by Sally Colby
Josh Brewer started brewing beer in his mother’s basement in 1995 and hasn’t stopped yet. After spending time at breweries in various locations, he served as the assistant brewer at Moon River in Georgia.
(more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
Anyone who didn’t sleep through U.S. history class knows Prohibition was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. For most of the United States, this ban lasted from the adoption of the 18th Amendment in 1920 to its repeal with the passage of the 21st Amendment in 1933.
(more…)
Some call it a strategic centering point – a single, encompassing statement which consolidates everything about an operation. I prefer “gathering point,” as it defines the action that is inclusive to everyone within a business. Gathering denotes a welcoming of people who come together for a specific reason, and isn’t that what many direct marketing operations are established on? Farmers market vendors I’ve spoken with more specifically call it “esprit de corps,” or a common issue which bonds a group of people together.
(more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Much like Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day seems to only exist for certain people as an excuse to drink – which is a shame, because both holidays have much richer meanings.
(more…)
Where are hard cider consumers purchasing your product? In a 2015 Mid-Atlantic survey, more than 50 percent of consumers reported purchasing product at bars, restaurants and tasting rooms. Tasting room assistants, bartenders, pouring experts and waitstaff – those who work directly for you and those who do not – are, in many cases, your sales force. How well do they know your product, how often do they recommend it and are they attuned to your sales goals? Who, behind the scenes, are you depending on to champion your business?
(more…)
by Tamara Scully
Kombucha, in certain circles, is the go-to drink for providing health benefits. For thousands of years, kombucha, a fermented tea, has been revered for its healing properties, called “the tea of immortality.” With today’s focus on probiotics and functional foods, kombucha has once again joined the mainstream, found in major grocery stores – not just health food or specialty stores. A minority of kombucha brands fall instead into the category of alcoholic beverage.
(more…)
by Sally Colby
The Mid-Atlantic region is home to numerous wineries and breweries, and distilleries are joining the list of places people deem worthy of their leisure time. Wycombe Vineyards is a popular stop on the Bucks County, PA, wine trail, and is also home to Sator Square Distillery.
(more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
TUCSON, AZ – Ethnography is the systematic study of people and cultures, designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study. That’s Rebecca Caroli’s official area of research – but she’s also very interested in the lost, traditional and unusual ways spirits have been made in the past. That’s how she and her husband came to found Town Under Black Distillery.
(more…)
by Tina L. LaVallee
Every new business prays for a breakout, but few have their prayers answered by an actual prison. Southern Grace Distillery in Mt. Pleasant, NC, has seen their production and reputation bloom exponentially since moving from their 2,000-square foot startup in a former textile plant to the grounds of the former Cabarrus County Correctional Facility.
(more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Competition in the wine industry is horrible – so says David Bower, enology instructor and winemaker at Surry Community College in Dobson, NC. Raised and schooled in the industry, he also runs his own wine consulting business, helping both newcomers and those entrenched in the wine business make a mark.
(more…)by Melissa Piper Nelson
At question is a small, dark red, bitter apple. A bittersharp “spitter” (for spit it out) variety, the Kingston Black is nonetheless desired by innovative hard cider makers across the U.S. for its blend of acidity and tannins. Unfortunately, it also has become the metaphor for a diminishing supply chain of coveted hard cider apple cultivars.
(more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
“When I was just starting to drink, I discovered I couldn’t drink beer, or tequila, or vodka. I had this whole experience of what I couldn’t drink,” Karen Hoskin recalled, laughing. “And then I’m in India, and I’m on the beach and I’m bummed because I’m living with this Hindu family and they don’t drink at all. I had a bartender put some rum in front of me and I thought ‘Yes, more of that.’”
(more…)
by Karl H. Kazaks
DURHAM, NC – Everyone has moments in their life they weren’t expecting but they will never forget.
For Scott Russ, co-founder of Graybeard Distillery, one such moment occurred in April 2017 at the 74th Annual WSWA Convention and Exposition.
(more…)
by Rebecca Jackson
A Bedford, VA, brewery is creating a treasure of its own in a town long connected to the legendary fortune hunter Thomas J. Beale.
(more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
Even for those uninitiated in all things wine, the name Napa Valley has resonance. Everyone has heard of it, but what exactly does it mean?
(more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Every year toward the end of December, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) releases a report of special interest to a relatively small group of growers in the Northwest – the National Hop Report.
(more…)
by Sally Colby
Most agricultural enterprises will likely employ paid workers at some point, but finding and keeping those workers is an ongoing challenge. Some key issues associated with hired labor include where to find employees, pay rates and how to retain trained employees. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Wine consultant Denise Gardner says it’s important for winemakers to understand malolactic fermentation (MLF) and how it can influence wine at various stages of production. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
Sulfur is an element indicated on the periodic table as “S.” In its many different forms, it is found in a wide range of foods. Many amino acids contain sulfur, and it is present in leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. (more…)
by Melissa Piper Nelson
With craft brewing, distilling and boutique winery sales snagging a good share of sales volume in the U.S., start-ups as well as established businesses are seeking the next level of marketing potential. (more…)
Although Jen Wampler isn’t in the vineyard during harvest, she receives samples prior to and during harvest. Her role is to be aware of the progression of the ripening process and when grapes will be ready for picking. Photo by Sally Colby
by Sally Colby
Jen Wampler had a successful career as manager of a medical practice, but knew it was time to do something different. Although she didn’t seek a particular career change, Wampler started making wine at home and became interested in the process. (more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
There is no doubt about it: founding and running a brewery is a business. For some it is an experiment, for others a passion – some might even tell you it’s a calling – but it is always a business. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
While we are all Americans, we all have regional pride as well. Maryland is proud of its crab cakes; Texas has the biggest everything; and now a 1,650 square mile area in Upstate New York can officially be proud of its wines. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
According to the Brewers Association, as of 2017 there were 2,252 brewpubs, 3,812 microbreweries and 202 regional breweries operating in the nation. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Jim Miller planted Concord grapes simply because he had too much ground to mow. The grapes were ideal for jelly, but when the vines bore more fruit than he needed, he made wine instead. (more…)
by Catie Joyce-Bulay
When Chris Morley sat down to think about the brewery he wanted to open in Brewer, Maine, he knew it would need to have enough of a draw to bring people that far north. (more…)
by Laura Rodley
Three days of tasting events and visits to apple orchards and all things apple were the highlights of the 24th Annual CiderDays, held throughout Franklin County, MA, on the first weekend in November. (more…)
by Melissa Piper Nelson
In the rapidly burgeoning wine and craft beverage industry, the question regarding the return on investment (ROI) versus specialized training for tasting room assistants (TRAs) pops up frequently by owners, industry trade associations and market researchers. (more…)
by Karen Van Wyk
Brothers Mark and Todd Stricker along with Jay T. Nolan and Jeff McCarthy are the owners of Rush Creek Distilling. An adventurous spirit clearly fits the energy and productivity of this company and is also their tagline. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
Growers know that all areas of their vineyard are not created equal, and all parts of the vineyard aren’t going to perform identically. If the end goal for the vineyard is the same throughout, different management protocols would need to be used as any variables change in order to achieve the same outcome. (more…)