502-320-6419 - The American Distilling Institute
502-320-6419 - The American Distilling Institute
502-320-6419 - The American Distilling Institute
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AS.I.write.this,.our.good.planet.has.just.rounded.the.sun.yet.again,.a.moment.that.begs.us.<br />
to.raise.a.glass.and.reflect.on.where.we’ve.been.<br />
and.where.we’re.headed..To.state.the.obvious,.<br />
the.growth.of.artisanal.distilling.has.been.phenomenal..<br />
<strong>The</strong>re.are.many.ongoing.developments.in.our.industry.<br />
that.auger.well,.others.much.less.so..<br />
On.the.positive.side,.the.motto.for.artisanal.distilling.seems.to.be.“<strong>The</strong>.economy.be.damned,.full.speed.<br />
ahead!”.It.is.so.for.the.Big.Dogs.as.well..In.Kentucky.<br />
alone,.a.combined.investment.in.excess.of.$150.million.is.fueling.eight.new.distilleries.plus.<br />
several.large.expansions.by.the.major.<br />
producers..<strong>The</strong>.ever-growing.contribution.of.distillers.to.agritourism,.increased.tax.revenues.and.<br />
“good”.job.creation.is.slowly.<br />
dawning.on.state.and.local.<br />
legislatures.as.perhaps-almost-maybe.a.good.thing..<br />
<strong>The</strong>re.are.other.positives..<br />
<strong>The</strong>.demand.for.artisanal.<br />
rums,.whiskies,.gins.and.<br />
vodkas.continues.to.be.<br />
fueled.by.creative.mixologists.shaking.their.<br />
magic.before.audiences.<br />
of.more.knowledgeable.<br />
young.adults..In.this.regard,.the.cultural.impact.of.craft.brewing.cannot.be.underestimated..It.is.of.extraordinary.significance.that.Whisky.<br />
Magazine.stepped.boldly.into.the.<br />
scene..So,.hats.off.to.Chip.Tate.of.Balcones.Distillery.who.in.December.was.pre<br />
4 w w w . d i s t i l l i n g . c o m<br />
[ editorial ]<br />
by Pennfield Jensen<br />
V.P., <strong>American</strong> <strong>Distilling</strong> <strong>Institute</strong><br />
“....Full.Speed.Ahead.!”<br />
Advertising and Conference Director<br />
Leah hutchinson critiques bourbon<br />
mash with owner Even Kulsveen<br />
at Kentucky Bourbon<br />
Distillery<br />
sented.with.its.“Icons.of.Whisky”.Distillery.of.the.Year.<br />
award.in.Louisville..<br />
On.the.negative.side,.the.current.ideological.fervor.to.privatize.elements.of.government.has.resulted.<br />
in.the.passage.of.Initiative.1183.in.Washington.State..<br />
Backed.by.$22.million.from.Costco,.the.effect.on.artisan.distillers.and.small.liquor.resellers.has.been.something.akin.to.a.stun.grenade.going.off.in.the.living.<br />
room..One.Washington.State.distiller.calls.the.impact.<br />
of.I-1183.“collateral.damage.for.a.higher.good.”.<strong>The</strong>.<br />
general.consensus.is.that.it.sets.a.disastrous.precedent,.<br />
but.with.at.least.two.lawsuits.challenging.<br />
its.constitutionality,.the.fate.of.I-1183.<br />
is.far.from.decided..We.will.track.its.<br />
progress.closely,.but.I-1183.should.<br />
nevertheless.serve.as.a.cautionary.tale.for.all.small.distillers.<br />
regarding.Big.Dog.agendas.in.<br />
a.fractious.political.climate.<br />
Perhaps.the.most.positive.signal.we’ve.received.from.2011.was.the.increasingly.large.turnouts.at.artisan.spirit.tastings..This.is.<br />
a.trend.that.will.only.grow.<br />
stronger..As.the.locavore,.<br />
artisan-based.renaissance.<br />
in.farming,.dining,.craft.<br />
brewing.and.regional.winemaking.continues.to.expand,.artisan.distillers.will.find.themselves.more.and.more.in.the.forefront..Introducing.new.customers.to.the.world.of.artisanal.spirits.and.guiding.them.along.is.Job.One.<br />
in.2012..Hope to see y’all in Louisville!
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