Recent Articles

The martini is an undeniable classic with timeless appeal, yet it’s also evolved over the years. Here’s a look at the modern history of the martini, as told via recipes that give craft spirits pride of place.

Craft distillers are taking advantage of the savoriness and salinity of kelp and other ocean algae, producing locally rooted, umami-driven spirits that evoke the sea.

Founded a little more than a decade ago by Opolo Vineyards in Paso Robles, California, Willow Creek Distillery has a reputation for its award-winning brandies. Here, U.S. Marine turned head distiller Kevin Coulton explains their approach to high-quality fruit-based spirits—from sourcing fruit to making use of saignée. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

As blender and manager of blending operations for Barrell, a brand committed to sourcing and blending rather than distilling, Christiansen finds creative ways to marry distinct flavors in whiskey without muddling their individual characters.

Santa Fe Spirits master distiller Stephen Julander explains how coopers use fires of different intensities and times to prepare barrels to influence character of spirits over the long haul.

A new initiative aims to support and certify whiskeys whose grains were grown and distilled in one place.

From systems that save water and energy to solar arrays that pay for themselves in relatively short order, here’s how some distilleries are saving money by saving resources—and boosting their brands, at the same time.

For what must be the world’s only single-tree gin, a small distillery in East Africa is going to a few intentional extremes.

Producing smaller volumes of craft spirits typically means a location closer to potential customers, but distilling in high-density urban environments is both work-intensive and expensive. Brooklyn’s Widow Jane has found an artful way to create distinct spirits despite—or maybe because of—the challenges they face distilling, aging, and blending in New York City.

A small craft distillery doesn’t have anything like the marketing budget of the bigger brands—but it does have a home and a story. One of the best ways to tell that story—and to get people to taste your pride and joy—is to offer a memorable tour. Here’s how to do it.

Discover how transitioning from a brewery to a brewstillery can expand your product line and market reach with expert guidance from ABS Commercial.

The cocktails you serve at your distillery’s bar can be the gateway to a new world of consumer connection to your spirits. From seasonal offerings to homemade practicality, here are some tips on how tasting bars can win new friends and sell bottles.

When you understand and address the specific nutrient needs of your fermentation, you can produce higher-quality spirits with consistency and confidence.

Few acquisitions of spirit brands have been as high-profile as Ryan Reynolds’ purchase of the Aviation Gin brand, followed by its sale to Diageo. Yet even before the celebrity-fueled spotlight turned its way, Aviation was the work of an earnest distiller seeking to make the perfect pre-Prohibition-style gin for classic cocktails.

When you’re making whiskey, mashing can be more than a way to get fermentable sugars from the grain. Whatever process you use, there are control points you can use to influence the character of the final spirit.

Other industries have shown that they can make an impact by meeting in-person with policymakers in Washington, and craft distillers can do the same. The American Craft Spirits Association is looking for numbers to help push for updated laws and regulations.

In just a few short years, Craft ’Ohana has become a multicategory powerhouse—and it’s just getting started.

It’s important to know the specs, but take nothing for granted. In-house quality testing and monitoring of ingredients can help you ensure consistent spirits and avoid big headaches down the road.

There are spirits in the trees, but pines are a source that modern distillers often overlook. Whether using fresh buds or gooey cones for brandies or liqueurs, here’s how a couple of small distilleries in the Northwest are sourcing and distilling them for a distinctive local product.

Through his distilling career, Ken Klehm has tackled an array of challenges, such as stocking an entire cocktail bar with house-distilled spirits and liqueurs. Now at the helm of the 450 North brewstillery, he’s exploring new opportunities such as distilling with estate grain, making American single malt, and more.