Craft Spirits Weekly
Welcome to the third issue of Craft Spirits Weekly,  a service dedicated to bringing you the news most important to the craft spirits distiller. Check your inbox every Thursday to find a curated selection of articles and news pieces from the American Craft Spirits Association.
Craft Producers Make American Single Malts the Next Big Thing
Call them American originals, flattering imitators or spunky, funky derivatives. Call them smart business choices or unique expressions of region and craft; call them intensely smoky, delicately aromatic, honeyed and heavenly. When you’re talking about American single malt whiskeys, any of those descriptors might be true — sometimes several at once. (The Washington Post)
PA’s First Local Craft Spirits Shop to Open in Pittsburgh
There’s a new kind of liquor store opening in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, a first of its kind in the state of Pennsylvania. The mission? To get people excited about locally made spirits and wines–made easy by the fact that you can sample everything right in the shop. (NextPittsburg.com)
WA Lawmakers Seek to Ease Restrictions on Craft Distillers
A bipartisan group of Washington state lawmakers is aiming to lessen barriers to sales growth for Washington’s wine and spirits industry. (The Lens)
NY Governor Proposes Creation of Statewide Craft Beverage Week
Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn't done supporting New York's craft beverage producers. In his State of the State book submitted to the state Legislature, Cuomo proposes the creation of New York Craft Beverage Week. (The Citizen, auburnpub.com)
Georgia Bill Would Allow Craft Spirits Makers to Sell On-Site
Georgia’s craft spirit distillers would be allowed to sell limited amounts of their products directly to consumers under legislation filed in the state House last week. House Bill 60, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, would also let distillers feature on-site dining. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
New Orleans Enjoying a Distillery Boom
With New Orleans’ well documented attachment to the cocktail, it just makes sense craft distilleries would be the next step in the city’s entrepreneurial alcohol industry. Spirited entrepreneurs are taking a page from the booming brewing industry in the area and creating a fast-growing trend of craft distilleries. New Orleans is perfectly poised to be a powerhouse for both the production and consumption of spirits. (Thrillist)
Agajanian Vineyards Invests in Napa Valley Distillery
Napa Valley Distillery, the first distillery in the city of Napa since Prohibition, and the only distillery in Napa Valley, has entered into a financial agreement with Agajanian Vineyards and Wine Company, a second generation supplier of Premium Bulk Wine and WineGrapes. (PR Newswire via Benzinga)
Texas Distillery Brings E. European-Inspired Rakia to Lone Star State
For most of us, the traditional Eastern European fruit brandy rakia requires an introduction and some education: a brief lesson in geography, a reminder of what exactly brandy is, or at the very least, the myriad ways to enjoy it. Fortunately two UT-Austin alums, operating a distillery 80 miles down I-35, are eager to enlighten drinkers. (The Austin Chronicle)
American Craft Spirits Association | americancraftspirits.org