Inside the Industry
After a tough year, some craft distilleries still look to expansion.
No question. 2020 was a rough year for U.S. craft distillers. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a one-two punch: Not only were their tasting rooms forced to close, so were bars and restaurants, causing on-premise spirits consumption to plummet. Still, some craft distillers are considering expansion, even if their 2021 will be something of a reset. Their optimism is based on expectations for pent-up consumer demand and new opportunities born out of necessity during the pandemic: Direct to Consumer sales; cocktails-to-go; and scaling operations as a cost-savings measure. DISCUS refers to these kinds of developments as “market modernizations” that will help boost the industry’s recovery.
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Inside the Industry
The spirits industry stays strong.
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Inside the Industry
Gen Z: online vs in-store booze buying.
You’d think that Gen Z would be heavily inclined to jump on the online booze-buying bandwagon. Think again. According to a recent report by alcohol e-commerce platform Drizly, Gen Z is more likely than Millennials, Gen X and even Boomers to buy alcohol from liquor stores than online.
But while this may ring true now, alcohol e-commerce is still growing at a rate of 40%, so consumers will continue to transition toward purchasing alcohol online, just like we’re seeing the growth in online food and grocery businesses.
Read more of the Drizly report highlights here.

Inside the Industry
From Still to Shelf – Finding a Distributor
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Inside the Industry
Vodka and White Spirits are Still White Hot
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Inside the Industry
Raise a Glass to Yourself
During the coronavirus crisis, distillers across the country dedicated their time and valuable resources to producing hand sanitizer. We want to say thanks to you all. You make us proud to be in this industry and to call many of you our partners. Cheers!

Inside the Industry
What Are We Learning During the Pandemic?
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Inside the Industry
The Power of Alcohol Brands During the Pandemic
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Inside the Industry
Why is Rye on the Rise?
Well, there are multiple reasons. Clay Risen, author of American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit touches on a few of them:
“You saw a lot of bartenders going back to pre-Prohibition recipes, finding a lot of things that were rye-driven. And consumers jumped at it. So, that was one thing. And then, I think the other is that there's a lot of curiosity out there these days. People want to try different whiskeys. There's no brand loyalty, there's no style loyalty. So, something like rye comes along and people say, 'Oh, that sounds great. I want to try something new.'"
Read the entire CBS News feature on the resurgence of rye.

Inside the Industry
Exceptional Follows: Heather Greene
Plop down in your favorite chair with a perfect pour of whiskey to read Heather Greene’s resume:
- author of Whiskey Distilled, A Populist Guide to the Water of Life,
- CEO of Provision Spirits, maker of Milam & Greene and Ben Milam Whiskies,
- the first woman to serve on the Scotch Malt Whisky Society tasting panel in Scotland
The list goes on and on. That’s what makes her one of the best minds and best follows in the biz.

Inside the Industry
The Best Bachelor’s Degrees for the Biz.
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Inside the Industry
The Blend Trend.
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Inside the Industry
Exceptional Follows: Elliott Clark
Elliott Clark, aka the mastermind behind Apartment Bartender, has the prestige of being named the top cocktail and spirits influencer by media outlets such as Buzzfeed, Vinepair, Liquor.com and others. His numerous awards and accolades aside, Elliott takes a humble approach to crafting cocktails and content that keep home bartenders coming back for more. He’s part of our new Rackhouse Roundtable series, too.

Inside the Industry
What’s Your Whiskey’s Age Again?
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Inside the Industry
You Have the Juice. Now What? The Basics of the 3-Tier Alcohol Distribution System.
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