Inside the Industry

Exceptional Whiskeys Begin with Exceptional Quality

The lore surrounding American whiskey has captivated an eager market. Especially the notion of “craft,” with carefully created mash bills, skillful blending and unique barrel finishes. And there are famous stories about fermentation and distillation -- every aspect of the whiskey-making process -- passed down across generations.
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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.

The coronavirus pandemic changed us all. It changed the way we go about our daily lives, the way we interact with each other and the way we consume. Every industry had to adapt to the country’s new way of life. The spirits industry not only adapted, but got stronger and showed a promising future. According to a blog post from FoodBev Media, the alcoholic beverage market is expected to continue growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 4% over the next 6 years. Why? Glad you asked.
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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

You might recall our blog post that gives an overview of the three-tier alcohol distribution system. Most distillers have a rudimentary knowledge of two of those: producers and retailers. If you’re a distiller, you ARE a producer. And if you’ve ever been in a liquor store or bar, you’ve experienced the retail tier. But it’s the tier in-between that many distillers have yet to master: the distribution tier.
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Inside the Industry

Vodka and White Spirits are Still White Hot

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey. It’s been the talk of the town, and the distilling industry, for quite a while now. And for good reason, its popularity has been steadily growing for years. But there’s a spirit that might deserve some of the same attention. Hint: it’s white, flavor-neutral and great in cocktails.
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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?

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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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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