Because Catoctin Creek is one of the few American craft distillers that already exports to Europe, we found ourselves in the position of explaining how the current trade tariffs have made American whiskey and unintended victim of the mounting trade war. Regardless of what side of the aisle you're on (we consider ourselves firmly independent!), a 25% rise in our prices in Europe is bad for business. We've been working hard to meet with the administration-we had a meeting with Dept. of Commerce Secretary Ross just last week-to explain our positions and encourage all sides of the trade battle to get to the table and begin negotiations in earnest. Let's bring this nascent trade war to an end before it begins.

If you're interested in the topic, here is a roundup of the news we've seen so far: Read more  

"Quiet on the set!"
The director is shouting, flanked by a woman behind the bar grasping a boom pole and a man adjusting his camera. A forklift by the 300-gallon copper whiskey still has ceased beeping and filming is set to resume when Tessie, a particularly vociferous pup, yowls loudly.

It's a busy day here at Seven Stills Brewery and Distillery in the Bayview [district of San Francisco, CA], but then again, it seems like every day here might be this hectic.  Read more.

 

Seven Stills launches "ICO" Campaign to fund new flagship location Read more.

The third time's the charm. These words could not ring more true as family owned Alltech celebrates the ribbon cutting and grand opening of its new $15 million Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery in Pikeville, Kentucky. Alltech is no stranger to the world of brewing and distilling. The company also owns Town Branch Distillery in Lexington, KY and recently opened Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, Ireland.

Alltech was founded in Nicholasville, KY in 1980 by serial entrepreneur Dr. Pearse Lyons. Having once interned for Guinness and Harp Lager breweries and later working for Irish Distillers, makers...  Read more.

18th Street Brewery has been one of Indiana's favorite breweries since opening. Now they've opened a distillery.

18th Street Brewery's Best Patio Pils was ranked #28 in a field of 134 Best Pilsners blind tasted and ranked by Paste Magazine in May 2018. The verdict posted on-line reads: "Three different score sheets on this beer all use the word "Euro," so there's probably something to that assessment. 18th Street's offering is all about the malt complexity for the most part. It's quite bready and one of the most distinctly "yeasty" pilsners in the tasting, with a doughy quality that works well with a moderate dose of perfumey hops. "Bright and bready, very approachable" says one score sheet. This chewy pils feels downright wholesome, in a way. ABV: 4.9%"
This newest recognition was the impetus to track down founder/brewer Drew Fox. Since its 2013 debut, 18th Street has attracted national attention, including... Read more.

The distillery, which produces the District Made range of spirits, is working with DCI Architects to raise the roof above its newest still, install a window behind the tasting room bar and construct a bottling room in the barrel warehouse.

Sandy Wood, co-founder and CEO of One Eight Distilling, said: "After more than a year of planning we are thrilled to be implementing improvements to our production capacity and customer experience that will make One Eight the largest distillery in our nation's capital."   
Read more.

Launched last year in the East Village, You & Yours Distilling Co. has been embraced by the local bar industry and received acclaim for its in-house cocktail program. Its 26-year-old owner and head distiller, Laura Johnson, is getting national notice too, making Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 list and being named as a Eater Young Guns 2018 semifinalist. Now, the urban distillery is prepping to begin production on a line of canned cocktails, entering a growing market that few other craft distilleries have yet to venture into, though San Diego-based Cutwater Spirits commands a large share of the current space. Read more

The idea of building one's own distillery is a dream for many. The tales of building one's own distillery and becoming an overnight success are not just tales but, fairytales. Building one's own distillery takes years from the ideation stage, to the permitting (and approval) stage, to the distillation stage, to the distribution stage. And, as I've heard from many craft distillers, when it comes to estimating the cost of a distillery, a good rule of thumb is to take whatever that initial number is and double it. Such is the tale for the owners of Hope Springs Distillery in Lilburn, Georgia. But, at the end of the day, after attending many industry trade shows, traveling across the U.S. and two trips to Scotland to learn the art of distillation, they are in fact, livin' the dream! Read more.