As the restaurant sector shifts back into gear, catering to younger health-conscious consumers could help the industry return to its former glory, as new research shows (more…)

Like wine, beer can have health benefits when consumed in moderation. Non-alcoholic beers have become wildly popular recently, but are these drinks also healthful? (more…)

The Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council has rebranded to the simpler Connecticut Farm Wineries, just in time to launch their popular passport program, encouraging consumers to engage (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

By now, if you know anything about barley, you likely know about Excelsior Gold, the first malting barley developed exclusively for New York growing conditions. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

An overarching theme of the recent Virtual Empire State Barley and Malt Summit was that 2021 was not a great year for those growing these grains so important to the brewing industry. (more…)

Barley of the Chevalier variety. Photo courtesy of Matti W. Leino

Can a single ear of barley give rise to global cultivation, and change the very foundations of the brewing industry? (more…)

The holiday season is a time of celebrations and festive drinks, some of which are made with apple liquors. These classic spirits have a long history, and surprisingly, many decisions about their processing (more…)

by Doug Maccash, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate

PEARL RIVER, LA (AP) – Luverne Kahl sometimes tears up as she talks about her late husband’s beer can collection.

It was more than just a hobby. It was his passion, and the memories it prompts rise up in her unexpectedly. But she’s resolved to let it go. (more…)

Germination in the non-mutated barley was almost complete, while the gene-edited barley did not germinate at all. This shows that the gene-edited barley had been dormant for longer (images taken seven days after imbibition). Photo courtesy of Hiroshi Hisano, Okayama University

After a spell of unexpected rain, before the harvest season, (more…)

Tom Cormier and Arielle Berberick have turned their mead making into a passion project. Photos by Courtney Llewellyn

by Courtney Llewellyn

Opening a new beverage business mid-pandemic may have seemed a little too risky for some, but not for Arielle Berberick and Tom Cormier (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

While Washington, Oregon and Idaho are well-known as the top hops-producing states in America, the number of hop farms outside of the Pacific Northwest continues to grow. That may be one of the reasons why Penn State Extension recently hosted a series on hop pellets and considerations for farm-scale production. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Yeast are living organisms with very important jobs: They turn other things into alcohol for us! That’s why what you feed your yeast is so crucial when it comes to making cider. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Tom Potter, president of New York Distilling Company, is convinced most good ideas are born over a drink. That’s how, back at the 2015 Craft Distillers Conference, many other distillers were convinced that those in the Empire State should reach back to New York’s excellent history of rye (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

The first thought for a lot of people when it comes to cider is apples. But yeast should be high on that list too. Different yeast strains can fundamentally change how the finished product can come out, and understanding the importance of yeast selection for cider makers is critical. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Perhaps our other posts about growing grains have piqued your interest and you want to add some winter cereal grains to your operation. Knowing which varieties to plant is key; fortunately, updates on agronomic research were also part of the recent virtual Grains Week series. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

We recently touched upon a lot of the research going on in the world of barley. Today, we’ll be focusing specifically on naked barley. According to Brigid Meints, assistant professor at Oregon State University, the difference is this: (more…)

Mark Sorrells of Cornell shared a bit of history with this map illustrating where barley was being grown in America in the late 19th century.

by Courtney Llewellyn

The Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) kicked off its ambitious virtual Grains Week on May 3 (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

During his first visit to the Finger Lakes region, Andrew Coplon of Secret Hopper and Craft Beer Professionals had several things stand out in his memory: splendiferous sunsets, savory sandwiches and memorable wine labels. Those notable things are still with him, and he wants to help those with tasting rooms create similar lifelong memories for their customers. (more…)

The demand for sustainable products and the value of third-party certification is growing

by Courtney Llewellyn

“The conversation has to start with acknowledgment that consumer interest in this has only gotten more intense in the 20 years since ‘Fast Food Nation,’” said Matthew Buck, director of Food Alliance, an organization that certifies agricultural operations, food processors and distributors to promote sustainability in agriculture and the food industry. He presented on the demand for sustainable products and their certification during this year’s CiderCon. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

The landscape continues to change as the pandemic wears on. But someday – hopefully soon – that necessary adaptation will lessen. And that was what was discussed by a number of panelists during this year’s virtual Finger Lakes Craft Beverage Conference (FLX BevCon). (more…)

By Courtney Llewellyn

It’s human nature to want to be a part of a larger group – it’s a concept called “belongingness.” Marketers know this and use it their advantage. Luckily, the concept tends to be beneficial. Consider clubs that give their members exclusive products or experiences. Wine clubs have been popular for a while. But what about cider? (more…)

The Erinium mite trial, which took place at two vineyard sites on Old Mission Peninsula in 2020, had both sites treated at bud swell. Photo courtesy of Isaacs Lab/MSU

by Courtney Llewellyn

Grapes can be finicky. As a crop, they require somewhat specific conditions to grow to the best of their ability, and even then, all of their growers’ efforts can be sidelined (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Do you want to save inputs while seeing better yields? Variable rate fertilization – among other practices for precision management – may be the answer. They’ve seen proof of this in vineyards and they discussed it at the 2021 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium.

Mesa Vineyard Management in California is both organic and biodynamic, according to Bob Thomas, vineyard manager at Castoro. They analyzed soil samples and found they needed additional compost on their weaker soils. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

At the recent MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual experience, one sprouting idea was about growing barley and rye for the brewing and distilling industries. Craft breweries and distilleries are still popular for those involved in the local foods movement – Michigan is ranked fifth nationally for the number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs in-state – and they need locally-sourced supplies to meet demand. (more…)

Caminante Blanc grapes. Photo courtesy of UC-Davis

by Courtney Llewellyn

“The world is changing but the varietals we grow have not. Are we missing out?”

That was the title of and question posed by a group of forward-thinking growers during the 2021 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Diversification in the name of the game across agriculture these days, and those growing apples and making cider continue to jump on board. The topic of co-fermentation in natural cider – using other fruits in addition to apples – was the topic of a discussion at the recent virtual CiderCon. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

A lot of human life may have come to a halt over the past year, but plant life did what it always does, including grapevines and winegrapes. At the 2021 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, several producers spoke about what winegrape production was like during a global pandemic. (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

At the virtual Wine & Grape Symposium this year, it was noted that an unprecedented fire season coincided with an unprecedented pandemic. There were more than 100 major fire events which affected a total land area of about 10 million acres (more…)

Head Distiller Heather Heinz mixes up a batch.
Photo by Joan Kark-Wren

by Enrico Villamaino

More often than not, when combining wedding guests, alcohol and the occasional misdemeanor, the result is not a successful business.

But sometimes it is. (more…)