Inside the Industry

What Are We Learning During the Pandemic?

What a year, huh? The pandemic is certainly one of the most trying times in our country’s history. But as an industry, this challenging time is teaching us a lot about our consumers and making us adapt in ways that can make us even better. So, what have we learned so far from the COVID-19 crisis?
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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!

The Power of Alcohol Brands During Pandemic

Inside the Industry

The Power of Alcohol Brands During the Pandemic

Thinking back to March and April, what brands do you think had the highest increase in engagement on social media compared to last year? It was during the height of the pandemic, so it must’ve been healthcare brands, right? Nope. According to a report from ListenFirst, beverage brands saw the most growth in engagement compared to March 2019, with an increase of over 326%. Engagement with healthcare brands only grew 131%...during a global health crisis.
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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.

Heather Greene Twitter

Inside the Industry

The Best Bachelor’s Degrees for the Biz.

What’s the best bachelor’s degree to get into food science? Well, if you ask MGP experts they’ll have different answers. Sarah Gutkowski's bachelor’s degree is in food science while Ody Maningat's bachelor’s degree is in chemistry. Obviously a food science degree is a good route, but it’s not the only one.
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Inside the Industry

The Blend Trend.

In the not-too-distant past, “blend” was synonymous with “bleh.” Blended whiskeys were cheap and second-rate, often mixed with poor-quality stock. If you wanted the best tasting whiskey, it had to be straight and aged, with the age listed proudly on the bottle. Oh, how the perception of “blend” has changed. Today, “blended” is no longer a dirty word in the whiskey world. Today’s consumers, especially millennials, care more about a whiskey’s taste and story than its age.
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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.

https://www.instagram.com/apartment_bartender/

Inside the Industry

What’s Your Whiskey’s Age Again?

As a distiller, there’s nothing better than having a high demand for your product. That’s the goal, right? But what if there’s too much demand? This is something many whiskey producers are running into. Their aged whiskeys become so popular they run out of supply. And they can’t just whip up a new batch of an aged whiskey.
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Inside the Industry

You Have the Juice. Now What? The Basics of the 3-Tier Alcohol Distribution System.

You’ve spent countless hours crafting your spirit to obtain the perfect flavor profile. It’s been a labor of love, but now you’ve got to get down to business and actually sell it. So how exactly do you get your spirit on the shelf at retailers?
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Inside the Industry

Canned Cocktails: The Rising Trend of Ready-made Drinks

In the past, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails had a bit of a bad reputation. They were malt-based, sugary sweet and about as artificial as you could get. But that’s not the case today. Brewers and distillers, including craft companies, have been coming out with higher quality cocktails in a can.
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Inside the Industry

Passion is the Best Start

Want to start a distillery? Read this.

It takes more than a big barrel of cash. Even if you have it, you may still be biting off more than you can chew. Partner with MGP, and get a top quality, consistent product to market without tying up the big bucks.

Inside the Industry

Top 5 Alcohol Industry Trends to Watch for in 2020

As we hit the fourth quarter of 2019, you’re bound to start seeing lists of trends for next year. Of course, we had to make our own contribution to the cocktail of predictions. Craft distillers still have a lot to look forward to, in our opinion, but there are challenges on the horizon as well. Keep reading to see our list of the top 5 upcoming alcohol industry trends.
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Inside the Industry

What Kind of Whiskey is This?

With the renewed interest in craft whiskey in the United States, more and more whiskey connoisseurs are being introduced to lesser-known niche spirits. In total, there are 41 categories of whiskey recognized by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the agency that regulates and collects taxes on imported and domestic alcohol. These categories are defined by a multitude of requirements including aging, barreling, blending and country of origin.
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Inside the Industry

Millennials Want the Good Stuff

Bye-bye 12-pack. Today’s influential millennial consumers prefer hard liquor, straight or in a cocktail, over beer or wine.1 Not just any liquor, though. Millennials want premium and super-premium spirits.
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