by Laura Rodley
Dalton Distillery is only four years old, but they’ve already taken hold in Dalton, GA, known as the carpet capital of the world, with their Raymond’s Reserve and their gluten free TazaRay, the only sunflower-based spirit in the world. (more…)

by Catie Joyce-Bulay
Many people that visit Love’s Kombucha’s stand at the Moscow, Idaho farmers market don’t know what kombucha is. “That’s why it’s so much fun,” said Renee Love, who brews and owns the business with her husband, Emmett. “We have a lot of people that will come up and bring their friends and say ‘My friend is making me try it but I know I don’t like kombucha.’ And we say, ‘Well, you haven’t tried ours yet.’” Many come away with a new appreciation for the fermented probiotic tea. (more…)

by Sally Colby
Hayes Kelman is a fifth generation farmer whose family raises wheat, grain sorghum and soybeans on 8,000 acres in southwestern Kansas. While Kelman intends to continue farming, his creative idea will add value to farm products. (more…)

by Catie Joyce Bulay
Most beer lovers know Denver, CO is one of the country’s top spots for craft beer. The city is ranked third for most breweries in the United States, according to an analysis done by Datafiniti last year. The River North or RiNo, an up-and-coming arts district, is one of the hottest places within the city for craft beverages. So how does a brewery stand out in a sea of great beer? (more…)

by Stephen Wagner
The 2018 Eastern Winery Exposition, held for three days at the Lancaster County Pennsylvania Convention Center, brought an industry issue into view — migrant labor. (more…)

by Laura Rodley
Remember the television series The Lone Ranger? In 1989, the writers of Wine Spectator asked Randall Grahm, owner of Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, CA to appear on their cover dressed as the Rhône Ranger, as the champion of Rhône varieties of grapes in that region for his wine.         (more…)

by Sally Colby
When it comes to marketing a winery, brewery or distillery, there’s no single plan that works for all. A major portion of marketing is a mindset, and it’s up to you and your staff to create a memorable experience for guests. (more…)

A quick definition of ambience relates to the character or atmosphere of a place — the quality it seems to have. Ambience is one of five major factors identified with customer satisfaction as noted by Miguel Gomez, a Cornell University researcher, and mentioned by Penn State wine bloggers. (more…)

by Tamara Scully
No matter where you live, odds are likely that a handful of craft breweries have opened up nearby. The industry has undoubtedly been growing over the past decade. But the growth seen in 2017, according to the Brewers Association (BA) economist Bart Watson, has changed. And the change is impacting all segments of the industry. (more…)

by Sally Colby
Nearly everyone has concocted a product, served it to their friends and received praise that led them to believe they might be able to sell that product. (more…)

Enfield, Conn. — In honor of National Wine Day on May 25, Farm Credit East salutes the contributions of all Northeast wine and grape growers, including vineyard operators, wine producers, and juice and table grape growers. The region’s wine and grape industry is an important and growing sector of Northeast agriculture. (more…)

by Melissa Piper Nelson
When Matt Miller discusses brewing and beer, you want to listen. That’s because he speaks from experience and with a great appreciation of the craft. His favorite subject is brewing sour beers and he is eloquent about their creation from multiple yeasts, the fermentation methods and their special characteristics. (more…)

by Catie Joyce-Bulay
When Brad Binko moved to Walla Walla, WA in 2014, he jumped into the wine world with both feet. The same year he enrolled in the community college’s enology and viticulture program, he began working as an assistant winemaker at a local winery and started two of his own labels, Eternal Wines and Drink Washington State Wines. (more…)

by Melissa Piper Nelson
To create a positive presence across media platforms is to understand the importance of the greeting that comes before the actual hello. Potential customers already know a great deal about your operation and your product even before they arrive at your doorstep. With all the introductory information already available, you may wonder why any initial greeting, in this case at your tasting room or event, demands special attention. (more…)

by Karl H. Kazaks
DURHAM, NC — “Our mission is to pioneer the art of distinctly Southern beer,” said the founder of Fullsteam Brewery, Sean Lilly Wilson. (more…)

by Laura Rodley
The crew — a dozen strong — at Friends and Allies Brewing has much for which to be grateful. The owners Devon Ponds and Ben Sabin, both Austin, Texas residents, founded the brewery in 2015. Through a lot of hard work, they built a new facility which opened in February 2017. Their tasting room opened up in late April of that year.  (more…)

Do you remember when your parents asked you, or when you asked your children, “What did you learn today?” The question becomes a way to connect with a person as well as gain information. And, the question has relevance in the business world as well as in our personal lives, too. (more…)

While much of the focus is on getting crops in the ground, getting the ground ready for the crops should be a priority, too. No matter the crop, the proper soil properties, including fertility, can mean healthier plants and bigger yields. (more…)

by Sally Colby
When it comes to attracting customers to the winery and tasting room, what really matters? Miguel Gomez, associate professor at the Charles Dyson School of Applied Economics at Cornell University, wanted the answer to that question. (more…)

by Melissa Piper Nelson
What is red and white and blue all over? Wine, of course — expressing one of the major food and beverage trends to emerge in recent years.            (more…)

by Catie Joyce-Bulay
When Sharelle Klaus had the idea to start DRY Soda Company in 2005, she wanted to fill a gap in the craft beverage market. As a mother of four children under seven, she wasn’t drinking alcohol and was looking for a sophisticated beverage to take its place but couldn’t find one. (more…)

by Laura Rodley
Kimberly Lanski of Buddha’s Brew in Austin, Texas has been making their raw and unfiltered Buddha’s Brew Kombucha since 2006. Infused with strains of organically grown G. Xylinus, Z. Bailii, D. Bruxellensis, P. Membranifaciens and D. Anomala, each bottle contains 19 billion live probiotics.    (more…)

by Christopher Wren
ALBANY, NY — Despite a snowstorm that hit upstate New York over 300 brewers from all over New York State gathered in Albany for the first annual New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) Craft Brewers Conference March 1-3. (more…)

by Kristen M. Castrataro
On March 6, Rhode Island Women in Agriculture held their fifth biennial conference at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, RI. The conference boasted 36 speakers and panelists including: state senators and representatives; the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; the Chief of the Division of Agriculture; representatives from USDA APHIS, FSA, NRCS; and the acting director of the Office of External Affairs for the Farm Service Agency, direct from Washington, D.C. (more…)

by Michael Wren
WATERLOO, NY — Tuesday, March 27 marked the start of the sixth annual Finger Lakes Craft Beverage Conference in Seneca County, NY, put on by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County. This year the location changed to the Del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo. Day one of the two day event included a tradeshow and informative conferences on the industry. (more…)

On March 14-16 the Mid America Beverage Exposition and Conference was held at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles MO. The conference offered attendees the opportunity to connect with and learn from other beverage producers while hearing from experts in the industry. (more…)

by Tamara Scully
The kickoff session of the inaugural Empire State Barley and Malt Summit included a craft beverage tasting event, featuring beers and distilled spirits made from New York state ingredients, But before attendees could taste the array of New York’s craft beverages, they gathered to listen to a panel presentation focusing on the “Ingredients for Success.” (more…)

by Sally Colby
When employees are interviewed and hired, they want to know about pay and other compensation. Lisa Holden, Penn State Extension, says employers need to explain to employees that cash wages and total compensation are two different things. (more…)

What employees need to know
As a business owner or manager, you no doubt spend a lot of time working with and training employees. You need employees to be knowledgeable, courteous, efficient and productive. Beyond the basics of job descriptions and daily tasks, three factors are essential to add in the mix — mission, emergency resources and quality customer service.           (more…)

by Catie Joyce-Bulay
“I’ve been making whiskeys for the past 13 years and legal for the past three.” This is how John Bourdon likes to open his tours of Sandstone Distillery. The natural born public speaker then goes into the story of getting a registered letter from the Department of Treasury informing him that they had recently conducted a raid of the store he bought his still from, obtaining all customer records. (more…)