our mission statement, to make the best tasting highest quality bourbon in the world in a little town called Hye, Texas. … We are just honored. Cowboy has been one of the most important spirits that we’ve ever released. Every year it gets better.”
FREDERICKSBURG,
TEXASThis brandy is made with peaches grown on the distillery’s orchard. Founder Trey Blocker says the brandy was first released in 2023 and that it “has been described as peach cobbler with a 90-proof punch!” Blocker noted that the distillery is committed to donating 10% of its net profit to charities serving the poor, the powerless and the hungry. “More specifically,” he adds, “with our Chi Rho products, including our brandy and barrel-aged gin, we commit 10% of the net profit to organizations combating human trafficking.”
GIN WITH NOTES OF LAVENDER AND HIBISCUS FRASER VALLEY DISTILLING FRASER, COLORADO
Founded in 2018 and nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Fraser Valley Distilling offers a diverse range of spirits from single malt whiskey to agave spirits. But general manager Jenna Young is passionate about gin. “It’s one of my life’s missions to change people’s minds about gin,” said Young upon accepting the award, flanked by family, in Denver. “I know there’s a lot of gin lovers out there, but for some reason there’s a lot of people who push back on it. I really just wanted to make something that I wanted to drink.”
TELLER CLASSIC HARD TEA SAFE HOUSE DISTILLING CO. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
Safe House Distilling Co. opened in 2019 with a line of handcrafted spirits to add to the rich culture of New Mexico. The 6% Teller Classic Hard Tea’s base is Teller Vodka, which also won a gold medal.
This 133.2-proof rum from StilL 630 was aged for more than five years in a previously used Expedition Rum barrel to introduce a lighter oak profile while embracing the wisps of vanilla, tobacco, raisins and tropical fruit notes of this rich, funky pot still rum.
“I started our little distillery with a big dream in an old Hardee’s building in downtown St. Louis and the love, appreciation, and support I’ve gotten from the craft spirits community is absolutely fantastic,” said StilL 630 founder David Weglarz when he accepted the award in Denver. “I couldn’t be prouder to receive this incredible award in front of people I admire so much.”
This 125-proof absinthe features wormwood, fennel, anise, marjoram, hyssop and mint. According to the distillery’s website, the Absinthe Verte journey begins with the maceration of those ingredients in As Above, So Below’s high-proof house vodka— a process that begins during a full moon. “As the next lunar cycle reaches its peak, we then add additional botanicals to round out the profile of this classic sipping spirit. Finally, as the moon reaches fullness for the third time, we distill the macerate then add a few additional botanicals for one final short maceration before bottling this unique expression.”
The resulting spirit sports an herbal, spicy profile and is recommended for use in classic, spirit-forward cocktails, or in the manner that 19th century artists and writers popularized: with water and a sugar cube.
POTATO VODKA
10TH MOUNTAIN WHISKEY & SPIRIT CO. VAIL, COLORADO
This 80-proof vodka is distilled from potatoes, and 10th Mountain says it “is crafted with expertise to create a smooth and clean world class vodka, perfect for any occasion.” The distillery also captured medals for its brandy, bourbon and American single malt whiskey.
10th Mountain is surrounded by stunning vistas that capture the essence of natural beauty. It strives to reflect the true art of being handcrafted and the aim is to create an atmosphere that welcomes military and friendly soldiers from around the world while combining authenticity, the heart of hospitality, and a space to share stories and create new memories.
Alpine Elixirs
Hinterhaus Distilling Arnold, California hinterhausdistilling.com
Founders: Bonnie Boglioli-Randall and Nate Randall
Year founded: 2020
Hinterhaus recently earned a handful of medals and the Innovation Award at ACSA’s 10th Annual Judging of Craft Spirits. Founders Bonnie Boglioli-Randall and Nate Randall aim to craft spirits that capture the essence of their rugged surroundings while fostering a sense of adventure and community.
Distilled Down: We are a family-ownedand-operated distillery in the California Sierra mountains at a rough elevation of 4,500 feet. From day one, we have intended to shine a spotlight on our rugged region using thoughtfully-sourced local ingredients, through interesting collaborations, the use of Sierra botanicals, and a hefty appreciation for discovery—of spirits, of self, and of the great outdoors that surrounds us.
Vibe: Our distillery is situated at the halfway point between Lake Tahoe to the north and Yosemite to the south, and our tasting room and bottle and brand shop exudes a modern alpine theme inspired by our surroundings. Thanks to our popular cocktails and cocktail flights, it’s become a spot where patrons ski or hit the lakes in the day and then visit us for their après fun.
Playlist: The front of ‘haus (as we call it!) runs the gamut from jazz and indie to new wave. I think I just heard The
Smiths followed by Paul Cauthen. Our production crew led by Nate and our grown son, Keagan, has a regular rotation of podcasts, sports and country and rock from all decades.
Inspiration: For me [Bonnie], there are so many. I love sampling whiskeys from Texas because I think there’s great juice there. I also love watching the evolution of other family and women-led distilleries. For me [Nate], we’re inspired by single malt from home and abroad. The creativity of other American single malt producers is exciting but we also love traditional Highland malts, specifically.
Flagship Spirit: Because we’re still relatively young, many people have gotten to know our award-winning, grapedistilled vodka and gin. But whiskey is what got us interested in distilling. Our American SIngle Malt Whiskey is a great example of the passion and excitement we have for this growing innovative category. We fervently explore the range of flavors in the bourbon and rye categories through our barrel finishing and blending program.
Additional Notable Spirits: Though not distributed, locals and patrons of our distillery enjoy our alpine-inspired liqueurs including a Kräuterlikör that we craft with 23 botanicals and spices. This is a spirit that we felt compelled to create in the States after visiting our family in Berlin, Germany, and enjoying this traditionalstyle digestif.
Availability: Our spirits are currently distributed in California and Colorado,
and consumers can purchase our bottles for shipping to 41 states through our direct-to-consumer distribution partners using our website’s online shop link.
Buzzworthy: We were thrilled to learn that our North Grove Vodka took home Best Varietal Vodka in the U.S. at the World Vodka Awards this year. Our South Grove Gin has likewise taken top spots in competitions. And though our American Single Malt remains a fairly elusive bottle to secure, as it’s not widely distributed due to limited supply, we’ve been delighted to see its reception and can’t wait to see how it continues to evolve.
In the Near Future: Our second batch of American Single Malt—Discovery was just released in February, and we’re smitten with how fresh and refined it is. We look forward to future releases of this spirit.
The Distant Future: We intend to continue to scale our capacity so that we can get our spirits into more hands of enthusiasts. I know this is something other distilleries can relate to, but right now every dollar made goes back towards ensuring we can meet demand and scale.
Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting a Distillery: [Bonnie]: Keep your shit in order [laughs] always and on all fronts. [Nate]: Be focused on your goals but don’t be afraid to change plans when necessary. Fight for your brand and live your ideals because no one else will. It’s going to take more money than you think!
Cotton & Reed
Washington, D.C.
cottonandreed.com
Founders: Jordan Cotton & Reed Walker
Year founded: 2016
As Cotton & Reed prepares for an expansion, co-founder Jordan Cotton (who also serves as the chair of ACSA’s political action committee) explains how the distillery blends tradition with innovation.
Distilled Down: Cotton & Reed is D.C.’s first rum distillery. Where better to help jumpstart a new domestic rum tradition? We’re kind of a little island, and we lack statehood, so we fit right in with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We’ve spent the past seven years turning rum doubters into rum believers with our unusual blend of flavors and influences.
Vibe: Overgrown industrial. We’re in a 1929 warehouse that we want to look like it’s getting reclaimed by nature.
Playlist: Fun, accessible, unserious nostalgia is the unifying theme. For us, Billy Ocean is pure fun; Billy Joel gets too heartfelt. Everyone remembers Rick James songs, outof-touch people like yours truly never learned Rick Ross songs. Playing Tom Jones is funny, playing Tom Petty runs the devastating risk of being perceived as earnest.
Inspiration: Rum solidarity! Everybody else in the U.S. who focuses on rum and sticks with it, hats off to you.
Flagship Spirit: Our White Rum of course! We won Best of Class at San Francisco with it in 2022, and we were runner up for the same honor in 2023. Our goal is to create a complex, versatile rum that acts like a multi-island blend despite coming from a single distillery. We ferment a blend of cane syrup and black strap molasses in parallel with two different yeast strains. Each substrate and yeast contributes its own personality. The cane syrup and wild sugarcane yeast strain bring some grassiness and green notes. The blackstrap and the wine yeast bring some rich fruitiness and texture. We distill twice to about 180°, which we find to be a sweet spot that retains the complexity we built in fermentation while landing light enough to be right at home in a Mojito or Daiquiri.
Additional Notable Spirits: We stick to five full-time, core SKUs. I have to name the two newest members of the family.
Our Coconut Rum is ridiculous. I personally love coconut. It’s my favorite flavor. My mom is from Hawaii, and I grew up looking forward to getting care packages from our relatives there full of food we couldn’t get on the East Coast. The coconut stuff was always my favorite. So imagine my disappointment upon trying coconut spirits for the first time. They’re terrible! They don’t taste like coconut. They taste like what a robot thinks coconut tastes like. So, that’s our starting point for the coconut rum. We just soak our unaged rum on dried organic coconut flakes for three days, filter, and add enough sugar to hit the sugar content found in natural coconut water. Get this: it tastes like actual coconut.
Our Gold Rum is also a proud new-ish creation. It’s a blend. Mostly rum aged over a year in used bourbon barrels, a touch of rum aged over three years in Amburana barrels. The rum stayed in those Amburana barrels for, well, way too long because only after we filled them did we discover that at the time TTB was not OK with Amburana in formulas. But that wood extracts FAST. So by the time TTB approved our Amburana-containing formulas, that rum tasted crazy. In a bad way. As less than 1% of a blend, though, it brings the perfect amount of vanilla, spice and florality. The gold is complex, distinctive and a very pleasant medium-weight.
Buzzworthy: We are expanding for the first time ever. We have just signed a lease on the distillery space being vacated by a local peer who is unfortunately going out of business. We’ll keep our current place as well, but move most of our production to the new facility.
The Distant Future: It’s important to set realistic goals. So … flying cars, jet packs and a bottle of domestic rum on every bar cart in America.
Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting a Distillery: Look real, real hard at that Craft Spirits Data Project. Understand that you are probably going to be in that “small” category for a long time, maybe forever. Build your business plan accordingly. Also, do not let the term “Casamigos” appear in your business plan unless you and your investors love being disappointed.
Distillery of Modern Art Chamblee, Georgia distilleryofmodernart.com
Founder: Seth Watson
Year founded: 2018
The Distillery of Modern Art is a haven for creativity, art and spirits. Founder Seth Watson paints a picture of the current state of the distillery while also offering a vision for its future.
Distilled Down: Regional heirloom grains, no waste and high-end experiences are the basis for the Distillery of Modern Art to shine. Not being beholden to anyone when it comes to what we release, how quickly, and what trends to follow, we as a small business get to release not only the highest quality products to hit shelves but also not rush to bring fine aged spirits to the market. We get to wait until they are just right. As a business, we also highlight artists from all over the state and help them grow their reach without having to take commissions from these emerging artists.
Vibe: Distillery of Modern Art is an elevated date night experience filled with beautiful art, craft cocktails and stunning lighting.
Playlist: We tend to lean into jazz and funk in the tasting room—bands like the Funky Meters, Cory Wong, Jamiroquai, Coltrane. In the distillery, this changes a lot. We sometimes have Diva Fridays, which includes a lot of Beyonce. ’90s West Coast rap often makes an appearance. Some days, we spend time with Willie, Whalen and the boys or deep sets of the Dead and other jam bands. Whoever arrives first gets to set the tone for the day, but that’s usually our assistant distiller, Jon, so we have given everyone else veto power.
Inspiration: We are inspired by people and distilleries who have a passion for creativity and are out there breaking down barriers and making their own rules. If we all made the same whiskeys or gins or painted with the same colors, we would live in a drab and boring world. This is evidenced here daily as we have to walk through an ever-changing gallery of works by fantastic local artists on our way to create great spirits for ourselves or our clients. Can art and wildly creative people inspire great whiskey? We think so. Rabbit Hole Distillery and Bardstown Bourbon Co. are a few we are inspired by.
As far as people go, we are engrained by the arts community. The subjective connection between art and spirits is very much in line with each other.
Flagship Spirit: We are whiskey nerds at heart, but like most small distilleries, we have a suite of core products to work with as our whiskeys age. We did not source whiskeys but are putting more down daily. Currently, our Peach Flavored Vodka and Nouveau Gin are leading the charge in our local market. Once our Bourbon and Rye are ready, we will let them fight it out for the top position.
Additional Notable Spirits: Our Amaro Peach is a refreshing Southern twist on an Italian classic amaro, less bitter than traditional and with light, sweet notes of peach and apricot. We crafted our Atlanta Vodka to be an all-around vodka that works well in all situations. DoMA Corn Whiskey will be a batch-by-batch expression with Batch #1 currently out, which was lightly finished on Amburana for all three days, enough to make this a wildly unique 100% Corn Whiskey.
Buzzworthy: We were fortunate to receive awards for all our current spirits in the market through various associations and national competitions, as well as for packaging. We were voted Best in Georgia by numerous publications. We also opened a new 10,000-square-foot rickhouse where our whiskeys now rest until they come of age.
The Distant Future: Ten years from now, DoMA will be distributed in all 50 states and have an international presence around the globe. Our products will be available on bar carts in high-end and boutique hotels around the country. The brand will be synonymous with quality and affordability.
Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting a Distillery: Don’t rush. While there are many routes to market in this industry, make products yourself, don’t count on third parties to produce for you, and always maintain creative control. Push the boundaries but stay true to the craft. Shortcuts may net positive quick monetary returns, but in the long run, the stability of your brands will count on your ability to scale and keep the quality your consumers expect.
Salvation Spirits Distillery Fredericksburg, Texas salvationspeakeasy.com
Founder: Trey Blocker
Year founded: 2019 Salvation Spirits Distillery founder Trey Blocker shares expansion plans and explains why each cocktail and bottle serves a greater purpose.
Distilled Down: Opened in 2021, Salvation Spirits is a purpose-driven, environmentally conscious distillery and winery with a brewery in the works. We strive to make spirits of unsurpassed quality, out of the finest ingredients, and to share our success with those in need. We take inspiration from the archangel Michael to contribute 10% of our net profit to charities serving the poor, the powerless and the hungry, including our Chi Rho mission to combat human trafficking.
Vibe: Our tasting room is a nondescript old farmhouse on a 10-acre orchard. When you
walk through the front door, you’ll find a dark, cozy, 1920s-style speakeasy where our master mixologists transform our spirits into sophisticated, elevated craft cocktails.
Playlist: In the Speakeasy it’s all about the Rat Pack, Motown and big band swing. In the distillery you’re likely to hear some EDM (electronic dance music).
Inspiration: Garrison Brothers Distillery is right down the road, so Dan and Nancy Garrison have been great mentors and inspirational for their tenacity and dedication to good bourbon.
Flagship Spirit: Salvation Spirits Vodka, Fritztown Gin, Fritztown Blackberry Gin and Chi Rho Barrel-Aged Gin are all our children and we love them equally.
Additional Notable Spirits: Last year, we released our first batch of peach brandy and pear eau de vie made from fruit we grew at the orchard. The peach brandy has been
described as peach cobbler with a 90-proof punch! (It also recently earned Best of Brandy honors at ACSA’s 10th Annual Judging of Craft Spirits.)
Availability: Currently, we’re available in Texas and on our e-commerce platform. In the Near Future: Our team of mad scientists has perfected a creme de cacao and a Texas amaro that we plan to bottle in the near future.
The Distant Future: This year, we’ll begin construction on a new distillery barn that will house our still, a 10-barrel brewhouse and winemaking equipment. In the next few years, we’ll start building a new entertainment venue that will include a new speakeasy, a cocktail conservatory, a German-style beer hall, a farm-to-table restaurant and, of course, an outdoor stage for live music.
Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting a Distillery: Pray. Follow your passion. Don’t give up!
10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Co.
Vail, Colorado
10thwhiskey.com
Founder: Ryan Thompson
Year founded: 2014
10th Mountain will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. On the heels of capturing Best of Vodka in ACSA’s 10th Annual Judging of Craft Spirits and earning a gold medal in the Craft Spirits Packaging Awards, the team at 10th Mountain shared details on their distilling operations.
Distilled Down: We take immense pride in our handcrafted, small batch spirits. Each bottle is made with care and attention to detail. We are a small, independent company that believes in crafting award-winning spirits. But what really fulfills and defines our legacy is our dedication to giving back. Supporting veterans and active-duty military and their families is at the core of who we are.
Vibe: Authentic, inviting and a charming reflection of the mountain lifestyle or quintessential Colorado mountain town whiskey bar that welcomes all military branches and those that support them.
Playlist: The short answer is classic country whiskey drinking songs is what we prefer. However, music creates an entire mood and we like to think we can adjust to the energy around us.
Inspiration: We find the men and women of our armed forces to be an endless source of inspiration. Their bravery, dedication and selflessness serve as a constant reminder of the values we hold dear. Moonshine University has also been an invaluable partner in every phase of our business development and journey in the world of distilling. Their expertise, guidance and industryleading education have played a vital role in shaping our understanding of the craft and helping us navigate the complexities of the distilling industry. And lastly, we look up to Rob Dietrich, the master distiller and blender for BLACKENED Whiskey.
Flagship Spirit: 10th Mountain Bourbon, which is an award-winning spirit made from a handcrafted blend of Colorado corn (75%), American rye (20%) and malted barley (5%).
In the Near Future: As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we will be releasing a special bottle to commemorate this milestone. While
we don’t want to give away all the details just yet, we promise it will be a truly special and exceptional expression.
We also have some hidden gems that we are eagerly looking forward to harvesting. One of them is a chocolate rye, a unique and indulgent whiskey that combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the boldness of rye. We are also working on a maple finished bourbon, which will showcase the natural sweetness and depth of flavor that maple brings to the bourbon.
The Distant Future: In 10 years, we envision our distillery as a thriving space that stays true to our values. We’ll likely expand to meet demand while remaining committed to crafting exceptional handcrafted spirits. We will continue to pay homage to our history and the adventurous spirit of the 10th Mountain Division. We will stay true on our path with our community engagement, continue to source ingredients sustainably, and make a positive impact through philanthropy. We would hope to expand tours, workshops, and the chance to learn from our distillers. Our goal is to create an authentic and inviting destination that celebrates independence, adventure and the artistry behind distilling.
San Francisco Bay Area distillers embrace local roots in crafting unique spirits
BY JOHN HOLLLauded for its exceptional dining scene, vibrant history with brewing, along with culture and breathtaking vistas, the San Francisco Bay Area is a destination for discerning travelers who want to satisfy their stomachs and souls. As a gateway to California’s wine regions, vino often gets a lot of attention from bars, but the craft spirits industry has been quickly building a reputation on daring flavor, determination and a strong sense of place.
“The Bay Area is no different in craft spirits than it is in other industries that have made it famous. It beats by its own drum; embraces a unique blend of art, science, music and culture; and is very inclusive,” says Scott Jampol, the founder of Sausalito Liquor Co. “There is an explosion of spirits brands in the area today. There are some brands that helped define craft spirits in the area, and those are amazing. Now, a new group of
upstarts are challenging convention, exploring technology and looking to do unique things. These are all part of our DNA and are what we love about the area.”
More than 40 years ago, Jörg Rupf, the founder of St. George Spirits, was inspired by the fruit in the region—enough so that he began distilling eau de vie. It was the first craft distillery in America and the company continues to be a strong player today, inspiring countless others to open their own distillery. Not resting on its laurels, the distillery has collected James Beard Foundation Award nominations and a myriad of awards.
“While we’re proud of making categoryexpanding spirits like our Terroir Gin and Baller American Single Malt Whiskey, we’re also proud that we’re still stubbornly making eau de vie 42 years after the distillery was founded,” says Lance Winters, the master distiller of the Alameda-based distillery.
He notes that a visitor to St. George Spirits is going to come away knowing that the motivation for why they make a spirit is every bit as important as how we make it, “and that we’re incredibly passionate about what we make. We are now and have always been distiller-owned and -operated, which allows us to put creativity first.”
Winters says that being located in the Bay Area has helped St. George and others get access to a dense and diverse population of locals as well as tourists.
“The Bay Area is also a place that supports the idea of being different,” he says “Reimagining spirit categories as well as reimagining the entire industry is what craft distilling should be about.”
Tanya Slye, the founding partner and chief creative officer of Half Moon Bay’s Jettywave Distillery, agrees and says the distillery has worked hard to differentiate
“The Bay Area is also a place that supports the idea of being different. Reimagining spirit categories as well as reimagining the entire industry is what craft distilling should be about.”—Lance Winters of St. George Spirits
Lance Winters and Dave Smith of St. George Spirits
Samantha and Alexandra Blatteis, twin founders of Home Base Spirits
itself in the marketplace.
“Our ingredients are entirely Californiabased, sourced organically whenever possible and some are even grown on site,” says Slye. “The cocktails that incorporate our spirits are made from fresh-pressed juices, and are as beautiful as they are delicious.”
There’s a thought among the local distillers that the potential for growth for the small producers lies in cultivating their business within the local community.
“We see the potential for growth and more recognition starting locally—at first. A local narrative helps with local markets, but it has the potential to fall flat elsewhere, and even small craft distilleries need to grow,” says Nathan Thomas Darling of Pekut and Carwick Independent Bottlers. “’Made here in the East Bay’, an important message for marketing to restaurants in Oakland, for example, probably doesn’t help you stay competitive with nationally distributed brands.”
This growth trajectory is dynamic, depending on the distillery, involving a harmonious blend of support from both locals and tourists, says Matthew Jelen, director of sales for Dissident Spirits Co. in Richmond. He believes that legislative reforms, such as facilitating direct-to-consumer sales, enabling out-ofstate shipping, and expanding the offerings in tasting rooms hold the key to significantly enhancing the craft industry’s trajectory.
“While emphasizing a ‘local’ narrative can indeed be beneficial for brand identity, we recognize that over-reliance on it may pose challenges in the long run,” he says. “Instead, we advocate for a balanced approach that prioritizes production quality, adherence to values, and the development of a compelling personal narrative.”
Jelen is also focused on collaboration
within the spirits community through cross-promotion, which he says can act as a catalyst, amplifying the visibility of the entire region’s craft spirits industry. “This collaborative effort mirrors California’s transformative impact on the craft beer and wine sectors three decades ago, underlining the potential for collective growth and recognition,” he says.
Assisting on that and bringing recognition to the area is Admiral Maltings, a 20,000-square-foot facility near St. George Spirits. When it opened, Admiral Maltings was the first floor malting facility in the state since Prohibition and the only certified organic malting operation.
Samantha Blatteis, the co-founder of Berkeley-based Home Base Spirits, says the distillery’s mission has always been to create California-style spirits that are approachable and sustainably and transparently made, “so that more people will feel welcome to enjoy spirits and create the drinking experience we wish we had when we were first exploring. Consumer education is a big piece of this, to highlight the stark difference between craft distilling and the major players.”
By focusing on not only local but wellcrafted spirits, many of the distillers have been able to make inroads with restaurants and bars that prize the flavors and entrepreneurship.
Like craft beer and wine from the region, the local spirits are able to highlight experiences that speak to the free spirit, natural beauty and authenticity that defines the Bay area.
This also applies to the countless tourists that come to the area.
“Being a coastal location, with an abundance of flora and fauna, we are able to differentiate ourselves and pivot easily with trends and seasonality,” says Slye.
As craft spirits become more ingrained into the local drink and dining scene, distillers are working hard to showcase all they make, and to reiterate its weave in the fabric.
“Consumers are paying more and more attention to what they eat and drink, and being able to see exactly what is in the bottle, where it’s produced, and the people who make it is a great way to set yourself apart from faceless, industrial brands,” says Brandon Conley the operations director at Brucato Amaro. ■
The Paper Plane, crafted by Burnt Church Distillery in Bluffton, South Carolina, beautifully showcases the distillery’s highly esteemed six-grain bourbon whiskey, Anita’s Choice. Blended with Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice, this cocktail perfectly balances the richness of the whiskey with just the right amount of tart and bitter.
Ingredients
3/4 ounce Anita’s Choice
3/4 ounce Aperol
3/4 ounce Amaro
Nonino Quintessentia 3/4 ounce lemon juice
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
This refreshing cocktail from Fort Collins, Colorado-based Old Elk Distillery features the distillery’s 100-proof Straight Rye Whiskey.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce strawberry syrup
1/4 ounce elderflower liqueur
Soda water
Directions
Pour ingredients into a tall highball glass. Fill with ice, top with soda water, then garnish with fresh mint and a strawberry.
This colorful cocktail from Fort Collins, Colorado-based Old Elk Distillery highlights the distillery’s Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce rhubarb amaro
1/4 ounce orange liqueur
1/4 ounce buttlerfly pea syrup (make one cup of butterfly pea tea, add 6 ounces Monin Lavender Syrup)
Directions
Add all ingredients—except the butterfly pea syrup—to a shaker. Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice into a glass. Pour the butterfly pea syrup to top and garnish with an edible flower.
Inspired by the relentless ingenuity of Silicon Valley’s finest minds, this cocktail from Half Moon Bay, California-based Jettywave Distillery pays homage to the dynamic spirit of local tech creativity that knows no limits. This libation is every techie’s dream, all made from California’s finest ingredients.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Jettywave Single Barrel Bourbon
1/2 ounce Jettywave Small Batch Absinthe
3/4 ounce raspberry rosemary syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 dropper Jettywave orange cardamom bitters
1/3 dropper Ms Better’s Bitters
Miraculous Foamer
Directions
Add all ingredients to a shaker and dry shake until the foamer activates. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a brandied cherry.
An ode to Asian botanicals with lemongrass, cardamom and Thai basil, this cocktail from Oxbow Rum Distillery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, delivers a refreshing herbaceous experience just in time for spring. With the distillery’s Rhum Louisiane as the base, the grassiness of Owbow Rum’s single estate cane juice Rhum shines through for a perfectly balanced finish to this cocktail created by Sal Camarda of Oxbow’s tasting room.
Cocktail Ingredients
2 ounces Rhum Louisiane Cane Juice Agricole
1 ounce lemongrass cardamom syrup
1 ounce lime juice
1 1/2 ounces coconut water
4-5 Thai basil leaves
Cocktail Directions
Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a basil leaf.
Syrup Ingredients
1-liter bottle of Monin Lemongrass Syrup
10 black cardamom pods
Syrup Directions
In a large saucepan, simmer syrup and cardamom pods for five minutes. Let cool and strain back into the syrup bottle.
This spin on a Boulevardier comes from Terramar Brewstillery in Edison, Washington. The award-winning brewery, distillery and cidery pays tribute to the fertile farmlands of the Skagit Valley.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Terramar
American Single Malt Whiskey
3/4 ounce Terramar
Gentian Amaro
3/4 ounce Lo-Fi Sweet Vermouth
1 dash Terramar grapefruit and orange bitters
Directions
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until wellchilled. Double strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Express an orange twist over the cocktail and garnish with the orange twist.
Let’s face it. Government has its nose in your business every day. Whether at the federal, state, or local levels, something you do falls under government regulation. Just to name a few, these activities include things like paying wages to employees, providing a safe work environment, complying with building or health codes, and of course, the manufacturing of alcohol. Given that government is ingrained in everything you do, why are you avoiding “it”? By that, I mean the people who make up these government agencies. Building strong relationships is essential for businesses, especially those in highly regulated industries like craft spirits.
There seem to be a lot of myths surrounding “government” people, and whether or when to voluntarily talk with them—if at all. Clear spirits may be one of your products, but
your business is not invisible. Waiting until government is knocking on your door may turn a conversation into a government action. Let’s look at ways to build better business relationships with government and navigate some of the complexities of government relations.
Myth: You only get one shot so make it count.
Who came up with this idea? Many believe you should only contact the government when you have a big problem, because you can only go there once. So, it’s best to make it count and use that one-time ticket on something big. But then your big problem becomes one for the regulator, legislator or other decisionmaker. This isn’t the best way to start off.
Establishing a good working relationship early allows you to share your positive
business story on your terms. Yes, it’s an opportunity. Unfortunately, one that is often ignored or overlooked. Being able to communicate challenges—before a crisis sets in—is to your business advantage. Decisionmakers, though, may not have familiarity with the manufacturing of craft, or any other, spirits. It’s good to keep this in mind when formulating your communications and conversations.
Using clear and relatable examples to explain craft spirits industry processes to nonexperts is key. “Floor malt” is one example. It’s kind of surprising that this process takes place on a floor, even though that word is part of the term used for this product. Words you use every day in customary conversations, however, may be a foreign language to those regulating your business. Some
decision-makers may ask for explanations. And others may simply nod their heads with apparent understanding, yet zero comprehension. The clearer you can describe it, the better the communication and understanding. Pictures can also be invaluable to assist with this education.
When possible, present your case with perspective and context. Regulators might be hesitant to be the first to approve something but showing that others have successfully done it can be persuasive. When facts show that other regulatory agencies are doing it, and problems like violations aren’t occurring because of it, then this kind of relevant information can positively impact the persuasion factor.
We often make our communications (on every subject) more complex than need be.
When educating others, providing relevant and clear information, and making sure to clarify industry-specific terms, can be influential. Speaking of influence, the difference between educating and lobbying deserves mention.
Myth: Educating is lobbying.
The difference between educating and lobbying is intent. Trying to influence government officials to take an action, like voting on a particular issue or piece of legislation, is lobbying. While educating policymakers, on the other hand, focuses on providing information about the impact of or need for policies and laws, or sharing research and other facts. It’s important to know these distinctions because lobbying can trigger legal implications or government reporting requirements
for transparency.
The need to bring government decisionmakers into your business was emphasized by two legislators from Colorado who spoke at the American Craft Spirits Association’s political action committee (PAC) reception in Denver. Why, again, would you want to do this? If you’re thinking that they might find something while there, you’re right! It might be something good, like learning about the craft spirits industry, impact on agriculture, commitment to community, and so much more. Taking proactive steps can go a long way for positive engagement with government officials.
Before your business gets a negative label attached to it, like at a violation hearing, share your positive story. And if you don’t want to invite a government employee to your
business, you need to reflect on what’s standing in your way. Boxes blocking a fire exit? Employee I-9 files not up to date? Unpaid taxes? If you know you are out of compliance in any area, you need to address it. Also, not everyone has time for a field trip, so think about taking your business to them. It’s never been easier to capture video footage or photos on a cell phone, and to use this digital media to share your story compellingly and efficiently. Taking proactive steps like these can be incredibly helpful when educating decision-makers and asking for approvals.
Whether educating or lobbying, government officials need to hear your voice. Doing this at your local or state levels is one way. Another is to get involved with events like ACSA’s Legislative Fly-In, which usually takes place in the fall. This well-coordinated annual effort showcases the craft spirits industry for a national audience. Since your business is impacted by all levels of government, being heard at every level is important. This also makes it easier to come back later to ask for something when it’s needed.
Myth: “Can we do it?” is the best approach. It’s like asking a bartender to surprise you with a drink. If you simply ask decision-makers whether you can do something, don’t be mad if you get an answer that’s different than you wanted. Vague questions to regulators can yield unpredictable responses ranging anywhere from A to Z. The better approach is to come prepared with facts and a clear narrative that educates the decision-maker about your business.
The Craft Spirits Data Project (CSDP) is an example of leveraging data to educate about this industry. This initiative from ACSA and Park Street provides annual updates on economic trends. This industry-specific information is helpful to educate decision-makers. The Project includes facts like these:
• The craft spirits category reached over 14 million cases and $7.9 billion in retail sales in 2022;
• The total amount invested in the U.S. craft spirits segment increased by 6.5% year-over-year to $880 million; and
• Employment numbers within the U.S. craft market continued to increase post-pandemic, reaching 27,368 fulltime domestic employees.
Presenting data like this alongside state and local impacts can create a persuasive narrative for your business and the industry. There are many opportunities to share this during
legislative and administrative processes.
Myth: Laws and rules are the same. Authority for government actions must come from somewhere. Laws are enacted by legislators, while rules are promulgated by agencies. Rules may have the force of law, but they do not take the place of a law. Both are attached to a formal process that involves the possibility of public input. Arguably, it is easier to get a rule changed or put into place than a law. With legislation, many interest groups lobby for and against any new law or change; this can be seen as a long and cumbersome process. With rules, it’s only one agency to deal with and specific timelines to work with, although politics can still play a part.
An overlooked, yet very powerful, type of law is an administrative procedures act. This is state-specific, as well as in force at the federal level. The purpose of these laws is to set forth the legal requirements for agency regulations, like rulemaking, guidance, and interpretations. Generally, rules have the force of law and people are expected to follow them. Guidance, though, may only be binding on the agency, and interpretations may have less weight than that. Regardless of the state-by-state differences, it’s important to know about these laws governing administrative procedures.
Respectfully asking for the law, rule, or other official cite of authority should not create a problem. It may be a surprise, though, if the origin comes down to a staff email containing an interpretation from 1982. Something like this likely falls out of the authoritative bounds of most procedures acts and may be a red flag indicating a lack of clear authority for that issue. Many agencies have worked hard, though, to embody these types of older “policies” into properly enacted laws and promulgated rules. However, a few of these may still be laying around.
Otherwise, procedures are in place allowing for public participation during the process. For legislation, educating and lobbying are activities that allow for input. Opportunities occur both privately and publicly, and with individuals or groups.
Privately, conversations may take place to provide education or to influence government officials to vote a certain way. Both educating and lobbying could be embodied in a private letter, phone call, or meeting.
Alternatively, an example of a public conversation is the group lobbying efforts in 2020 for the Craft Beverage Modernization
Being able to communicate challenges—before a crisis sets in—is to your business advantage.
and Tax Reform Act. ACSA joined with other industry associations to urge immediate passage of the proposed legislation. The publicly available coalition letter was designed to influence officials to cast a favorable federal vote on this matter.
Lots of lobbying efforts occur behind the scenes, before public committee hearings and floor votes. You won’t see those activities and may not even know about them. During the legislative process, other opportunities exist which include appearing at public meetings for bills on the agenda. At a committee hearing, interested parties testify about a bill or amendment. Most of the time the comments are for or against a pending issue. However, this can also be a time to impact the public record to provide educational information. Any information provided at these meetings become part of the official legislative record and retained as history.
For businesses in the craft spirits industry, it’s critical to articulate a compelling story to educate decision-makers. Clear communication and proactive engagement are essential for navigating the complexities of the regulatory landscape and building strong, beneficial government relationships. ■ Teri Quimby is a former state alcohol regulator. Her work on legal and compliance issues is published regularly. Disclaimer:
Situated on a 2,000-acre farm in Dekalb, Illinois, grains have always played a major role in the spirits produced by Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. But just as important for the company’s master distiller Rob Wallace has been observing how different strains of yeast interact with these grains to create flavorful spirits.
“Our grain is different because of where it’s grown, and now I’m also complementing that with a different yeast,” he says. “We’re firm believers in terroir, so not only are you getting a taste of the environmental impact on the grain that’s unique to our area, we’re also selecting very specific varietals that we feel offer unique flavor profiles to produce our spirits.”
And like the rest of the craft spirits industry, Wallace has an increasingly broad variety of yeasts to work with. There are over 1,500 species of yeast that we know of, but that is thought to be less than 2% of the total yeasts that exist. Though for craft spirits purposes, it’s one species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or distillers yeast, that is of interest.
“It’s mind-blowing to realize how much there is yet to learn, how many more flavor combinations, the different ways that we can use different yeasts,” says Patrick Heist, a microbiologist who is chief scientific officer of Ferm Solutions, Inc. and co-founder of Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville, Kentucky.
Adds Wallace, “There are a lot of people out there that are experimenting with yeast more and more every year.” Whiskey Acres gets its yeast from one of the major global producers, Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits. “They have a good diversity within their product line and I know what I’m getting on a very consistent basis,” he says.
And Greg Strauss, senior vice president of another leading yeast producer, AB Biotek North America, says as the craft spirits industry matures, experimenting with yeasts has become another way to differentiate. “Today, the pressure on distilleries to appeal to the next generation of whiskey and bourbon consumers is immense as they continue to demand a wide range of flavors and taste experiences,” he says. “While barrel aging has
been a major contributor to the flavor of bourbon historically, distillers are looking for new, innovative ways to differentiate themselves through flavor.”
So, there’s a lot of excitement around this small organism that plays such a vital role in our industry. We distill it all down with a look at where yeast stands today, tackle some of the big questions, and find out where things may be heading.
“People used to think that yeast is yeast. If it ferments and we get alcohol, then we’re in good shape,” says Mitch Codd, technical sales leader, USA Distilling, Lallemand. “And while that might be true, we can make spirit that way, it’s not utilizing all of your tools to the best capacity. All of these yeast strains are
“It’s mind-blowing to realize how much there is yet to learn, how many more flavor combinations, the different ways that we can use different yeasts.”
—Patrick Heist of Ferm Solutions, Inc. and Wilderness Trail Distillery
wildly different from each other genetically speaking. We can have huge impacts on the character of the spirit just by changing the biology in fermentation.”
Adds Heist, “Yeast produce more than just ethyl alcohol. For example, the yeast makes organic acids that condense with alcohol to form esters. And esters are what give you a lot of the fruity flavors, the vanilla, the caramel, a lot of the very classic flavors of bourbon whiskeys and other alcoholic beverages. Some of those are precursors that are going to end up turning into something if it sits in a barrel long enough, combining with some of the chemicals that you’re going to get out of the barrel.”
“At the very basic level,” says Heist, “you’ve got to understand that yeast is a living
microorganism. It’s alive, it’s capable of multiplying if you give it the right care.”
So, understanding how yeast interacts with temperature and substrate can be vital to optimal fermentation. “This is a living organism that’s got to be fed properly,” Heist says.
Adds Bryan Kreiter, a sales manager for Fermentis, part of France-based Lesaffre, “I sometimes hear spirit producers suggest that you should ‘stress your yeast’ in order to achieve the flavors you want. It’s just untrue and we’re normally trying to avoid the many stresses yeast experience during a fermentation and provide an ideal environment for the yeast to do their job. Stresses like temperature extremes, lack of nutrition, high volatile acidity, etc., often are the cause of unintended off-flavors.”
Combining more than one yeast in a fermentation, with each playing a different role, has become popular. “A lot of people will like to pitch one that produces a ton of flavors right out of the gate, so the first half of their fermentation is all about flavor development and getting something unique to their spirit,” says Codd. “And then they can finish it with a very strong yeast, so they’re getting high yields. So, they kind of get [the] best of both worlds there.”
He continues, “Personally, I like to recommend we do several fermentations with different strains and then blend those spirits. So, you’re kind of creating this palette of flavor that we can pull from and create the best painting, the best expression of those flavors as a blend afterwards.”
At Whiskey Acres, Wallace says their grain varietals have played a major role in their experimentation with yeasts. He does this by first pairing a single yeast with each grain varietal to get a baseline. “We’ll then apply a different yeast to try to give a unique flavor profile,” he says. “I like to take a very specific yeast that I know what it offers just generally, for instance a malt whiskey yeast, that offers honey, cereal notes, fruity esters and I might apply that to our hybrid grain. To our Blue Popcorn I might apply a little bit more of a grain whiskey yeast that gives a very round flavor profile in general. Our philosophy is it depends on what the grain has to offer first and then I like to complement that with yeast.
“I think the thing that I enjoy about working with yeast is just the sheer diversity of flavor you can create,” Wallace says.
AB Biotek recently introduced its Pinnacle
Distinction range of yeast, a portfolio that includes eight new products for spirit aromas and flavors, from citrus and red berries to banana and beyond. Additionally, its new Pinnacle Distillers Yeast strain for American Whiskey is a choice for distillers looking to make traditional bourbon, rye and Canadianstyle whiskey products and complement typical maturation found with virgin oak barrels.
Yeast strains targeted toward different segments of the spirits sector are the result of a lot of research. For example, amongst producer Lallemand’s latest is a new strain targeted at agave spirits production. “We worked really closely with some research institutes in Mexico and our own research organizations to find a heritage strain from Mexico,” says Codd. “We can isolate strains that have adapted to produce really well in a specific fermentation.”
Lallemand currently offers 11 strains of yeast off the shelf for distillers. “They are broken down by type of feed stock because that is really important for getting the best performance out of them,” Codd says. “If you’re using a rum strain for whiskey production, there’s a really good chance you’re losing 10 to 20% of your yield because of that decision. So that’s 10 to 20% of your raw materials you aren’t making products out of. That has a huge impact on your bottom line.”
But that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment. “You can use a rum strain to make a whiskey, a whiskey strain to make a tequila,” says Heist. “We’ve made, rum, vodka, bourbon and rye whiskeys and we have switched around strains and we’ve bought strains off of competitors that were labeled as tequila yeast and they made great bourbon. As long as it performs like you want it to, and makes a distillate that tastes good.”
Using more than one yeast strain at the same time can also uncover unique flavors. “Our rye is a co-pitch of two different yeasts and when you remove one, you’re going to know it’s our rye, that flavor profile specific to our rye varietal is there, but it’s just missing some very specific top notes,” Wallace says. The combination of the two yeasts brings out a citrusy, lemon or orange peel note to the spirit not found in a fermentation where one of the strains has been removed. “We like to co-pitch those products because even though we love that single strain product, it just adds a little bit more to it for the aroma profile we’re looking for,” he says.
Kreiter says one recent trend he’s been noticing is that more distillers are experimenting with using brewing strains. He sees this being
done particularly for high rye, whiskey and American single malt. “For American single malt in particular, we have a lot of clients that are using one of our Belgian ale strains,” he says. “Some of those strains are super-expressive, too. They produce high amounts of the congeners that distillers are looking for, esters and other metabolites that contribute to the other transformations that happen downstream, through the distillation and maturation in the barrel. It’s become quite popular, in fact, for that purpose. The transformations that happen in the barrel, they’re important, but you can’t transform what you don’t produce in the first place. And it’s the yeast that are doing that in the fermentation.”
Working with bacteria is another key trend. “It’s a new frontier. There’s bacteria present in every distillery that can also contribute to the flavor profile of the spirit,” says Kreiter. “Bacteria produce esters and other metabolites as well. And some producers are looking to gain greater control of that.” Fermentis offers bacteria products for the beer segment that it’s starting to experiment with for spirits.
And Lallemand offers a bacteria product called DistilaBact LP specifically for use in managing sour mash development. The company says it can be added directly into the mash either as a co-inoculation with yeast or a few hours after the yeast dose. “That’s been out there for a couple of years now and it’s really starting to take off, which is exciting,” says Codd.
Adds Wallace, “I’ve really enjoyed working with the Lactobacillus strain Lallemand offers. We started experimenting with it almost as soon as it hit the market, particularly focusing on our rye whiskey at first and now with bourbon produced from our distillery-exclusive hybrid corn. It’s meant to enhance specific flavor and aroma characteristics typical of sour mash fermentation.” He continues, “You could smell the difference in the fermentations as soon as you walked into the stillhouse. The difference in the spirit was apparent right off the still as well and has continued through maturation. With the increase of ethyl lactate, the mouthfeel of the spirit became heavier and more mouth-coating. The aromatic profile was also more robust. In fact, after checking the barrels at the one-year mark, the barrels produced with LP had a very well-rounded profile typically of what we see start to develop after two years or more.”
Genetically modified yeast is yet another
“All of these yeast strains are wildly different from each other genetically speaking. We can have huge impacts on the character of the spirit just by changing the biology in fermentation.”
—Mitch Codd of Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits
emerging practice. “They’re making sour beers right now with a genetically modified yeast strain,” says Codd. “And they just allow us to have totally different tools at our disposal quite easily. They’re super safe and super targeted and I think that’s something that we’ll see enter into the distilling space in the future as well. We think there’s a lot to be said for sustainability aspects and flavor development.”
Sums up, Kreiter, “I think we all have more to learn on what yeast can actually contribute and how they do it. But if we go back a few decades we know a lot more than we did then. Fermentation was kind of this black box for a long time and I think we’re starting to understand that a little bit more. Especially in the craft spirits world, producers are getting more and more interested and more technically savvy as far as what yeast are doing and what’s happening during fermentation.” ■
A pair of marketing sessions at the recent Access Live trade show and conference sought to demystify content creation and promotion.
BY JEFF CIOLETTI
In the digital marketing age, there are few terms that get thrown around as much as “content.” The word may be overused, but the concept is, more often than not, applied effectively. Some of the sessions at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America’s Access Live convention earlier this year sought to help rectify that.
In a presentation titled “How to Create Effective Content Buzz Around Your Beverage Brand,” the two principals of beverage marketing company the Pour Agency argued that there are fundamental misconceptions about marketing itself that often get in the way of a brand’s ability to mount an effective campaign.
“The biggest problem that we see that a lot of brands make, with regards to marketing, is that they go into it asking the wrong questions,” asserted Pour Agency creative director Brandon Lee. “A lot of people come to [us] asking for video, ‘let’s just get video, how much does that cost? We need to get some photos, we want to get these types of lifestyle images so we’re able to relate with our customers better.’”
But those companies, he said, are starting in the wrong place.
“A lot of people that we know in the industry, they’ll get a really cool label design, slap it
on the bottle, make sure the juice is good, win some awards and then they’ll just put it out from there,” Lee explained. “[But] for us, it’s all about establishing a brand.”
Of course, “brand” can be one of the most subjective, nebulous terms out there.
The Pour Agency team defines brand as creating “a gut feeling about your product.”
That, too, can be very open to interpretation. Lucky for the presenters, the Las Vegas location for Access Live’s latest edition offered an ideal analogy.
“If you’re walking through the Strip tonight, you see all of these hotels, with all of these brands,” said Lee. “You see Cosmopolitan, you see Harrah’s, you see Caesar’s Palace. And if you were going to walk by and see a Nike logo on one of those hotels, I think all of us would have a really [good] idea of what that experience would be like if we walked into that hotel.”
On the flip side, if people saw a logo that reads “best hotel in Vegas,” they’re likely not to trust it because they’ve never heard of or interacted with it—so there’d be no experience attached to it.
This sounds like Marketing 101—probably even more basic than that—but many brands, right out of the gate, neglect to do their due diligence in an effort to get their product out the door and onto shelves as quickly as possible.
“What that means is that we essentially
figure out who we’re trying to target,” said Pour Agency executive producer Dominic Koponen. “That could be sex, race, all kinds of factors and all of those things into your messaging. So if you’re going to have a brand that needs to target somebody who works in the [San Francisco] Bay Area who makes a certain amount of money, those are all things we need to know in order to make sure our messaging is on brand for your marketing campaigns or whatever you’re doing. … Who you are targeting is the biggest thing you need to know before you even know what to say.”
So, you have a great spirit, a great name and a great package? Won some awards? Guess what, you’re not the only one. In fact, many consumers have seen, heard and tasted it all before. The real world isn’t “Field of Dreams.” There’s no such thing as “if you build it, they will come.”
“It’s so important to know your audience because there are so many labels that say, ‘We’re for anyone who likes whiskey,’” Lee advised. “And there are a lot of people who like whiskey and there are a lot of people who already have brands that they drink.”
Does your distillery have an environmental story to tell? Well, get in line. It might have been less common 15, 20 years ago, but no longer.
“A lot of people are talking about sustainability—they’re attending the right shows,
they’re saying whatever they get, they donate back to environmental causes and stuff like that,” noted Lee. “That’s all great and stuff, but there are so many people doing that, it’s not really a differentiator anymore. So what we always try to do is go a little bit deeper and try to create content … that’s actually genuine and authentic.”
Lee used a particular client as an example. Instead of just talking about sustainability in broad, buzzword-laden terms, the brand owners demonstrated what sustainability specifically meant to them and launched a campaign with very tangible results. Instead of Earth Day, the brand commemorated an entire Earth Month and planted a tree for every bottle it sold. It ended up planting some 50,000 trees.
“Instead of just talking about sustainability and slapping it on the bottle, they actually wanted to do something about it,” Lee recalled.
That month the Pour Agency created a number of different content elements and enlisted the support of relevant social media influencers and micro-influencers to spread the word.
You might think there’s no greater coup than having a bona fide celebrity with millions of followers post a picture holding your product, but sometimes it’s the folks with 10,000 to 100,000 followers who can make the biggest impact because they’re reaching the specific audience that you want to reach. “These are just people in [the brand’s] community and in their target market, in their age group,” Lee explained. “They’re wearing the type of clothing that they wanted people to be wearing when they’re drinking this specific drink.”
How can you really be sure if influencers or micro-influencers are a right fit, beyond how many followers they have and beyond whether they have the right “look” and “personality” for your brand? Know which analytics to use.
In a separate presentation titled “Successfully Engaging with Influential Content Creators in Your Community,” digital content creator and beverage alcohol influencer Natalie Migliarini (known by her Instagram handle, @beautifulbooze) and video creator James Stevenson of Little Lane Media detailed the sort of data on which to build your partnership decisions.
“When you go on Instagram, you’re not going to be able to see all of the analytics, but you’ll be able to see likes, views and comments,” Migliarini noted. “People hold on
to the number of followers and likes, but we focus on comments.”
So, that Instagram account isn’t just racking up the followers (which, let’s face it, can be bought], it’s getting people to actually engage in a secondary method, by taking the time to comment.
“Just because somebody has a huge following, doesn’t mean they’re active in the community,” said Stevenson. “They might have 188,000 followers but they’re getting only three comments.”
Contrast that with someone who has just under 1,800 followers, but whose recent post garnered 245 likes and 33 comments.
“It’s showing that when they talk about something, people actually have conversations with them,” Stevenson added.
You also have to look at what the commenters are saying.
“Is it just emojis or are they writing something?” Migliarini asks. “Leaving an emoji is not as engaging as saying something.”
If you’re hosting an in-person event and those sort of influential individuals are in attendance, try to get the most mileage out of the content they generate at the event.
If they’re taking shots of your bottle, get their permission to use their photos.
“It’s always best to get the highest quality of that content,” said Stevenson. “Asking the influencer or influential person, ‘do you mind us using that?’ If they say yes, ask for the original photo. It’s a way to keep engaging with them and continues the conversation.”
“So, the biggest marketing hack,” Koponen
“When you go on Instagram, you’re not going to be able to see all of the analytics, but you’ll be able to see likes, views and comments. People hold on to the number of followers and likes, but we focus on comments.”
—Digital content creator and beverage alcohol influencer Natalie Migliarini
said, “is there is none.”
In other words, don’t expect any single bullseye approach to developing content to promote your brand.
“If anyone tries to sell you on, ‘We have the one thing,’ that’s snake oil sales,” Koponen added. “Start looking at your brand more as a representation of what you’re trying to target—that is the big hack. … Look at your customers and [ask] ‘how can I communicate with them better, how can I connect with them better.’ There’s nothing specific that gets all the eyes. There are a lot of tactics you can [apply], strategies that have higher probability, but there is no silver bullet.” ■
Forklifts are indispensable for many craft distilleries. They can also be dangerous if not operated properly. Here are some ways to cut down on the risks of mishaps.
BY ANDREW KAPLAN
A craft distillery can be a bustling place with workers and visitors weaving in and out of production and storage areas and nearby tasting rooms. Added to this mix are forklifts navigating the same spaces with heavy loads of product and raw materials. It all makes for a potentially risky environment when it comes to day-to-day safety.
“Often the forklift driver is a responsible employee, but people aren’t thinking, and they’ll walk in front of the truck, or they’ll walk under the forks,” says Colton Weinstein, chairman of the ACSA’s 10-member Safety Committee, who also works as an operations consultant at Corsair Artisan Distillery in Nashville.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says some 62,000 injuries involving forklifts occur annually. And according to the National Safety Council (NSC), forklifts were the source of 73 work-related deaths in 2022 and 15,480
days away from work cases in 2021-2022. In addition, many employees ended up having to be transferred to another job or have their work activity restricted because of a forklift accident, the NSC says.
So, forklift safety is a big concern. As a result, it’s one of the issues the ACSA’s Safety Committee has been focused on. “We’ve been working on creating a forklift training program for craft distilleries,” says Weinstein. “Most are left to rely on their forklift provider to come in and do the training for them. That’s often a pretty expensive cost for distilleries.”
Equipment manufacturers have also been taking steps with a variety of new technologies being introduced that can enhance forklift safety, ranging from object detecting systems to telematics. Additionally, to spread the word about forklift safety, the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) will livestream its 11th annual National Forklift Safety Day from Washington, D.C., on June 11. The event provides a chance for forklift manufacturers to reinforce the importance of safety practices. “We know that operator training is not only the law, but it’s one of the most effective ways to reduce injuries and accidents,” says Brian Feehan, the ITA’s president.
There are also many additional steps craft spirits companies can take when it comes to forklift safety. Here are some of them.
As mentioned earlier, there are a variety of new forklift safety technologies that have come onto the scene in recent years. One of the most useful is sensing technology.
For example, Toyota’s Smart Environment Sensor Plus (SEnS+), can identify if a person or object is behind the forklift and offers adjustable truck slowdown and backward movement prevention. “This is important where both forklifts and pedestrians are in close proximity or in narrow work environments such as craft distilleries,” says Cesar Jimenez, the company’s vice president of regulatory affairs, product planning, product assurance & automated solutions, and this year’s chairperson of National Forklift Safety Day.
Stabilizing systems are another important safety feature. Yale Lift Truck Technologies’ Reliant forklift operator assist solution automatically applies interventions in response to compromised stability. The system also communicates the cause through a display screen, providing an additional layer of feedback to help reinforce proper operation established during training.
Another new helpful feature, says Don
“We know that operator training is not only the law, but it’s one of the most effective ways to reduce injuries and accidents.”
—Brian Feehan of the Industrial Truck Association
Yourstone—who as service solutions consultant, material handling, for Total Industries works with a lot of Toyota forklifts—is an autoleveling button. “This can reduce the chances of something falling off that pallet at height and coming down to the ground,” he says.
Visual signals are another important safety feature. Many of the latest forklifts now come with blue spotlights to warn people the truck is backing up, and red lights on the sides of the forklift to also warn of operating areas.
Additionally, telemetry systems, which allow for remote monitoring of the forklifts, can also have safety applications. They can be used to restrict truck access to only approved operators, track training updates and equip managers with performance data to help identify operators who require additional training.
Some forklifts also have cameras that sync with the impact detection of the main telemetry system, automatically saving video footage before and after an impact. Such a feature can help provide clarity when impact incidents occur, promoting operator accountability in adhering to safe operating practices.
“Having access to this kind of data allows organizations to isolate and work on remediating problem areas, and reinforce best practices to promote safety,” says Mike Kennedy, director of major accounts, beverage at Yale Lift Truck Technologies.
“OSHA Standard 1910.178 requires that anybody that gets on a motorized forklift goes through proficiency hands-on exercises and classroom training to ensure that they safely operate a forklift,” says Gary Yurt, president/ chief safety advisor of Industrial Safety & Training Services (STS), which has worked with about 100 distilleries, half of those craft, on safety and training programs.
Studies show such operator training can reduce accidents by 70%. Experts recommend distilleries implement a formal operator training program that meets OSHA’s requirement to evaluate each operator’s performance at least once every three years.
Yurt says given the nature of craft distilleries, often with smaller staffs juggling multiple jobs, things like forklift safety can sometimes fall through the cracks. “They do want to comply, but a lot of times it comes down to money. But they have a good [safety] history. We wouldn’t be servicing the craft industry otherwise,” he says. “Sometimes it’s just overlooked in terms of the safety things we might see.”
Corsair trains one of its employees to be a certified forklift trainer. “That way when we get new employees in we can train them up without having to bring an outside third party in,” Weinstein says. “That method has worked pretty well for us.”
Given the close proximity other distillery employees will tend to be with the forklifts, it’s also a good idea that they undergo safety training and wear safety vests for greater visibility. Additionally, signage in locations where lift trucks operate is a good safety measure, along with designating separate travel zones for pedestrians and trucks.
Technology like Yale Reliant can complement these measures, limiting speed in designated zones or even preventing access to pedestrian-only areas, proactively reducing truck speed when traveling around corners
to avoid upsetting stability, and preventing trucks from moving loads that exceed the equipment’s weight thresholds through hydraulic lock-out.
Maintenance also plays a major role in forklift safety. There can be unforeseen hazards from a forklift that is not properly maintained, such as an oil leak that can cause someone to slip, leading to downtime, lost productivity and financial impacts.
Adds Jimenez, “Distillers should work with their local authorized dealer and consider placing the forklifts on some type of planned maintenance program. … It’s important not to skimp on maintenance. This may include: checking of the brakes, work-lights, lift chains, fork condition, steering, hydraulic leaks and hose damage. “
“Often, lift truck dealers and OEMs offer turnkey programs so that organizations can focus on their core business, rather than equipment maintenance,” says Kennedy. “When a lift truck is out of commission for maintenance or service, it is inadvisable to fill the gap with just any truck. Using a piece of equipment that does not fit a specific task’s requirements can put the operator and others at risk. A proper preventive maintenance program can help guarantee that an operation has correctly configured backup trucks available.”
Also, extremely important are inspections before each shift to catch any problems before they occur. Yurt recommends a 10- or 15-minute pre-use inspection before each shift.
Telemetry can be a useful tool in this regard because it can require operators to complete the OSHA pre-shift checklist before truck operation. “It can also help track scheduled periodic maintenance tasks and trigger service calls based on equipment diagnostics,” says Kennedy.
There are other safety precautions that may seem obvious but nevertheless are worth stressing. For example, be sure to make sure your lift trucks can handle the maximum capacity of the loads they’ll be carrying. Also make sure your drivers always wear their seatbelt.
At Corsair, forklift operators are trained to always honk when they are moving around, especially when they’re going around the corner and can’t immediately see in front of them.
Also, Yurt stresses never to use a forklift to lift people (for instance, to reach storage shelves or change a light bulb in the ceiling). “A lot of people will put people on a pallet,” he
says. “Next thing you know, it shakes a little bit, and they fall. We’ve even seen people standing on the forks being raised and that’s just so dangerous.” He says to always use a rated platform designed with a cage to raise people.
It’s also important to consider the forklift truck’s impact on raw materials the craft distillery may be using in production. There are food-grade lubricants that are formulated specifically for safe use around food products, and powering lift trucks with lithium-ion batteries which don’t produce any emissions and don’t require battery equalizing processes is another good idea.
And then of course, there’s the alcohol. “We’re often moving high proof alcohol around, which most other industries aren’t, so that’s an extra danger,” says Weinstein. “If you’re moving high proof alcohol and that isn’t secured and it falls, it’s a much bigger hazard than just anything falling.”
Adds Kennedy, “One way operations can address this risk is by equipping lift trucks with an anti-static ground strap, which dissipates static electricity into the ground and avoids electrostatic discharges.”
Yurt also recommends the following: “We want to see the propane stored outside and for electrical forklifts they have to have some kind of a drenching, like an eye wash facility nearby, in case the battery acid gets on somebody.”
One common safety oversight, according to
Toyota’s Jimenez, is not being aware that forklifts must be rated to meet their specific work environment. The equipment used may vary in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) type (e.g. E or EE or EX) due to flammable gases or vapors or combustible dust being present in the air. “It’s the customer’s responsibility to understand what their environment is like and the type of equipment that they require for use at their facilities,” he says.
Based on the UL type, the equipment may have added enclosures to motors and controllers that keep any sparks from igniting any fumes in the air. “However, a risk assessment is needed and customers should work with their insurance company and/or qualified consultant to determine the specific equipment required for their specific operations,” Jimenez says.
It’s also important to be aware that modifying forklifts yourself can result in possible OSHA violations, Jimenez points out. A cut wire could result in the equipment no longer meeting the customer’s environment UL rating requirement,” says Jimenez, “and all of a sudden they could have an issue.”
Also make sure labels and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition, such as any warning labels.
To learn more, the ACSA’s Safety Committee holds various safety webinars throughout the year and is working on a forklift safety training program for members
“Always be aware and make sure the people around you are aware of what you’re doing. It sounds silly but there’s a horn on the lift for a reason. Use it.”
—Colton Weinstein of Corsair Artisan Distillery
that will eventually be available online.
Until then, Weinstein has these words of advice for his fellow craft distillers when it comes to safe forklift operation: “Always be aware and make sure the people around you are aware of what you’re doing. It sounds silly but there’s a horn on the lift for a reason. Use it.”
And ITA president Feehan says each National Forklift Safety Day stresses the importance of the need for a safety culture. “To have an effective safety program, it has to be ingrained in the culture of the organization to really and truly be effective,” he says. ■
ACSA’s 11th Annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show in Denver this February featured more than 150 exhibtors, including 40 first-time vendors.
Our educational programming featured more than 50 sessions covering a wide range of topics for everyone from a novice to the most seasoned attendees.
During a luncheon, we announced the winners of our 10th Annual Judging of American Craft Spirits and Fourth Annual Craft Spirits Packaging Awards.
ACSA’s political action committee (PAC) gathered at Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, and at The Family Jones Spirit House, the STEPUP Foundation held its graduation ceremony.
Prior to the convention, we offered two distillery tours, which featured visits to Leopold Bros., The Family Jones, Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, Laws Whiskey House, Bear Creek Distillery, Spirit Hound Distillers, Root Shoot Malting, Boulder Spirits, Talnua Distillery and Copper Sky Distillery.
Attendees and exhibitors enjoyed numerous opportunities to network over drinks, hors d’oeuvres, singing and dancing.
