Welcome to the 196th 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 CRAFT SPIRITS magazine and the American Craft Spirits Association.
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Enter the Craft Spirits Packaging Awards |
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Best in Show to Grace Cover of CRAFT SPIRITS Magazine
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Presented by the American Craft Spirits Association and CRAFT SPIRITS magazine, the Craft Spirits Packaging Awards celebrates excellence and creativity in the design of craft spirits labels and packaging. Medalists will be featured in the January issue of CRAFT SPIRITS magazine, with Best in Show gracing the cover. Entries will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts.
Deadline for entry is Nov. 13, 2020.
The competition is open to all producers of craft spirits. No physical samples are required for entry (some winning entries may be asked to ship samples for photography).
A panel of design experts will judge labels and packaging in the following categories:
- Best Brandy Packaging
- Best Gin Packaging
- Best Ready-to-Drink
- Best Rum Packaging
- Best Specialty Spirits Packaging
- Best Vodka & Grain Packaging
- Best Whiskey Packaging
- Best Portfolio (Recognizing outstanding packaging across a range of products three or more products. Must be entered separately from individual entries.)
- Readers’ Choice Award (Judged by CRAFT SPIRITS magazine readers)
- Best in Show
Cost
ACSA Members: $40 per entry; $100 per portfolio entry
Non-members: $55 per entry; $140 per portfolio entry
The deadline for submissions is Nov. 13. If your spirits packaging is creative, beautiful, unique or all of the above, show it off by entering now!
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Widow Jane Releases 10-year-old Bourbon Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels |
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After selling through its initial, limited run of product in 48 hours, Widow Jane Distillery of Brooklyn, New York, announces the expanded release of Decadence, Widow Jane’s signature 10-year bourbon, blended in small batches and finished in American oak barrels that held Upstate New York’s Crown Maple artisan maple syrup. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Additional Guidance on Best Practices for Gluten Content Statements |
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After updating its policy on gluten content statements, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) provided ACSA additional guidance on best practices. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Spirit Hound Distillers Releases Three-Year Bourbon |
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Holiday celebrations may look a lot different in 2020, but this Halloween weekend, you can safely join a socially distanced or virtual bourbon tasting with Lyons, Colorado-based Spirit Hound Distillers. In honor of the distillery’s latest release, a handcrafted bourbon aged for 3 years in American oak barrels, Spirit Hound is hosting a two-day tasting event on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Distillery 291 Whiskey Now Available in Arkansas |
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Just in time for the holidays, the award-winning whiskeys of Colorado Springs-based Distillery 291 are now available for sale in Arkansas in partnership with Arkansas Wine & Spirits Distribution. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Are you delivering spirits directly to consumers' homes? |
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If your state allows direct-to-consumer shipping and you are delivering products directly to consumers via your own car/truck/etc., we'd like to hear from you. Please send us a note at news@americancraftspirits.org. |
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Join Us for Craft Spirits Live on Instagram |
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Join ACSA for Craft Spirits Live, our Instagram Live show. In each episode, a leading craft spirits producer invites us into their distillery for 30 minutes of engaging conversation and a virtual tour—as well as an opportunity to answer all of your burning questions.
UPCOMING GUESTS
October 28th: Abby Titcomb, 3 Floyds Distilling Co.
November 4th: Blake Jones, West Fork Whiskey Co.
November 11th: Nathan Newhall, Steamboat Whiskey Co.
November 18th: Greg Lehman, Watershed Distillery
November 25th: David Weglarz, StilL 630
December 2nd: TBA
December 9th: Gary Hinegardner, Wood Hat Spirits
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West Fork Expands Distribution Nationally with E-Commerce Launch |
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West Fork Whiskey Co. of Indianapolis is taking its products national with the official launch of its e-commerce site. The award-winning Old Hamer brand will be available to consumers in 31 states. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Lost Lantern, a new independent bottler of American whiskey, is excited to announce the addition of four hand-selected single casks to its initial release lineup. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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DOT to Host Webinars to Help Distilleries Maintain Compliance |
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The Department of Transportation – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT-PHMSA) will be hosting informational webinars to assist with transitioning to full compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) once the Temporary Policy for the Transportation of Certain Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Products expires on October 31, 2020. The webinars will cover key HMR transportation topics for hand sanitizer products as well as important information on how to obtain training. An emphasis will be placed on what your first steps are should you continue with hand sanitizer transport operations past October 31, 2020. There will be a limited time for live Q&A with guidance on where to direct any future compliance questions. There are two offerings for these webinars:
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Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey Debuts Cask Strength Program |
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Sweet Amber Distilling Co. has announced the launch of BLACKENED American Whiskey’s Cask Strength program, debuting with Batch 106. Under the direction of the brand’s Master Distiller and Blender Rob Dietrich, the limited edition Batch 106 Cask Strength expression features the same finest, hand-selected blend of bourbons and ryes in the original with a higher proof and is sonically-enhanced to the celebrated S&M2 playlist in the BLACK NOISE finishing process. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Happy Raptor Distilling Announces 504Bananas Foster Rum |
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Happy Raptor Distilling of New Orleans announces the release of its newest rum, 504Bananas Foster. Inspired by the iconic New Orleans dessert, 504Bananas Foster is handcrafted in the Crescent City at the distillery’s historic Central City location. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
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Reminder: Importance of Registering Sanitizer |
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Recently, ACSA leadership met with the FDA and the biggest takeaways were the importance of following current FDA guidelines and the necessity to register if you are producing hand sanitizer, packaging or labeling for distribution (either for sale or donation). You must also register with the FDA if you are manufacturing ethanol for use by others in making sanitizer.
If you believe a distillery is producing or distributing hand sanitizer or ethanol in a manner that is inconsistent with recent federal regulations and guidelines published for use during the COVID-19 public health emergency, please click here.
And if you haven't already added your distillery to our list of DSPs producing hand sanitizers, click here.
Additionally, FDA recently announced that it is providing a laboratory testing method to assess the quality of finished hand sanitizer products.
This testing method can be used to help assure hand sanitizers contain the correct ingredients and do not contain harmful levels of impurities. To read the full bulletin on the FDA's laboratory testing method, click here.
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Got a question? ACSA's got the answer. |
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In these challenging times, seek advice and lend your knowledge in ACSA's online forums. Our main forum topics include crisis management, services, TTB, safety, technical, equipment & materials, legislation, business and marketplace. |
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Watch the Latest Episode of Craft Spirits TV |
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Read the Latest Issue of Craft Spirits Magazine |
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Send News to Craft Spirits Magazine
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Do you have exciting stories to share about your distillery? Keep us posted on new products, events, trends, tips and more by sending us a note at news@americancraftspirits.org.
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The American Craft Spirits Association is the only national registered non-profit trade association representing the U.S. craft spirits industry. Its mission is to elevate and advocate for the community of craft spirits producers, and membership in ACSA is open to anyone.
ACSA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the eligible voting members of the Association. Voting members must be independent licensed distillers (DSPs) annually removing fewer than 750,000 proof gallons from bond (the amount on which a Federal Excise Tax is paid.)
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