Welcome to the 191st 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.
While this is normally a members-only benefit, we are distributing this newsletter to all DSPs as a public service during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also offering a 15-month membership for the price of 12 months (existing members will receive an additional three months). This offer will expire on Sept. 30. If you are not a member, learn more about joining here.
|
|
Constellation Brands Acquires Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. |
|
Constellation Brands announced this week that it has acquired full ownership of Copper & Kings American Brandy Co., a Louisville, Kentucky-based distillery that produces highly differentiated American Brandy, absinthe, gin, and Destillaré liqueurs. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
In a year full of pivots, the latest was the transition to a virtual event for the annual American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) and Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) Public Policy Conference, which was held Sept. 15-16. A record number of attendees virtually converged on the nation’s capital to advocate for the industry’s greatest priorities. More than 300 distillers, trading partners and industry allies from 45 states logged in at a time when it’s more critical than ever that the spirits industry’s voices be heard on Capitol Hill. (CraftSpiritsMag.com) |
|
Whiskey Del Bac Hires Former High West Executive as CEO |
|
T. Kent Cheeseman, Jr., long-time V.P. of Operations for High West Distillery in Park City, Utah, has been hired as CEO by Hamilton Distillers Group, Inc., makers of Whiskey Del Bac. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Webinar: Sensory: Impact of Some Off-Notes |
|
Thursday, Sept. 24, 3 p.m. ET
Free to ACSA members; $59 for non-members
Join us Sept. 24 when Robert Piggot, the Global Technical Manager at Lallemand Biofuels and Distilled Spirits, will lead us in an educational webinar about how some congeners can become off-notes. As part of a new member benefit, webinars are now free to all ACSA members.
A distilled spirit is composed of 99% water and ethanol. The remaining 1% is composed of congeners, including higher alcohols, aldehydes, lactones, esters, etc, which give the signature to the spirits and impact its aromatic profile.
Amid the large family of congeners / components, we have chosen some of them to get an overview of what can happen during the process of production and how some congeners can become off-notes. We will review the process of synthesis of these congeners, how we can manage them and how we can avoid or increase their production.
Some areas of focus for this presentation are Ethyl acetate, Diacetyl, sulfur compounds and geosmin.
|
|
Poll: Production in a Pandemic Year |
|
|
How does your projected production of spirits for 2020 compare to 2019?
|
|
|
|
Please Respond to the TTB 2020 Customer Satisfaction Survey |
|
The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is requesting your feedback. Help shape TTB's services by participating in its 2020 Customer Satisfaction Survey. TTB wants to hear about your experiences with current TTB services and what it can do to increase your level of satisfaction in the future. If you have not received your survey invitation e-mail from TTB, please request one at TTBSatSurvey@ttb.gov. The survey should take less than 10 minutes, participation is voluntary, and your responses will remain anonymous.
|
|
Oak and Grist Distilling Co. Releases Single Malt Whiskey |
|
Oak and Grist Distilling Co. of Black Mountain, N.C., recently released its first Single Malt Whiskey aged in the Scottish tradition that inspired the company’s founding years ago. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
St. George Spirits Announces Release of Lot 20 Single Malt Whiskey |
|
St. George Spirits of Alameda, California, announced that Lot 20 of St. George Single Malt Whiskey—its 20th anniversary release—will begin to hit shelves nationally in October and continue rolling out through the holiday season. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Oak & Eden Announces Re-release of Bourbon & Vine |
|
Dallas-based whiskey producer Oak & Eden has announced the re-release of its beloved six-time gold medal winning seasonal release, Bourbon & Vine. (CraftSpiritsMag.com) |
|
Garrison Brothers Distillery to Release Cowboy Bourbon |
|
Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced the 2020 release of its limited-edition, highly-anticipated Cowboy Bourbon. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Join Us for Craft Spirits Live on Instagram |
|
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
September 23: Ryan Christiansen, Caledonia Spirits
September 30: Alex Castle, Old Dominick Distillery
October 7: Taka Amano, American Shochu Company
October 14: Kim & Tom Bard, The Bard Distillery
October 21: John Little, Smooth Ambler Spirits
|
|
One Eight Releases District Made Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye Whiskey |
|
One Eight Distilling of Washington, D.C., recently announced the release of its inaugural batch of District Made Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye Whiskey. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Can Craft Whiskey Survive The Pandemic? |
|
Fred Minnick ponders the future of craft whiskey in the wake of the global pandemic, with insight from ACSA CEO Margie Lehrman. (Forbes.com) |
|
Green River Distilling Co. is Revived at Original Home in Kentucky |
|
This week marks the official revival of the Green River Distilling Co. at its original home in Owensboro, Kentucky. Founded by John W. McCulloch in 1885, DSP-KY-10 received national and international acclaim for its whiskey. The distillery endured fire, Prohibition, multiple owners, and a period of decline to reemerge today. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Wolf Spirit Releases Puncher’s Chance Kentucky Straight Bourbon |
|
Wolf Spirit Distillery of Eugene, Oregon, recently introduced Puncher’s Chance, pure Kentucky Straight Bourbon. A marriage of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old Kentucky Straight bourbons, it leads with caramel, spicy, slightly sweet, and creamy vanilla notes. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Sōmrus Introduces Coffee Cream Liqueur |
|
Sōmrus of Chicago announces Sōmrus Coffee Cream Liqueur, which joins Sōmrus Mango and Sōmrus Chai in the product line. (CraftSpiritsMag.com)
|
|
Reminder: Importance of Registering Sanitizer |
|
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.
|
|
New Deadline: Get a 15-month Membership for the Price of 12 Months
|
|
As distillers continue to operate during a difficult time of uncertainty, new and lapsed ACSA members are receiving a 15-month membership for the price of 12 months. We've extended the deadline for this offer and it will now expire on Sept. 30.
|
|
Got a question? ACSA's got the answer. |
|
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. |
|
Watch the Latest Episode of Craft Spirits TV |
|
Read the Latest Issue of Craft Spirits Magazine |
|
Send News to Craft Spirits Magazine
|
|
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.
|
|
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.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
