Crested Butte News - eType Services

Crested Butte News WEEKLYNovember 2, 2012 | 21ShowtimeS for November 2Nd through the 8that the Prosser theater, gunnisonWreCk-it ralPh in 3d (Pg)Fri: 7:00, 9:15Sat: 2:15, 7:00, 9:15Sun: 2:15, 7:00Mon-Thurs: 7:30WreCk-it ralPh in 2d (Pg)Fri-Sun: 4:30Mon-Thurs: 5:15* (*Bargain show!)Crested butteMonday night Football- Free, all agesEagles vs Saints at 6:30here CoMes the booM (Pg)Weekdays: 4:30, 7:00* (*No 7:00 Mon)Sat & Sun: 2:05, 4:30, 7:00seven PsyChoPaths (r)Weekdays: 4:45, 7:30 Sat & Sun: 2:15, 4:45, 7:30majeStiC: 970-349-8955 cbmajestic.netrubY: 970-349-8955 rubycinema.netargo (r)Weekdays: 4:35, 7:15 Sat & Sun: 2:00, 4:35, 7:15Montanya Distillers lands grantto help expand business overseasDoor opening in Italy BY SETH MENSING The land of Tuscan villasand Venetian gondolas could soonplay host to Crested Butte’s ownMontanya Rum, thanks to somegood fortune and timely financingthat’s putting the local distiller inline to find new markets overseas.Montanya Rum co-owner andpresident Karen Hoskin says Italy isthe fifth largest consumer of alcoholin Europe, making it a good placeto find a foothold among a growingnumber of connoisseurs of Americanwhiskey and bourbon.But had it not been for animportant endorsement by the“Ministry of Rum” and a grant fromthe Colorado Office of EconomicDevelopment and InternationalTrade (COEDIT), the jump may nothave been possible.Making the switch to theEuropean market isn’t as easy aschanging the language on the labeland shipping it off. European liquorbottles come in sizes different fromthose found on American shelvesand the information on the labelisn’t just in Italian—it’s also differentinformation.Then there is the problem offinding a distributor in Europe interestedin stocking your product,and that came to Montanya bychance.An Italian distributor waslooking for the best American rumand enlisted the help of the largestonline database related to rum inthe world. That’s the Ministry ofRum.“This company hired the Ministerof Rum, who is an Americangentleman with the most comprehensivedatabase of rum on theInternet,” Hoskin says. “They hiredhim to recommend rums for theirportfolio and Montanya, he said,was best North American rum.”But as Hoskin has discovered,“Not all distributors are createdequally,” and she went aboutconducting the necessary diligencebefore committing to an expensivetrip to Italy to meet the distributorin person. At the same time, theItalian distributor was checking outMontanya.“Usually you can detect redflags early on if there’s not goingto be a great fit [with a distributor].The Italian distributor was hard forme, because it’s risky, financially, forus to put out money to go to Italyfor something that might not be agood fit,” Hoskin says. “So it wasvery overwhelming until I cameacross this grant program.”The program, administeredby COEDIT under the U.S. SmallBusiness Administration, gave outgrants totaling almost $55,000 to 13small businesses around the statethat wanted to expand their operationsinternationally. And while thegrant Montanya got wasn’t much, itwas enough to partially take the riskout of the trip to Italy, which Hoskinhopes to take soon.“Once we have a launchingPoetry competition at Montanyapad in Europe it will be a lot easierto go through the process of changingpackaging and getting samplesto other distributors,” she says.“There’s a lot of recognition andappreciation for American whiskeyand bourbon in Italy and Europeas a whole, so that has really pavedthe way. And there isn’t muchrum being produced in Europe, soEuropean countries are accustomedto importing rum.”And as the word “Montanya”means “mountain” in almost everyRomance language, the spirit ofMontanya Rum will translate easilyin Europe. But the product itself isstill, and will continue to be, somethingmore to the town of CrestedButte.It will mean new jobs. “Volumewill ramp up slowly but we’realready distilling six days a weekto meet current demand and we’llhave to increase distilling shifts,”Hoskin says. “It will also meanmore income to this community.We want to be more of a primaryemployer where we’re creating newwages and new wealth in this community.That’s long been a missionin our community. If we can startshipping rum all over the worldwe’ll continue to bring new incometo town.”photos by Lydia SternTownie Books and Montanya Distillers invite poets and poetry lovers to Money for Nothing—Poetry forFree. Poets will read their original work and will be judged by the audience at the end to win all the money collectedfrom the door.All ages are encouraged to attend and read. The event will start at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 15 at130 Elk Ave. at Montanya’s. The entry fee will be $3 and the minimum purse will be $20. If you have questionsplease contact Townie Books at 349-7545.by JonathonDorfA CBMT Teens On Stage ProductionNOVEMBER 8, 9, 10 @ 7:30 PMNOVEMBER 11 @ 4:00 PMMallardi Cabaret Theatre @ second & elkTIX: cbmountaintheatre.org 349-0366JuNiORSKi ReNTalSreNtearlythe New Gearwill disappear!!Call to reserve a time for fitting• Nordica Patron ( Jr Boots) • K2 Press (Twin Jib Rocker)• Rossignol S 7 Pro (Twin all Mt. Ski)• Marker Squire BindingsGeT Ready…..Now Open Tuesdays-Saturdays10 a.m. - 5 p.m.in the treasury Center349-6656 (800)821-4331 f latironsports.net