Category: Distillery

Packaging for Distilleries:

Cyndi

Making First Impressions Count Through Efficient and Attractive Packaging Options

By: Cheryl Gray

bottles of alcohol beverage

Packaging for a distillery is as important as the product. They either coalesce or collide. Successful packaging means consumers are immediately drawn to the product for the image as well as what’s inside the bottle. Likewise, the opposite is true when packaging goes awry, resulting in a product that doesn’t move. 

CDA USA

  Packaging experts help their distillery clients decide which packaging to choose and how best to deploy it. One of these experts is Henrico, Virginia’s CDA USA. CDA has manufactured labeling and filling machines for a variety of industries, including spirits, since 1991. Its engineering and design teams create customized packing, labeling and filling solutions for distilleries of any size.  

  CDA attracts distillery clients who need standout, state-of-the-art packaging solutions by drawing upon its versatility. Clients include producers of cognac, brandy, bourbon, rum, whisky, vodka, gin, tequila, liqueurs and more. It offers a wide range of automatic and semi-automatic machines that can handle virtually every type of bottle–rectangular, square, conical or cylindrical. Its labeling machines accommodate new technologies, including tin, transparent and mirror printed labels. 

  For micro-distilleries, production space is at a premium and accommodating new machinery can be a challenge. CDA offers a solution with Ninette 2, a semi-automatic labeling machine that applies two adhesive labels in a single operation. Compact and portable, it solves a major packaging need without taking up a lot of space, and its speed can accommodate up to 500 bottles an hour. The machine also handles different product formats, such as glass or PVC, eliminating the hassle of changing materials. The Ninette 2 works with CDA’s automatic and semi-automatic filling machines. Another model, the Ninette 1, applies a single label at a time and is also designed for small distillery operations.  

  CDA also has a range of labeling options to suit the production needs of medium and large craft distilleries. Some of the company’s clients turn to its R1000/R1500 automatic labeling machines that can label up to 1,500 bottles an hour and place up to four labels on a bottle at a time. 

  Regarding industrial size distilleries, CDA touts product solutions that can readily integrate into existing packaging lines. The company says that its evolving products of automatic labeling machines can either be added to a complete, existing line or as a dependable backup option.  

Belmark

  Belmark is a Wisconsin-based company specializing in pressure-sensitive labels, flexible packaging and folding cartons. Founded in 1977, the company has grown from three employees and a single printing press to 1,000 workers in six facilities and three locations. 

  One of Belmark’s key customer service specialties is helping clients achieve high-end labels on a budget. Belmark uses its Web-to-Print process to get the look clients want within a price they can afford. For example, to achieve the quality and appearance of a hot foil stamped label, Belmark uses its Web-to-Print metallic inks. To get the look of embossing, the company uses a dual finish appearance with a spot gloss. The combination of these methods gives clients the metallic look they want without a hefty price tag. Web-to-Print makes it possible to handle orders in as little as 24 hours. 

  Belmark points to its Trident and Trident MAX processes as the pioneering technology designed by highly trained staff to create high-quality labels. The finished product boasts standout features such as enhanced color accuracy and consistency, finer detail, shorter lead times and lower total costs for mid-run and longer-run quantities. 

  Trident is a process printing method that achieves optimal results through advanced pre-press and press technologies. These technologies work together to create an attractive label with the color consistency, superior print registration and finer detail of a more expensively produced product. The Trident MAX process builds on the strengths of reduced lead times and production costs by utilizing fixed colors in fixed printing decks. Belmark says this method guarantees labels that consistently match client specifications. It also creates more vibrant printing with greater detail.

SourcePak

  Located in Billerica, Massachusetts, SourcePak is a one-stop shop for distillery packaging that makes branding a top priority. The company has been in business since 2002 and touts the benefits of using one source for all packaging needs. The company claims that distilleries save time and money by using one source, eliminating the need for multiple vendors for packaging supplies and services.

  Todd Wallace, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for SourcePak, explains how it works. “We are able to provide best-in-class value by sourcing reliable suppliers, resources and pricing for our distillery partners. This enables distillers to focus on the product rather than what it is going in or how it will be shipped. Outer shippers, partitions, warehousing, JIT delivery and 3PL services ensure the packaging gets where it’s going when it needs to be there. Service is as necessary of a component as the packaging is when you work with the fast-paced and multi-faceted distilling industry. The service we offer is typically the first thing the brands we work with say sets us apart.”

  SourcePak offers a range of products and services to address design, labeling and industrial needs, streamlining the packaging process for distilleries. Services include graphic and packaging design, inventory management, product order fulfillment and distribution services. The company has an engineering and design team that can develop packaging solutions for multiple applications, from designing product bottles and the boxes used to hold them to the corrugated displays used in stores.   

  SourcePak regards the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of packaging as equals. Primary packaging holds the actual product in place, secondary packaging identifies the brand and product information, and the tertiary layer protects the product during shipping. The company provides multiple protection options for the third packaging stage, including cushion pallets, custom foam case inserts, foam fabrication and assembly and antistatic polyethylene.

  Another service that SourcePak offers is value-added packaging. These are customized packaging options, such as brandy packaged with a snifter, that create an added value to the consumer and give the spirit a competitive edge. 

Manual Packaging

  Instead of semi-automatic, automatic and outsourced options, some distilleries choose to package manually.

  Potomac Distilling Company, located in one of the newest waterfront developments in Washington, D.C., makes Thrasher’s Rum. The distillery, which opened in 2018, produces six rum varieties: traditional white rum, gold rum, coconut rum, white spiced rum, relaxed rum and a flagship green rum, the latter infused with six aromatic botanicals.  

  Owner Todd Thrasher says that besides cost, he decided to assemble his packaging manually to protect the environment.

  “We package Thrasher’s Rum in cardboard boxes with biodegradable peanuts. We strive to be as environmentally conscious as possible when it comes to packaging. One aspect that is unique about our bottles of Thrasher’s Rum is the wax seal on the top of the bottle. It was important for us to reduce the amount of plastic throughout our operation and when it comes to packaging.”

  Thrasher adds that manually packaging his products does not mean skimping on aesthetics, industry safety standards or product branding. 

  “In terms of labeling, we utilize two label colors. The white indicates a specialty label while the black indicates a release that is always available,” Thrasher says. “Our graphic is meant to evoke the ocean. The edge of the label features the sketching of ship rope, and the curved designs at the center are meant to be representative of waves. The lettering and general aesthetic are meant to be reminiscent of the labeling you would expect to see on packages being loaded onto old cargo ships. These nautical and maritime elements are personal to me. I am an avid scuba diver, and Thrasher’s Rum was actually inspired by my rum-soaked adventures island hopping as a scuba dive instructor. Our labeling and choice in graphics are a playful nod to those experiences.”

  Packaging for distilleries must meet food and beverage industry standards to ensure consumer safety. At the same time, packaging must also be attractive enough to draw consumers to the product. This careful balance requires the expertise of companies that know how to design packaging with consumer appeal in mind, meet industry and safety standards and, ultimately, allow distilleries to swiftly move inventory from shipping to shelf to the shopping carts of customers.  

Greenbar Distillery: Making Craft Cocktails for a Better Drink & World

Cyndi

By: Nan McCreary

Green bar Distillery

Husband and wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, owners of Greenbar Distillery in the heart of the downtown Los Angeles’ Art District, may not see themselves as pioneers in the beverage industry, but they are right up there with the leaders in two of the hottest trends going today: bar-quality canned cocktails and non-alcoholic mixed drinks. And, as Los Angeles’ first distillery since Prohibition and home to the world’s largest portfolio of organic spirits, they are using their innovative spirit to drive a sustainability movement that they hope will make the planet a better place.

  Khosrovian and Mathew began their odyssey into craft spirits in the early 2000s when Khosrovian tried to “import” the drinking culture from his native Armenia into their home. Traditions there meant sipping fruit brandy, but only with meals, and even then, always with a toast.

  “My wife hated what family served,” Khosrovian said, “so I began to visit farmers’ markets to gather fresh fruits and herbs to infuse into vodka. The first drink I created was vodka infused with fresh pear, lavender and vanilla beans. She loved it.”

  With this success, the two began making complex spirits with clean, rich flavors that they could serve with food. As a Cordon Bleu-trained chef and food writer, Mathew complemented Khosrovian’s skills as a spirits maker.

  “It was a collaborative effort,” Khosrovian told Beverage Master Magazine. “I’d make it, she’d try it, I’d fix it.” They began sharing their creations with their cousins, and when the cousins—and the cousins’ friends—kept coming back for more, and more, and more, they decided to open their own distillery. That was in 2004, and they’ve been breaking barriers ever since.

  Initially, the team created only bottled spirits in a 6,000 square-foot warehouse in Monrovia under the brand name Modern Spirits. As the couple expanded, their products—gin, vodka, tequila, rum, whisky, liquors, and amaro—were not typical run-of-the-mill recipes. From vodka infused with midwestern wheat and California pomegranate to whiskeys aged with six kinds of wood, their spirits were designed to be interesting and complex, with flavor as the main motivation. Initially, they weren’t necessarily seeking organic products.

  “We primarily bought ingredients from local farms for freshness and maximum flavor,” Khosrovian said, “and over several years, we noticed that the spirits began to taste different. We narrowed the difference down to the flavors; the farmers were selling us organic products because they had more flavor, and they knew that flavor is what we were after. That’s when we made the switch to all organically grown ingredients.”

  After several years of growing and evolving the business, in 2012, Khosrovian and Mathew moved from their Monrovia location to their current digs, a 14,000 square-foot distillery in the LA Arts District. They retired the name “Modern Spirits” and adopted the moniker “Greenbar,” a name that fits their emphasis on organic products. Instead of buying pre-distilled neutral spirits and infusing them with local produce as they did in Monrovia, they now had the equipment and space to distill their own base spirit.

  Greenbar’s spirits begin with whole ingredients. “We always use whole ingredients, whether fresh or dried, because that’s what tastes right to us,” Khosrovian said. “In fact, we make the largest volume of infused products in the U.S.”

  Khosrovian and Mathew, like true artisans, are deeply committed to their craft. Greenbar, for example, hand-zests more than 2,000 lemons for each 1,000 gallon batch of its lemon vodka. “This is why people like our products,” Khosrovian added. “They taste real.”

  The distillery uses a continuous column still for primary distillation. But it’s not the typical column still that one finds at a vodka distiller. “This still is designed to pull very precise flavors, so it is a unique beast,” Khosrovian said. “We can get very geeky with flavors by changing temperatures and extracting specific flavors, and then recombining them at the end. If you have OCD, this is your dream still.” Greenbar also owns a traditional pot still, which they use for redistillation.

  Greenbar’s spirits are essentially a bartender brand, created “for customers seeking a higher standard of taste and an easier way to make the perfect cocktail.” They include liqueurs, amaro, gin, whiskey, vodka, rum and tequila. Before the pandemic, Greenbar sold 80% of its spirits to bars, hotels and restaurants. When Covid-19 hit, the game changed practically overnight.

  “When the pandemic struck, our sales essentially evaporated,” Khosrovian told Beverage Master Magazine. “Everyone was clamoring to experience a real cocktail but couldn’t get it. Sales were exploding at retail stores, so we began to make canned cocktails that people could buy at liquor stores and supermarkets. Basically, we reinvented ourselves.” 

  Their sales took off. With products that tasted like what you could get at a bar, Greenbar found a home in more and more states. Today, Greenbar has distribution in approximately 40 states. “The pandemic hurt us in a lot of ways and helped us in a lot more ways,” Khosrovian said.

  As Greenbar enjoyed success with their canned cocktails, and with the better-for-you movement gaining traction, they decided to take another leap to create canned non-alcoholic mixed drinks.

“We’re distillers, so at first non-alcoholic products didn’t compute,” Khosrovian said. “But we learned that while people like the idea of cocktails, for many, it’s the flavor, not the booze. We began to see cocktails in a brand new light—as a flavor experience first and as an alcohol experience second.” 

  Greenbar’s non-alcoholic cocktails are made with the same process as their alcoholic products, starting as an alcoholic spirit and then distilled until the alcohol has been stripped away, leaving behind the flavors that people know and recognize. “We came to the idea with a good grasp of what was happening in the market,” Khosrovian said. “A growing number of people want the experience of enjoying a cocktail, but they don’t want the booze.”

  Today, while Greenbar still produces a full range of bottled spirits, 75% of their business is canned products. Non-alcoholic ready-to-drink cocktails include Burnt Orange Bitters+Soda, Lavender Bitters+Soda, Earl Grey Bitters+Soda, UnGin+Tonic and UnRum+Cola. All non-alcoholic RTDs are carbonated after distillation, which gives them a bubbly texture. Their alcoholic RTDS include City Gin+Tonic, Coastal Rum+Cola, Single Malt Whiskey+Soda and Hibiscus Spritz, an Italian classic updated to make it craft, organic and portable. Alcohol by volume ranges from 6% to 8%. Greenbar also produces a line of bitters to add to cocktails or sparkling water.

  With RTD alcoholic beverages being one of the fastest-growing beverage industry segments—and the market for non-alcoholic drinks taking off—Greenbar is enjoying increasing success with its canned products. “As the pandemic goes on, we are selling literally everywhere,” Khosrovian said. “We’re selling to retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, bars, concert venues; you name it. People just want that cocktail experience, and our canned products are filling the gap.” 

  As some hospitality venues are slowly reopening, canned products are in big demand there, too. Bartenders like the alcoholic products because they require less time and fewer additional ingredients. Also, staff shortages require quick turn-around times, and Greenbar’s canned cocktails—alcoholic and non-alcoholic—are simple to pour yet offer the same complexity as a real cocktail.

  While Greenbar Distillery generates enthusiastic reviews as having the world’s most extensive portfolio of organic spirits, their efforts toward sustainability are equally acclaimed. “After we went organic, we changed to light-weight glass for our bottles and recycled paper for labels,” Khosrovian said. “If not, we would have been talking out of both sides of our mouth when discussing sustainability.”

  At the same time, Khosrovian and his wife contacted a company that traced their carbon footprint for producing a bottle of spirits. To them, the results were shocking. Production of one bottle—including the box, the glass and other products used in manufacturing and transportation—created two to three kilograms of pollution (1kg = 2.2 lbs). With this knowledge and realizing that a tree absorbs 790 kilograms (1741 pounds) of carbon, Greenbar decided to plant one tree per bottle sold. Trees are planted, in cooperation with a nonprofit organization, in the rain forests of Central America and provide shade for fair trade crops of coffee and cacao so local farmers can better feed their families.

  “An average American produces 45.2 kgs of carbon dioxide every day,” Khosrovian said. “By being efficient and careful in the manufacturing process and planting one tree per bottle sold, a single cocktail with Greenbar spirits helps remove 46.6 kgs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. If you drink one cocktail made with one and a half ounces of any Greenbar Distillery spirits, you are carbon negative for the day, and you are drinking to a better world.” 

  To date, Greenbar has planted nearly one million trees and made more than 16 million people carbon-negative for a day.

  As Greenbar Distillery looks to the future, Khosrovian said their goal is to encourage their peers in the industry to make cocktails better and easier to drink. “Everyone loves a cocktail, but no one wants to make it,” he said. “Whether it’s bubbly in a can or a spirit in a bottle, our goal is to make the experience so easy and so delicious that anyone can drink better anytime they feel like it. Plus,” he added, “we want to forge a path as a company so all of us can keep living on this planet.”

For more information on Greenbar Distillery, visit their website at…www.greenbardistillery.com

Bubbling Kombucha: The Cool Brew in Town

Cyndi

By: Hanifa Sekandi

glass containers of bubbling kombucha

With some degree of certainty, it can be said that alcohol and health do not go hand-in-hand; however, a new wave of prepared alcoholic beverages would like to change that. Can the well-ness and beverage industries form a new frontier where imbibing supports a healthy lifestyle? Believe it or not, it’s happening. From alternative sweeteners to organic ingredients, there is a steady move away from artificial by-products in craft drinks. It is easy to read the room and rec-ognize that having fun does not mean entirely sacrificing your health.

  Alternatively, the movement might be partially due to the popularity of curated cocktails made by world-renowned mixologists. Further, people are looking for the at-home, a la carte experi-ence, and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage innovators and game changers are taking note. High alcohol kombucha is turning heads both in the wellness and alcohol industries.

What is Kombucha?

  Kombucha, an ancient, probiotic-rich, carbonated, sourish, gut health-friendly tea, has become a popular beverage in the wellness industry in the last few decades. It’s not new, but over the pre-vious 10 years, mainstream society has finally caught on to its benefits.

  Traditionally, kombucha contains alcohol. Not enough to leave you with a hangover or lead you to any hazy decisions but a small amount that occurs during fermentation. How much alcohol is dependent on the length of time the tea is fermented. So it is no surprise that producers see an easy entry point into the RTD alcoholic beverage market. Who knew beer and kombucha would make a robust blend or that it would pair well with gin or vodka? All good beverages start at the bar with skilled mixologists who can create drinks in real-time. They create a demand for one-of-a-kind cocktails at your local liquor store. You may have noticed CBD is the newest addition to luxe cocktails, but for now, it’s all about bubbling kombucha.

Healthy Origins

  Kombucha has been touted as the ultimate tart gut health elixir, but how did it come to be known that way? Before exploring the possible benefits of kombucha, let’s first trace the origins of this primordial fermented beverage. Although new in the west–only making waves for the last 60 years–the drink dates back approximately 2,000 years in both China and Japan; however, it isn’t easy to pinpoint an exact moment when it was invented.

  The origin of the name is slightly easier. Sources say that around 400 AD, when the emperor of Japan, Emperor Inkyo, was ill, Korean Dr. Kombu brought the tea from China to help the ailing ruler. Adding the Japanese word for tea, cha, to the end of the doctor’s name made it Kombucha. At this time, it was used for its believed curative properties.

  The growth of European trade routes in the early 20th century opened the doors for people around the world to reap the benefits from this ancient slow-brewed tea. As with the wine indus-try, kombucha also experienced a slump due to the second world war that saw a decline in sugar and tea reservoirs.

  Kombucha’s gut health benefits were brought to the forefront after a study conducted in the 1960s in Switzerland documented that kombucha could have the same probiotic benefits as yo-gurt. This discovery sparked a wave of interest in kombucha. It first saw growth with family-owned brands sold in small health-centric markets and then drew the attention of corporations who saw the monetary possibilities of this fermented tea. Its steady consumer popularity has been due to the purported medicinal benefits for individuals suffering from various health condi-tions. Everybody knows at least one person who swears by it and drinks it daily.

How is Kombucha Made?

  Anyone considering homebrewing kombucha has most likely heard about a SCOBY. A SCOBY is a “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” Since it can be used to make several batches of tea, it’s considered fermentation gold. Traditional kombucha combines tea –generally green tea, but also black– sugar, strains of bacteria and yeast. The mixture undergoes fermentation for approx-imately a week. During this time, gases, acidic elements and small amounts of alcohol produce carbonation. Be cautious when considering DIY Kombucha since there are health risks due to contamination or fermenting too long. The longer kombucha ferments, the higher the alcohol content, and it also reduces the potential medicinal properties.

  Hard Kombucha contains approximately 3% to 11% ABV.  Larger quantities of sugar and yeast are added during a dual fermentation process to increase the alcohol content.

What are the Benefits?

  Most people do not consider the health benefits of a cocktail. Even a mimosa and freshly squeezed orange juice do not scream, “I am being healthy!” But, since oranges are full of vitamin C, you might feel a little less guilty during a Sunday brunch with this citrus-laden bubbly. Mak-ers of kombucha drinks are likewise stating their case. Although it may not be as probiotic-rich once fermented into hard kombucha or when it’s paired with beer or other spirits, it remains an antioxidant-rich fermented tea that is easier on the gut. This applies particularly to gluten-free hard kombucha. Hard kombucha also has a lower caloric content and far less sugar than other prepared cocktails, beer and cider. However, although kombucha is known to promote gut health, it is not one size fits all. The gut microbiome varies from person to person. Hence, the probiotic strains found in kombucha may be beneficial for you and not others.

  Why does gut health matter? The gut is the epicenter for health and vitality. It not only takes in vitamins and minerals from the food you consume, but it also helps to regulate inflammatory re-sponses in your body. Good gut bacteria allow the body to digest food and absorb nutrients. Like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented food, Kombucha is probiotic-rich and contributes to balanced gut flora. It is primarily made with green tea, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich tea that also contains minerals, and is known for its ability to contribute to fat burning. It is an ideal alcoholic drink for individuals who consider calories when purchasing alcohol. Drinking an alcoholic beverage made with kombucha, particularly one not combined with beer or any al-cohol produced with wheat, may also be helpful for those with gut sensitivities or inflammation.

What Place Does it Have in the Alcohol Industry?

  You may have spotted hard kombucha next to ready-to-drink organic cocktails, beers and ciders at the local health store. Kombucha with an ABV of 0.5% is deemed an alcoholic beverage under federal law. The higher the ABV, you will notice that it is called high alcohol kombucha. High alcohol kombucha can reach ABV levels close to wine or other ready-made cocktails.

  On the surface, blending kombucha and alcohol does not seem a likely pairing, but, with its in-creased popularity and ability to stand on its own as a thirst-quenching alcoholic beverage, it’s easy to see why large corporations like Molson Coors are getting on board. Their acquisition of Clearly Kombucha shows a shift toward lower-alcohol drinks. The ability to craft kombucha with varying ABVs and the fact that it already contains trace amounts of alcohol render this a natural progression into alcoholic beverages. Kombucha makers are not reinventing the wheel. With a little more added yeast and sugar, they are just letting this fermented drink do what it does on its own.

  The appeal of a low calorie, low carb, low sugar, gluten-free kombucha beer is there for anyone who already enjoys the non-alcoholic version, as well as for those who look for health-conscious brands that support and encourage better lifestyle choices. Even knowing that high levels of al-cohol kill or diminish the probiotic benefits found in traditional kombucha, the other benefits make it a tempting drink. It offers the best of both worlds: a calming drink and a happier gut.

Top Hard Seltzer Brands

Cyndi

By: Calvin Obbaatt

2 tropical cocktails

Whether a regular or occasional booze consumer, you have probably come across the term hard seltzer at your favorite liquor store display, social media ads, or other forms of digital commercials. Maybe you missed it at your local liquor store or haven’t come across any advertisement of the same but happened to see a can or two labeled White claw, Truly, Usual, etc., that is the hard seltzer. Below is all you need to know about hard seltzer.

What is it?

  Hard seltzer is carbonated water mixed with alcohol and fruit flavors or fermented fruit that is still gaining rapid adoption. It is also known as spiked soda, hard sparkling water, spiked seltzer, or alcoholic seltzer.  The drink typically contains around 5% alcohol content by volume, but some brands go as high as 12%.

  Despite hard seltzer being mostly made using fermented fruits or flavors and alcohol, can sugar is also used in the US as an alternative. The first widely available commercial example of the style was ‘Two Dogs,’ brewed in Australia in 1993 and widely considered the world’s first modern brewed alcoholic lemonade. Black cherry, cranberry, hibiscus, lemon-lime, blood orange, guava, kiwi, mango, peach, passion fruit, pineapple, grapefruit, raspberry, and other citrus, berry, and tropical fruit flavors are some of the most popular.

Why is it gaining in popularity?

  From the accumulated market stats, it is evident that hard seltzer is one of the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage categories globally. From 2016 to 2021, its industrial growth in the US is projected to average 128% per year (estimates made before COVID struck).

  In 2020, the size of this industry was worth 1.8 billion dollars and was projected to grow by 35% in 2021. From June 2019 to June 2020, its sales reached 2.7 billion dollars, accounting for more than 10% of non-liquor alcohol sales. Although it has been around for centuries, millennial consumers demand healthier, lower-calorie; gluten-free alcoholic beverages have helped spearhead the segment’s growth. Only 4% of US households purchased hard seltzer in the year before 2019, and it was almost unknown internationally. The rapid growth rate allows new entrants with significant finances or great marketing to gain hard seltzer market share. The spirited fight is particularly from large beer and spirits firms concerned about losing beer and spirits market share. In 2016 Anheuser-Busch, an American brewing company headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, purchased Boathouse Beverages hard seltzer brand. Anheuser-Busch then renamed the Spiked Seltzer to Bon and Viv spiked seltzer. After renaming the brand, they used the Super bowl to advertise the new brand, quickly gaining the hard seltzer market share.

  The stats are good enough to attract investors into the seltzer market, but what is really in for individuals since the actual consumers are the bare facts behind the stats? When you consider all of the nutritive qualities it provides, such as low calories and carbs, lower alcohol content, gluten-free additives, and low sugar content, hard seltzer appears to be an appealing option. However, an individual may need to dig deeper to determine whether they consume legitimate brands that provide the stated benefits. The reason for exploring the brands is that unscrupulous players in the industry may mislead consumers with wrong information on the contents of their products, hence endangering consumer health.

  Reduced alcohol consumption also equals fewer calories. The majority of hard seltzers come in 12-ounce canisters and have about 100 calories. The quantity of sugar in hard seltzer varies by brand. However, the most common hard seltzer brands generally advertise their low sugar level, usually less than 3 grams per serve.

Celebrity Endorsement

  Earlier this year, in March, the same hard seltzer brand boosted its Cacti Agave spiked seltzer new arrival alongside influential rapper Travis Scott which saw furious demand. When a Grammy’s ad spot dropped the line of a Merch to promote Scott’s endorsement featuring American comedian, Eric Andre; DRINKCACTI’S website claimed to have sold out its inventory in 12 hours before even the airing debuted.

More Brands on the Market

  The brand seltzer market has expanded, allowing several major brands into action. This includes Beer brands such as; Michelob Ultra Bud Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Jose Cuervo Smirnoff spirit manufacturers.

  Forbes on 18th March reported the launching of Topo Chico, a boozy version of Coca-Cola’s sparkling mineral water. The company taped Molson Coors Beverage Corporation as its official manufacturing, marketing, and distribution partner in September 2019. The senior marketing director, Matt Escalante, defined the beverage as a modern take on refreshment that brings a whole new character to a red-hot’s.

How is Hard Seltzer Made?

  For hard seltzer typically comes from straight-up fermented cane sugar. It could also come from malted barley, although technically, that would make it a flavored malt beverage like Smirnoff Ice. Like with every alcoholic beverage, the fermentation process, including your favorite bottle of champagne, is the secret to its boozy character. Yeast breaks down sugars present resulting in the formation of alcohol. The sugars in making whiskey, for instance, originate from wheat harvested to be used in brewing. Hard seltzer is made from fermented cane sugar in its purest form. Hard seltzer can also be made from malted barley; however, it is a flavored malt beverage similar to Smirnoff Ice.

What Countries are Making Hard Seltzer?

  Hard seltzer has gained impeccable success in the US and Canada. The drink is also being adopted in other primarily English-speaking countries, majorly in Europe, gaining massive popularity. Heineken is among the most recent firms to venture into the European market with the Pure Pirana hard seltzer, a brand under Heineken. Pure Pirana launched successfully in New Zealand and Mexico. The successful launch made it possible for Heineken to be optimistic about a breakthrough in Europe. It’s anticipated that the drink will make it to broader markets in the UK and Scandinavia in 2022.

  Despite tariff challenges, hard seltzers are making their way into Africa, with some brands being found locally to overcome the tariff challenges and international brands making their way to African markets. South Africa is an excellent example as the hard seltzer culture is on the rise in the country.

Best-selling Hard Seltzer Brands From Around the World

White Claw: If you plan on giving hard seltzers a shot, then White claw is among the best brands to try. Consistently owns more than half the market though struggles to keep up with demand. A study by T4 shows it had a 58% US hard seltzer market share in 2019.

Truly Hard Seltzer: Truly hard seltzer holds 26% US hard seltzer market share. The brand was launched in 2016 by Mark Anthony Brands, the same company in ownership of Mike’s hard lemonade brand. Its popularity increased so much that in 2019, Mark Anthony brands had to limit distributor allocations due to a nationwide shortage. Despite this, its market share grew in 2019.

Truly Extra: If you are not a fan of low alcohol content servings, Truly elevated the game for you already. Truly hard seltzer introduced Truly extra, a higher alcohol content hard seltzer launched in 2016 under the brand name Truly Spiked and Sparkling, owned by Boston Beer Company, the owner of Sam Adams. Its market share has decreased since its initial. However, its sales are rapidly increasing due to the fast-growing hard seltzer market.

  Truly and white claw still dominate the market as go-to hard seltzer, but newer brands are slowly but surely climbing the ladder. However, the market is more crowded now than it was in 2019. Together, White Claw and Truly control roughly 75% of the market. The mentioned stats were phrased to the insider by Greg Doonan, an IQ analyst at Nielsen Holdings (American information, data, and market measurement firm).

Bud Light Seltzer: If you will stock hard seltzer, then Bud Light Seltzer is your ‘money-making machine’ as the brand is among the fastest-growing seltzers. Anheuser-Bush launched Bud Light Seltzer in January 2020 with a $100 million investment. It became the third biggest brand with a 9% US market share by summer 2020. The same rating is on the Instacart list.

  A couple of brands are new but booming;

CACTI: made with blue agave from Mexico produced by Travis Scott and Anheuser-Busch.

VIZZY: mentioned by Nielsen analyst Danelle Kosmal as one to keep an eye on, produced by Coors.

Bon and Viv: This brand was launched in 2013 as spiked seltzer by Nick Shield Boathouse Beverage. After being sold, the brand was rebranded to its current name in 2016 by its new owners, Anheuser-Busch. The short-term effects of Corona on it is extraordinary market growth will most probably be high. The hard seltzer market shortage is because most popular in the summer and shelter-in-place restrictions may significantly restrict access to sales channels. The long-term impact beyond the pandemic itself will likely be low as alcoholic beverages are resilient to recession shocks.

Exploring the Intersection of Beer and Whiskey

Cyndi
beer and whiskey

By: Becky Garrison

As James Saxon of London based Compass Box observes, historically, distilleries often grew out of breweries or operated alongside them with the union of beer and whisky rooted in process. “Until the 1950s and 1960s, many distilleries would even use yeast cultured and maintained within breweries to ferment their wort. We are starting to see more distilleries re-introduce brewers’ yeast for the flavor impact it can have.”

  Also, Saxon finds the role of the malt recipe or ‘mash bill’ for brewers to be fascinating. “I see the balancing of pale, crystal and chocolate malts to drive flavor and mouthfeel in beer as related to how we introduce different degrees of toasting and charring to the casks we use for whisky maturation.” In his estimation, both drinks benefit from the blender’s ethos. “When enjoyed together, you can experience the skillful layering of texture and flavor in new ways, discovering hidden qualities in the beer and surprising flavors in the whisky.”

  StormBreaker Brewing, a Portland, Oregon based brewpub known for offering whiskey beer pairings, launched Brewstillery in 2014 as a way of showcasing the range of beer and spirit pairings possible among Pacific Northwest brewers and distillers. Traditionally, this festival WAS held in February to commemorate the month when StormBreaker launched. This event featured 20 brewers and distillers paired together along live music and special food offerings with proceeds going to support the local charity Dollar for Portland. (While the festival was on hold due to Covid, StormBreaker hopes to launch the festival again in 2022.)

  When Sebastian Dejens, owner, Stone Barn Brandyworks in Portland, OR was invited to the first Brewstillery, he found this event represented a wonderful opportunity to pair up with some brewers for some creativity and discovery.  Three years into this festival, he told StormBreaker founders

Dan Malech and Rob Lutz that he would buy mash from them if they came up with a window of opportunity.

  For a few days the entire brewing capacity focused on producing roughly 150 gallons of beer. Dejens picked up this beer using a 275-gallon tote placed on the back of his truck that he filled from the tank.  Malech describes their brewing process for this particular beer. “We took our Red and bumped up the grain bill and the kettle hop additions for an intense hoppiness, complemented by a spicy dryness from the rye, but balanced nicely by malty caramel flavors. After fermentation we got hop crazy and dry hopped this beer with 3 lbs/bbl for an explosion of tropical fruit and a citrus nose.” Malech and Lutz named this beer “Good Not Great” (ABV: 8% IBU: 76) which went on to receive a gold medal in the 2020 World Beer Cup Awards in the Imperial Red Ale category.

  In 2020, Dejens released his first whiskey made from this beer. The name of this 92-proof whiskey Barnstormer is a mashup of the names Stone Barn and StormBreaker, with the whimsical label produced by StormBreaker’s label designer. This whiskey had a malty brown sugar sweetness with a nutty finish. Since this initial venture, Dejens continued to collaborate with StormBreaker each year on producing a barrel of whiskey using StormBreaker’s beer. In 2020, Dejens made two barrels as Stormbreaker had increased their barrel capacity. “There needs to be an element of space in the process. You’re making this for three to five years down the road, and you’re just hoping it’s all going to turn out,” Dejens reflected.

  Joshua M. Bernstein, a Brooklyn-based beer, spirits, food and travel journalist, parses the similarity between beer and whiskey from a production standpoint. “Beer and whiskey share a common starting point: grains are simmered to make a sugar-rich broth on which yeast feast, creating alcohol. Typically, a major difference is that distilleries are usually concerned with getting the most sugars (read: potential alcohol) from their grains, then letting the barrels contribute the lion’s share of flavor and aroma. Contrasting that, breweries use a full suite of grains, even darker-roasted ones that contribute fewer fermentable sugars. But now we’re seeing distilleries such as Westland Distilling in Seattle, WA take a craft brewer’s approach to grain selection, building big flavors with any and all grains before the distillates touch wood.”

Craft Brewers Turned

Single Malt Whiskey Distillers

  When Jason Parker, former head brewer with the Seattle based Pike Brewing Company, decided to co-found Copperworks Distilling with Micah Nutt, they knew they couldn’t compete with those established distilleries known for distilling spirits via traditional methods. Their process resulted in products with consistent flavor profiles that have been recognized by consumers for hundreds of years.

  So, they wondered what would happen if they were to distill high-quality beer. “We left the hops out of the beer to keep out the bitterness, and then distilled the beer into vodka, gin, and whiskey,” Parker noted.

  Positive customer feedback led Parker and Nutt to conclude they could produce quality spirits without following traditional distilling techniques. For example, brewers turned distillers such as Parker and Christian Krogstad, founder of House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon, use yeasts and grains that are utilized by many craft brewers but not found in spirits produced by traditional distillers.

  Also, Copperworks is one of the few distilleries that produces a sanitary fermentation—the way breweries do—by boiling their wash for an hour. This process drives off some of the water thereby concentrating the sugar content and sanitizes the wash. When fermented with brewer’s yeast, this produces clean fruity and floral flavors, rather than the sour flavors produced by traditional methods. “All brewers know that boiling their wash kills bacteria and wild yeasts and results in a beer that tastes better and lasts longer. But if you do this for a distilled spirit, it results in new flavors and aromas, unlike the tastes of traditional spirits.” In addition, they leave unfermented sugars in their fermenters, which when distilled and barreled, produces a sense of sweetness in their spirits that’s more commonly associated with craft beers.

Beer and Whiskey Pairings  

  In Parker’s estimation, hops can be so dominant in beer that one cannot discern the beer’s base malt flavor. Hence, his preference when pairing whiskey and beer is to drink a beer low enough in hops so that he can taste the malt. “If I’m lucky enough, I can drink the beer followed by the whiskey being made from this beer,” he states. In particular, Parker loves beer cocktails such as those made at the Seattle based Pike Brewing Company’s seafood restaurant Tankard & Tun which features cocktails made with Pike Brewing’s beer and Copperworks spirits. Beer can provide the sparkling effervescence in cocktails normally obtained via Prosecco or carbonated water along with some sweetness and spice (hops). Parker notes that these cocktails aren’t often on most cocktail menus as this isn’t a skill set practiced by most bartenders. “The challenge is to use a small enough amount of beer to turn it into an effervescent cocktail without having it become a boozy beer,” he opines.

  Saxon is always inclined to start with pale ales and IPAs for their whiskies. “Many of our products have a creamy character thanks to American oak maturation and this mellows the hoppy bite of the beer. Equally, the citrus and tropical flavors of these brews can pull out the subtle fruit notes concealed within the whiskies we use.” Among their favorite pairings included The Spice Tree with a brown ale from the Kernel Brewery, based – like us – in London that was malty, toffee-sweet and richly nutty all at once. So flavorsome and just deliciously pleasurable. “Definitely a boilermaker for the autumn,” Saxon mused. 

  Wanderback (Hood River, OR) chief whiskey maker, Phil Downer prefer their malt forward whiskey paired with a brown ale, porter, or stout. “The malted barley we use for our whiskey are similar to the malts used to make these beers, so they are an easy pairing.  I should generally pair a lighter beer like a pilsner or lager with a lighter whiskey, like a Crown Royal Rye or lighter bourbon.” A purist Downer prefers to sample beer and whiskey separately. “I like them usually on their own to appreciate all the fun things going on in each.”

Trends in Distillery Building and Design:

Cyndi

Operational Efficiency With Pleasing Aesthetics

facade of a distillery facility

By: Gerald Dlubala

Successful distillery designs serve the distiller’s needs while also projecting the brand’s intended personality and image. However, getting to that point can make even the most organized person a little overwhelmed. The key to realizing that goal is working with experienced builders, engineers and architects who ask the right questions and guide you through the process, considering your current and future needs.

“It’s about your dreams and visions for sure,” said Dan Nyberg, sales trainer for Morton Buildings. “But it’s also about your budget constraints. That’s where experience in distillery planning, design and building comes in – to build a place that delivers the feel and image you want. There are quality options out there. Do you want the popular barn-type setting? Anything except a barn-type setting? Older and rustic? Modern and contemporary? Pitched roofs are popular simply because the distilling columns are tall and need that height. Sometimes they’re taller than the original facility design. In those cases, rather than coming back down on the opposite side, we continue the roof’s pitch upwards, creating a higher-pitched side to fit the equipment. This design keeps aesthetic balance while keeping in mind future equipment or expansion needs.”

The pandemic demonstrated the usefulness of versatile spaces, creating an increased demand for those that flow seamlessly between indoors and outdoors and offer customization if needed. For distilleries, this translates into designs with multi-use porches and patios that naturally transition between indoors and outdoors to increase space when required.

“The challenges here, of course, are the primary budget constraints and location-specific code restrictions that tell you if something can or can’t be done in the manner you want,” said Nyberg. “But something like the full glass overhead doors that raise and transform a separated venue into one large indoor/outdoor setting are popular amenities that allow the accommodation of different sized crowds for different events. Whether we’re still talking about Covid, changing weather situations or just the ability to appeal to the folks that want to feel like they’re outside without sitting in scorching hot weather, every bit of space must be functional and versatile.”

Earth-friendly Materials, Sustainability & Solar energy

More than ever, craft producers are incorporating sustainability and earth-friendly habits into their production process. That type of conscientious thinking goes into building design, too, especially if it’s part of a distiller’s image. For example, Morton Buildings uses wooden columns, framing and trusses that provide a 100-foot span of clear space width within the building design. Their hybrid design features wood columns, structures and walls that attach to steel trusses, increasing a building’s clear width span up to 150-feet for an even more significant amount of floor plan flexibility.

“Wood is the ultimate renewable resource and a great insulator,” said Nyberg. “One inch of softwood provides an R-value of 1.25 insulation. Blast furnace manufactured steel uses 80-90% recycled steel content. We offer our one-piece energy performer insulation to fill and eliminate cold spaces. Combine all of these elements, and you have a distillery design with a true identity of building sustainably.”

Solar energy is growing in popularity, but mostly in incentive-based areas. Nyberg told Beverage Master Magazine that incentives allow the builder to recover the higher initial installation costs more quickly. It can be a lengthy recovery period otherwise. If solar energy is in the plans, the builder has to be made aware of it well ahead of construction during the initial design process.

“There is the obvious increased weight issue that has to be considered and addressed upfront,” said Nyberg. “It gets factored in with the other installed weight-bearing items that affect the load on the roof structure, like lighting and the type of sprinkler/fire systems used. It may even change your building’s overall orientation by looking at an east/west run with the pitch slope towards the south to get the maximum benefit from the sunlight.”

“Wastewater concerns are another location-specific code requirement,” said Nyberg. “Water runoff should always leave the property at the same rate it would if the new building and lots were not there. Detention pools are a common solution for this problem, and although there are different levels of codes, requirements and enforcement on this issue, we encourage businesses to conscientiously decide to be good neighbors and plan for it by adding it to their design. You don’t want to be the reason that others suffer because of the increased water flow due to your construction.”

How Big Can You Go?

Distillers need to be diligent about expected growth and build a distillery welcoming to future additions, including retail, restaurant and production areas. Otherwise, the potential for expensive mistakes multiplies.

“A distiller has to be realistic in the operations area of distilling along with the brand image that they want to project,” said Nyberg. “You never want to get into a project only to discover a high-priced issue that requires additional resources from your lender. You absolutely need an accessible receiving area, big enough to handle your needs, yet somewhat hidden from your distillery’s other, more public spaces. You need to know what equipment you will be using, including the square footage and height requirements. Retail space is nice to have but nicer if it’s separated from any restaurant or bar area. Even though the customers are buying your products, you don’t want them wandering through the bar or dining area to do so.”

“And now, most distillers – and customers –prefer that visually appealing connection between the production areas and customer use areas. And why wouldn’t you? It’s all pretty cool equipment, and customers want to see the copper, brass and stainless involved in the columns, stills and valve mechanisms. We know that they’ll be spending money while they admire all of this great equipment, but again, you have to defer to local codes for the design. You’ll likely need a fire-rated wall between the two areas, and probably an explosion-proof one at that. Add in large glass viewing areas, and you have a situation that must be well designed and planned to code.”

Seek Out Experience and Plan for Success

Nyberg said that first and foremost, it’s essential to work with a qualified, experienced distillery builder that fulfills your vision and offers a range of options. Then you contact your local permit authority for the specific steps needed to proceed and the correct path for the building team to take. For example, will subcontractors be allowed to formulate their plans and designs, or are you building in a highly permitted area where the entire project is documented and signed off on by a single qualified lead-engineer before any construction occurs? It varies in different regions, and you and the builder need to know.

“Some of the best advice I can give to potential distillery builders, and I’ve seen a lot of them, is to always plan for the best possible outcome of your business,” said Nyberg. “Plan for expansions in production, retail and even dining areas, and then design your space accordingly. Will you want to offer space for future events like private tastings, business or club meetings, weddings or anniversaries? Sketch these areas into your initial design, including all the necessary utilities, even if you’re not building those areas right now. There is nothing worse than trying to piece together expansions while keeping operations running. If the original plans include sketches of these areas, your building will be ready to accommodate the additions with the least amount of disruption possible. Patrons will be excited to see expansion happen in an organized way that allows them to witness the improvements while keeping your normal operations humming along at the same time. They’ll come back to see the progress, anticipate the opening dates, and think about what the changes mean for them as a customer. They’ll share your enthusiasm over the expansion rather than your frustration over trying to negotiate your place of business through a remodel, when they may decide to stay away until the remodel is complete.”

Including Engineers Early in the Process is Critical

“Engineers want and need to be included in the initial phase of design and planning,” said C.J. Archer, Vice President of Marketing for VITOK Engineers. VITOK Engineers have completed over 300 distillery projects, from new complex design through distillery additions. “When designing a distilling space, everything is dictated by your targeted volume of proofed product. If we know your production goals, we can determine the production rate needed to get that volume. Then we can evaluate the process and flow required with the appropriate instrumentation and controls. Then, after customer approval, we specifically look at the structure and utilities. Now we can provide the distiller and architects detailed information on the amount of space and the size of the building needed to meet those production goals while remaining aware of the process and utility requirements, the equipment and vessel specifications, and the necessary safety and code protocols.”

Archer told Beverage Master Magazine that the distillery’s geographic location usually helps determine the look, feel and branding image of the distillery and the product. For example, rural Texas distilleries look different from a modern metropolitan or urban location, and the brand image is usually marketed in the same way.

Include Visual Aesthetics and Alternate Income Sources

“What we have been noticing is the trend of utilizing the distillery equipment as a feature of the visitor experience,” said Archer. “The still, fermenters and all process equipment become integral to the visual experience and become central to the distillery’s design. The distiller must remember, though, that location-specific codes and safety regulations always have something to do with how far any distiller can go with this idea. Still, overall, visual integration is important.”

“We also see distillery designs drawn up to include alternative types of income-producing activities like coffee shops, retail and brand marketing areas, and event spaces. We know bourbon has to be aged for a minimum of three years before it can be bottled, so unless the distiller can just sit and wait, they have to generate income in other ways. Of course, they can always buy whiskey and sell or blend it as their own during the initial aging period, but they can also produce less time-consuming spirits, like gin, moonshine or rum. They can put on and hold special events and, of course, market their brand’s swag.”

Distillery expansion is always on the minds of any distiller. Moving from a batch distillation to continuous distillation puts the distiller in an immediate position to sell spirits on the wholesale market. Archer said that distillery expansion is typical, and the key to successful growth is having the space for the additional equipment, fermentation and grain storage. It’s better and more valuable to consider the aspects of expansion upfront in your design because it’s almost always cheaper and more cost-effective to expand within an established building rather than building a new addition.

The Green Aspect

“There have been recent trends toward a more environmentally responsible mentality with green designs, carbon capturing or building to optimize the use of gravity in the flow of the distilling process,” said Archer. “We’ve been asked to engineer around all aspects of renewable energy, including wind, solar and geothermal energy solutions, while also considering CO2 emission reduction or collection for repurposing purposes. Fermenters naturally give off CO2, as does the spent grain. We’ve seen a movement to capture and compress that CO2 and market it to soft drink and similar use companies. Building so that your production process is mostly powered by gravity, similar to the process used in moonshining days, is another option. Stillage has become a big issue for distillers. Large quantities are produced with dwindling opportunities for recycling or disposal. Sending it down the sewer is expensive, and because of the boom in craft spirit production, some areas are producing too much of it, even for animal feedstock. The green aspect is very appealing upfront. Everyone wants to do it, but without any incentives, it is cost-prohibitive for the craft distiller, so ultimately, only a few actually have the means to do it.”

Perfecting Your Product is Key

“A successful distillery design starts with the product itself,” said Archer. “The first thing to do is produce a good product at the target quantity goals according to your business plan. From an engineering perspective, you need to know the process requirements to produce that product consistently. You must then consider code requirements, safety regulations and ease of operation. This method delivers process repeatability and savings in manpower through possible automation. After you perfect your product and process, you can focus on building the visitor experience. Historically, if you try to do this in reverse, you’ll have problems, and in today’s distillery, you need operational efficiency along with an aesthetically pleasing visitor experience. There’s an inherent tourism aspect to distillery life in the modern marketplace.”

Spirit Hound Distillers: In Relentless Pursuit of Quality

Cyndi
people interacting at a bar

By: Nan McCreary

Hound dogs are famous for their amazing and relentless ability to follow a scent to the end. For head distiller Craig Engelhorn and his partners, who opened Spirit Hound Distillers  in 2012, choosing the hound dog as their namesake was only fitting for their pursuit of quality as Lyons Colorado’s first craft distillery.

Inspired by their love of whisky and their home state, the friends set out to create an all-malt, 100% Colorado whisky. Their journey began with a search for property in their hometown of Lyons. They found an ideal setting — along one of the two main routes to Rocky Mountain National Park, with heavy summer traffic — but the owner balked at their offer. Undaunted, they negotiated for a year and a half until, finally, they were able to secure the property.

  But that was just the beginning. As a former brewer at Oskar Blue Grill & Brew in their hometown, Engelhorn knew how to ferment malted barley, but he faced two challenges:  First, he needed equipment, and secondly, he needed base product. Both were in short supply, considering limited resources.

  After substantial research, Engelhorn convinced his partners to buy copper and the tools to hand-build a custom copper pot still following the traditional specifications used in Scottish whisky production. “I looked at pictures of stills, and designed an amalgam, limited only by my ability to fabricate metal,” Engelhorn told Beverage Master Magazine. “Our spirits still is a 150-gallon pot still with a tall, tapered column, and makes delicious spirits.”

  The search for product was no less daunting. “In a nod to Scottish tradition, we wanted peat-smoked malt for our grain,” Engelhorn said. “One of our tenets was to use all local products. While Colorado has many barley farms, we only found one that used peat to smoke their malt, Colorado Malting Company in Alamosa.” Spirit Hound Distillers  has been using Colorado Malting Company’s peated malt since the beginning and is now their biggest customer for the product.

  With equipment and product in hand, Spirit Hound Distillers was able to begin producing malted whiskey, but there was just one problem:  Like a lot of start-up distilleries, they could not afford to wait for the whisky to provide cash flow to keep them afloat. Again, like the spirit of the hound dog, they were relentless: In 2012, they celebrated their grand opening with an 84-proof Classic Gin infused with local, fresh-picked juniper berries, a product that is still popular today. At the same time, they picked up a decaf coffee liqueur called Richardo’s, a homemade recipe that was created years ago by a few Lyons locals. While Spirit Hound Distillers did not own the product, sales helped keep the coffers full until they could release the malt whisky. Spirit Hound Distillers also crafted a   Sambuca-style anise liquor, rum and an un-aged version of its whisky called White Dog Moonshine.

  While Spirit Hound Distillers settled in for the long haul and waited for their prized whisky to age, disaster struck the small town of Lyons: The Colorado Floods of 2013. “We were only about eight or nine months old,” Engelhorn remembered, “when monsoons in the mountains sent water ripping through our little town. I was trapped in the distillery at the time with one and a half-foot of water, but I stayed put because I was surrounded by a river and was afraid to get out.”  As a result of the flood, Spirit Hound Distillers lost raw materials, including malted barley, sugar and labels, and some product. The building was not damaged, but had to be stripped to the studs, dried and sanitized. Again, the Spirit Hound Distillers folks were undeterred: They salvaged a half-submerged barrel of 150-proof rum, labeled it Flood Rum, and sold it as a vehicle for raising funds to rebuild the District’s Lyons Fire Station #2 which was destroyed in the flood. “This was a silver lining in the storm for us,” Engelhorn reflected. “We raised $10,000 for the fire department, plus we got some good press.”

  Finally, in 2015, after years of planning and overcoming obstacles, Engelhorn and his partners released long-awaited bottles from five, 53-gallon oak barrels of Straight Malt Whisky filled prior to the historic floods. The bottles quickly sold out. At the time of release, Spirit Hound Distillers was probably one of only three makers of malt whisky in Colorado.

  Today, Straight Malt Whisky is the distillery’s flagship product. Barley is both grown and malted in Alamosa, with addition of a small amount of peated malt to give the whisky a Scottish twist. The product is double-distilled in two copper pots: In the first distillation, the wash is run through a washing or stripping still to separate the alcohol and other flavorful compounds; In the second distillation, the procedure is more refined, designed to slowly eliminate harmful impurities in the heads and tails, keeping only the middle. The whisky then ages for a minimum of two years in new-full-sized charred American oak barrels. According to Engelhorn, peat-smoked malt gives their malt whisky a smoky, earthy character, like a Highland-style scotch. “We compare well with Glenmorangie Single Malt Whisky,” he said.

  Spirit Hound Distillers Single Malt Whisky goes into barrel at 125 proof and, because of Colorado’s high altitude, water evaporates faster than alcohol, so the whisky comes out at 127 to 130 proof. “I appreciate the high proof,” Engelhorn told Beverage Master Magazine, “because you get enhanced esters and aldehydes, which add flavor to the whisky.”  All whiskeys are cut to 90 proof before bottling, except for their Cask Strength Malt Whisky, which is only available in 375mL bottles in the tasting room.

  As an added distinction, Spirit Hound Distillers does not blend barrels: All whiskeys or whiskies are bottled as single barrel batches, with each bottle marked with a barrel and bottle number. According to Engelhorn, this allows consumers to experience the many nuances that make each barrel unique. “We offer flights from four different barrels in our tasting room so customers can experience these nuances. Rather than make a standardized product, we embrace the differences, and because we’re a small distillery we can have more variation coming from small malt houses than the large guys can have.”

  Spirit Hound Distillers also produces — as a special release — a bottled in bond malt whiskey; a designation created in 1897 to protect the industry from unscrupulous producers of poor alcohol. With this designation, whisky (of any grain) must be aged at least four years, not altered by any means other than filtration, reduced in proof to exactly 100 proof and produced by one distiller at a single distillery in one season. “Bottled in bond whiskeys or whiskies  are kind of rare,” Engelhorn said, “so for a small distillery, this makes an important statement. Unless you know what to look for on the label, you may not know the source of what you are drinking. With a bottled-in-bond label, you know exactly where it comes from.”

  In addition to its Straight Malt Whisky and its Cask Strength Malt Whisky, Spirit Hound Distillers also creates a Colorado Honey Whisky. In partnership with a local apiary, Bee Squared, the distillery provides the apiary with spent malt whisky barrels, and the apiary uses them to age raw honey, rotating the barrel once a day. When the apiary empties the honey, they give the barrels back to Spirit Hound Distillers, who then age their malt whisky in the honey barrel for an additional 90 days. According to Engelhorn, the whisky compliments the natural honey in the barrel, and adds a touch of sweetness. The Colorado Honey Whisky is a limited production because honey is not always available. It is easily the distillery’s best seller, Engelhorn said.

  Spirit Hound Distillers also produces rum, vodka, liquors and three styles of gin. The distillery uses fresh Rocky Mountain water to cut the proof. “The water makes a difference,” Engelhorn told Beverage Master Magazine. “We’re in the St. Vrain Watershed, and the water is naturally delicious. We use it right as it comes in: We do not have to chemically adjust it or filter it. It’s low in minerals and gives our spirits a soft mouthfeel and some sweetness.” The distillery also uses locally sourced juniper for their gins, and has a deal with locals that if they bring in fresh berries, they will receive a free drinks or bottle depending on how much they bring in.

  After 10 years, the folks at Spirit Hound Distillers have clearly succeeded in their mission to produce high-quality hand-crafted spirits. Average production is seven barrels, or 53 gallons a month, with an annual case production of 6,000-7000 bottles. With 14 employees, the distillery has distribution in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas. “We’re in the business of fun,” Engelhorn said. “If we’re not having fun doing our jobs, we’re missing something.”

  While Engelhorn can take pride in his accomplishments, he is not resting on his laurels, and, in true hound dog fashion, is always ready to overcome whatever challenge comes his way. In fact, such a challenge hit in 2020 when the state shut down the distillery (among other facilities) because of COVID. But once again, Engelhorn and crew turned lemon into lemonade: they converted vodka-like spirits into disinfectant sanitizer and distributed it to first responders, healthcare workers, public servants, and local businesses. “Again, this was a silver lining for us,” Engelhorn said. “The tasting room was closed, but if they came in here to pick up hand sanitizer— one customer at a time — they would often buy whiskey while they were here.”

In the meantime, Engelhorn hopes to expand regional distribution, as he would like Spirit Hound Distillers to be known as one of the most premium products coming out of Colorado. Judging by the past— and the relentless spirit of the hound dog— odds are likely that he will achieve that goal.

For more information on Spirit Hound Distillers, visit… www.spirithound.com

Lots, Codes, and Life: Dating in the Beer Industry

Cyndi
beer can showing expiration date

By: Erik Myers

As the number of active breweries in the country exceeds 7000 and roars toward 8000, it’s more important than ever to consider one of the crucial facets of your packaged product: shelf life, and how to communicate it to your customer. It’s not just marketing; date lot coding and traceability is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002. However, the exact method of recording date lot codes is ultimately up to each individual brewer, and there is a vast array of practices in the industry that can ensure that your customer knows how fresh your beer is, and that you’re in compliance with federal code at the same time. 

Why Is Date Coding Important?

  The easiest answer to this question is because you must. It’s the law. In the unfortunate situation that your brewery – or one of your suppliers – might have to recall product from the market, having date lot coding that is on every package, is easy to find, and easy to understand will allow your staff and every downstream partner, whether it’s a distributor or a retailer, to comply with the recall efficiently and ultimately save you headaches and money.

  It’s also a great tool that your sales force–or your distributor–can use to be sure that beer in the market is as fresh as possible, it can help with FIFO inventory control and create an accountability tool for you to use with all of your downstream partners.

  Finally, it’s an extra layer of transparency for your customer, as well as an educational tool, allowing you to provide them with the best–and freshest–possible product, and the best possible customer experience.

How to Code

  For better or worse, there is no standard way or best practice guide to follow for date coding your beer. From a practical, legal standpoint, as long as there is a code on your package that is traceable to a batch at your particular factory and you can track that batch back to its component ingredients, you’ve complied with FDA standards. However, esoteric or confusing coding can be a problem in the marketplace and lacks customer transparency.

  Many food and beverage manufacturers use a Julian Code to signify what date an item was manufactured or packaged. Julian Code is a system designed by the U.S. Military to easily date MREs and is easy to track and assign with simple programming tasks. It uses the last digit of the year in question followed by the day of the year.  (For example, a product dated with December 15, 2018 the Julian Code would be 8349.  December 15 is the 349th day of the year in non-leap-years.)  While this provides a standard format that is unique per day and easily traceable on a package and within a database, it is not easy for a customer to read and gain information from. An eager beer drinker looking for a fresh IPA would have no way of knowing what information was being presented to them and might end up looking elsewhere.

  However, a standard date might not be the easy go-to answer that it seems. A report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Harvard University’s Food and Law Policy Clinic (The Dating Game, 2013, NRDC) notes that confusing date labeling leads to a tremendous amount of food waste in the United States as “open dates can come in a dizzying variety of forms, none of which are strictly defined or regulated on a federal level” and that “although most date labels are intended as indicators of freshness and quality, many consumers mistakenly believe they are indicators of safety.” Putting information on your package that isn’t well thought out may create more harm than good.

Finding the Right Date

  Back in 1996, Anheuser-Busch launched a marketing campaign in a bid to show that their beer was the freshest on the market and coined the term, “Born on date.” It has become a ubiquitous term in the beer industry, regardless of the fact that the date was dropped from all Budweiser labeling in 2015 in favor of a “Freshest before” date. Just because the biggest brewery in the land does it hardly makes it an industry standard, however. It’s not even standard across their entire company.

  Megan Lagesse of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s “The Higher End” craft division notes, “Some of [our] partners (Goose Island, [and] Wicked Weed) are doing dual date coding (brewed on and best by) but everyone isn’t because not all of our production equipment has the capability to dual date code,” she says. “So, we chose best by date coding [for] broader consistency, because everyone understands an expiration date but not everyone is educated enough to know IPAs should be drank as fresh as possible, but you can age wild beers and stouts.”

  Jeremy Danner, Ambassador Brewer of Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing, notes proudly that Boulevard prints, “both packaged on and best by dates on all cans, bottles, keg rings and exterior boxes. If you’re going to only print one,” he says, “it should be the packaged-on date, as thoughts vary when it comes to shelf life.”

  That shelf life–the basis of rationale behind a best by date–can be difficult, if not impossible, for a small brewery to determine. While larger breweries have the benefit of tasting panels, labs, and a vast number of data points, many small breweries get by with a microscope and a handful of jack-of-all-trade production team members. In small breweries, with limited, sometimes unique, production batches, shelf life is often the product of an educated guess, rather than a robust statistically significant tasting panel. Even pressure from a distributor can affect what date goes onto a package and in many cases a brewer will resort to relying on a packaged-on date and using phrases like, “Do not age” or “Best when its fresh” in lieu of a best by date.

  Doing so, however, relies on the customer to be educated about your product, and that might not always be as easy as it sounds. Pete Ternes of Chicago’s Middle Brow beer notes, “90% of consumers don’t know what it means for a particular beer to have been packaged on a particular date.” While there are many craft beer fans who are incredibly well-educated and can ascertain which beer styles can handle age and which can’t, most beer-drinkers don’t know the implications of a beer’s brewed or packaged-on date.

  Complicating the issue is lack of consistent temperature control once product leaves the brewery. A brewery may post a shelf life of 45 days for an IPA, but not the conditions under which that shelf life has been ascertained or should be maintained. A beer with a shelf life of 45 days at 38F has a shelf life of only 11 days at room temperature.

No Easy Answers

  Unfortunately, until an industry standard or federal regulation is put into place, there is no easy answer about how to best approach lot and date coding. Ultimately, it is up to you to choose the method that you think will both comply with the FDA and provide information to your customers. Regardless of what format you do choose, providing context and information to your customers–whether that customer is the distributor, the retailer, or the end consumer–as to how you arrived at the decision of what lot and date coding method you’ve chosen is the best path and can double as an excellent marketing and education tool for your brewery.

Spirit of the Rising Sun

Cyndi
5 Japanese whisky

By: Tod Stewart

Japan is synonymous with many things: electronics, cars, origami, sake, sushi, intricate art, Sumo wrestling and architecture. Now, if you’re willing to wait out a significant chunk of your day for it, cheesecake.  But whisky?

  Even after seeing Lost in Translation many years ago (a movie featuring Bill Murray as Bob Harris, an aging movie star visiting Japan to promote Suntory whisky), the connection between Japan and whisky still didn’t really register with me. Thankfully that has since changed, and I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying numerous different Japanese whisky expressions, both at home as well as in Japan.

  Today, these drams are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and when you do find one you might experi-ence a bit of sticker shock. However, as with most things Japanese, you do get what you pay for (and here I’m primarily talking about the items I have tried: sake, sushi, Japanese knives, etc.). The Japanese whiskies I’ve sampled have invariably been top-notch. And much to the chagrin of the Scots, they’ve actually been stealing accolades from the world’s top drams.

  A few years back, in his World Whisky Bible 2015, industry expert Jim Murray crowned the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013, from Suntory, “World Whisky of the Year.” As it turns out, nary a Scottish whisky made the top five. Since then, Japanese whiskies have continued to bag metal at competitions across the globe (in fact, they were garnering “best of” accolades as far back as 2008). If there’s any consolation to the Scottish distillers now adding tears rather than water to their tipples, it’s that, had it not been for the Scots, the Japanese would likely not be where they are today in terms of distilling.

  Japan has a distilling history that may reach as far back as the 1700s. Yet it wasn’t until after the Second World War that Shinjiro Torii along with Masataka Taketsuru, established the Yamazaki Distillery, which would eventually become Suntory, near Kyoto. In 1918, Taketsuru journeyed to Scotland. He enrolled in the University of Glasgow, becoming the first Japanese person to study the art of whisky making and apprenticed at a number of famous Scottish malt distilleries before bringing his knowledge (and a wife) back to Japan.

  In 1934, Taketsuru branched out on his own, establishing the Nikka Whisky company with a distillery located in Yoichi, on the island of Hokkaido, in the northern part of the country.

  This area seemed, to him, to most closely replicate the Scottish landscape. Japan’s “whisky country” however, is less differentiated than those of Scotland.

  “Although Japan may look like a small island on the map, if you compare it with the map of Scotland at the same scale, you will notice that the nation is much larger and is spread from North to South,” notes Naoki Tomoyoshi, International Business Development Representative for Nikka Whisky. “The climate can vary from the famous skiing resorts in Hokkaido to the beautiful beaches of Okinawa. Within this country, Nikka’s founder Masataka Taketsuru headed north in search for the ideal place for his whisky. He found the land of Yoichi to be the perfect place, a seaside location with a cool and humid climate along with an ideal water source. Then, in 1969, he founded his second distillery, Miyagikyo Distillery, in the mountainous valleys of Miyagi Prefecture, located in the northern part of Japan’s main island. His aim was to create a different style of whisky than that of Yoichi Distillery. The surrounding environment plays an important role in the maturation process, and when that is combined with the different production methods between the two distilleries, the variation of the flavors that can be created is countless.”

  Gardner Dunn, Senior Brand Ambassador at Suntory Japanese Whisky, notes that rather than defined re-gions, the elevation of the Suntory distilleries and the subsequent differences in temperature have more of an impact on the final products.

  “Yamazaki, outside Kyoto, sits at around 160 feet above sea level,” he points out. “Hakushu is one of the highest distilleries, at roughly 2,313 feet in Yamanashi prefecture. The difference in temperature between the two dictates the use of certain sized barrels to optimize maturation.” Dunn explains that as the temperature drops, the rate of maturation slows. Therefore, spirits matured in warmer climates – rum, for example – devel-op more quickly than northern spirits, largely due to the rate of evaporation.

  The proximity to the sea — just a kilometre from the Sea of Japan — and the influence of the salty ocean air, appreciably contributes to maritime tang of Nikka’s Yoichi line of whiskies. I recently sampled a dram or two of Nikka Yoichi (No Age Statement) Single Malt, which seemed to combine the warm, toffee, malt and hon-eyed tones of a Highland malt with the smoky, lemony and in this case, rather intensely briny notes more typ-ical of something like Bunnahabhain’s Ceobanach — a peated offering from a distillery that typically doesn’t use peat.

  The peat used in Nikka’s whiskies was sourced locally until the 1970s. Today the distillery uses imported barley peated to the required levels. Dunn confirms that Suntory, as well, imports barley from Scotland that has been peated to a specified degree. As well, both Nikka and Suntory strive to use the purest water available.

  “The main source of water for Nikka’s Yoichi Distillery is from the mountain springs and surrounding rivers, in particular the Yoichi River,” Tomoyoshi points out, adding that water for the Miyagikyo Distillery is sourced from the Nikkawa River. Dunn reveals that both of Suntory’s distilleries use unique water sources. “Our beau-tiful, soft water is optimal for producing [our] style of whisky.”

  In terms of casks, Suntory and Nikka have somewhat similar approaches. “We both import and make our casks,” informs Tomoyoshi. “We have a cooperage in each distillery maintaining casks of different sizes and types of wood. We also source various types of casks from around the world, including ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. All refurbishing and re-charring of the casks are done in-house in our cooperages.”

  Suntory uses a range, from ex-bourbon to American white oak and Spanish oloroso sherry casks. The company’s in-house cooperage also fashions barrels from Japanese Mizunara oak. “It is a very tight-grained oak that only grows in the North Island,” Dunn explains, noting that it matures very slowly and imparts notes of oriental incense, spice and coconut to the finished whisky.

  When it comes to whisky, distillers know that the shape and size are crucial in forming the character of the finished product. The copper pot stills used by Nikka Whisky were crafted in Japan and are of varying sizes. “All stills are slightly different from each other, which enable us to produce a wider variety of styles,” informs Tomoyoshi. “In general, the stills at Yoichi Distillery are smaller, with a straight neck and descending line arm. The stills at Miyagikyo are larger, with a bulge neck and ascending line arm.”

  Suntory operates two sets of eight distinctly shaped stills. As any distiller will attest, the size and shape of a still significantly impacts the spirit it produces, and the varying sizes employed by Nikka and Suntory no doubt play a role in crafting the unique character of the individual whiskies.

  While Japan’s whiskies have experienced a spike in popularity, the industry itself, like those in other countries, has weathered ups and downs. The whisky boom of the 1970s and early 1980s gave way to a slump in domestic whisky sales by the late ’80s, resulting in the closure of several distilleries. However, the international acclaim Japanese whiskies have since garnered has led to a resurgence in interest. A lot of interest, in fact. In the case of Nikka, a few factors combined to create the perfect storm surge of popularity. A surge so strong that it resulted in the discontinuation of age-statement whiskies.

  “We delisted most of our age-statement expressions in 2016,” confirms Tomoyoshi confirms. “This was due to many factors, such as the Nikka 80th anniversary in 2014 along with strong – yet organic – growth in foreign markets. Above all, the most impactful factor was the domestic Nikka fever caused by the NHK TV series Massan. This was unpredictable and sudden.”

  Massan was an Asadora – a “morning drama” – that ran from September 29th, 2014, until March 28th, 2015. Based on the lives of Masataka Taketsuruand and his Scottish wife Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan, it detailed the creation of Nikka Whisky…and landed a huge audience not only for the series, but for Nikka’s whiskies as well.

  Though they may currently be a little scarce in some international markets, Japanese whiskies are worth pursuing. They offer the best qualities of their Scottish counterparts — including complexity, harmony and great depth of character — along with certain exotic aspects that distinguish them as unique, different, and worthy of the accolades they have garnered both in the Far East and around the globe.

The Charismatic Spirit: The Heat of Jamaican Rum

Cyndi
4 appleton jamaican rum

By: Hanifa Sekandi

It is a warm summer night in Montego Bay. The sound of the ocean, the harmonious steel drums, sand beneath your toes, and laughter allow you to forget your worries while you clutch your cocktail in one hand. You have most likely never given much thought to that velvety smooth texture and golden color, the fermented by-product of sugarcane. It’s the drink that is unequivocally the life of the party. So infamous it deserves a special place in your holiday baked goods: rum. There is no better way to describe Jamaican-made rum than simply sublime.

  For some, it is the best accompaniment for plantain, callaloo, ackee and saltfish. Perhaps you prefer it while you dine on curry goat or spicy jerk chicken? It is the spirit that is bar-none, best sipped on the rocks. You feel the heat of this distilled spirit immediately pulsing through your entire body with just one sip. Rum, a Jamaican classic spirit with deep historic roots enlivens you and exhilarates you. You can fuss with it, add a little this or a little that but, rum revelers know it’s simply good just the way it is. What makes Jamaican rum so good?

  As you sample your way through the best of Jamaican rum you will learn quite quickly that each rum carries its own secret. This is why so many bar carts around the world carry more than one from a few of Jamaica’s acclaimed rum estates.

The Beginning of Jamaican Rum

  It was Christopher Columbus, in 1494, who brought sugarcane to the shores of Jamaica. This birthed an industry that although not as robust in size as it once was, still thrives today. With all things good, there is another side that is not as sweet. The production of rum in Jamaica began in 1655. It was brought over by British colonialists who imported the art of rum-making from Barbados. Under British rule, rum was made by the hands of enslaved labor. The mass production of rum during this time in Jamaica led to its popularity around the world. There were approximately 148 rum distilleries in Jamaica in 1893. When slavery was abolished in the 1800s the free and now finally autonomous rum laborer, was free to live as one should. This emancipation led to a decline in rum production.

  Where is rum today in Jamaica? In 1893 approximately 31, 555 acres of sugarcane was cultivated by sugar estates that housed and operated distilleries. Even with the reduction of the scale of production and rum mills, Jamaica produces 50 million liters of rum yearly. With only six remaining rum distilleries sugarcane, the oldest running industry in Jamaica is still a predominant labor source with the employment of over 50,000 people. Jamaican rum makers produce large and diverse varieties of rum that are distributed around to world to more than 70 countries. The six remaining rum distilleries are Worthy Park Estate, Appleton Estate, Long Pond Distillery, Clarendon Distillery, and Innswood Distillers Limited. The later three distilleries are owned by the National Rums of Jamaica.

Making Jamaican Rum

  Who knew sugarcane is the key ingredient to this deep rich spirit? With no sweetness on the palate when sipped that one would discern if they chewed on sugarcane. The process of making Jamaican rum is quite intriguing. Molasses, partially responsible for rums golden color is a sweet syrup with a thick consistency. Perhaps you have used it as an alternative sweetener. Blackstrap molasses is full of minerals and vitamins. With that said, a shot of

rum is not your new multivitamin replacement! This rich thick sweet syrup comes to life when sugarcane juice is boiled until it is crystallized and then fermented. In the case of gold-hued rums, the color begins to take hold by using oaken casks to age the clear liquid which turns color due to the tannins from the oak. On average Jamaican rums age close to seven years. A process that differs when making another popular spirit, white rum.

  Deeper-toned rums are made from the dunder or skimmings from vats used to boil the sugar and molasses. What makes each rum unique are the expertly blended elements that will determine the flavor profile and aromas. For example, the addition of caramel when aging commences creates a silkier and darker liquor. It’s these little nuances that create a vast difference between one rum to another although they may appear similar in appearance.

  A full-bodied rum is aged in casks that have great depth and are large in size. These casks, “puncheons”, can hold approximately 111.6 gallons. The difference between light and full-bodied rums is fermentation. In the case of full-bodied rum, slow fermentation is required, and this is referred to as wild fermentation. Light-bodied rum mostly produced in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico undergoes a process called cultured fermentation where yeast is derived from raw material. The aging period for these lighter-colored and dry rums is under four years. In some cases, light-bodied rums are aged for only one year.

Who Is Joy Spence?

The First Woman Master Blender?

  Appleton Estates is the oldest sugar estate and one of Jamaica’s six thriving rum distilleries. It is where Joy Spence, their Chief Chemist since 1981 and the first woman Master Blender, has been

making her incomparable mark in the global rum market. She has a Masters’ degree in Analytical Chemistry from Loughborough University. Spence was under the helm of the previous Appleton Estates Master Blender, Owen Tulloch for over 16 years who mentored her. During this time, she was able to use her passion for chemistry to become a world-renowned blender.

  In 1997 Spence, unbeknownst to her at the time, became the first woman master blender. At this time, there were no other women designated with this accolade. This show-stopping rum that Spence has been creating for over 35 years draws its sweet soft taste from the limestone-filtered spring water it uses from the Black River, the longest river in Jamaica. This distillery is located in a favorable area with limestone hills and an ecological system that works perfectly to nurture the abundance of greenery. Due to this natural irrigation sugarcane is easy to grow.

  Joy Spence is credited for masterfully blending two rums that made Appleton famous. The 8-Year-Old Reserve and “50-Year-Old which is according to Appleton Estates “the world’s oldest barrel-aged rum that has been bottled and sold. “The Appleton Estate 8-Year-Old Reserve, a full-bodied rum is probably one of the most recognized rum brands at your local liquor store. You have most like experienced its robust aroma and flavorful smooth notes. Sold at a price point that will make your jaw drop, something this good does not come cheap, the Appleton Estate 50 Year Old — Jamaica Independence Reserve rum by Spence will have you singing the best I ever had.

Notable Jamaican Rums

Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Casks

Did you know the number on the front of the bottle is the number of years the rum has been aged? Yes, this is true. With so much variety offered by Appleton selecting your favorite rum is not an easy task. Once you have been introduced to one of their rums you will find yourself wanting to explore the entire repertoire. This 12-year aged rum has a smooth dark chocolate flavor and the sweet smell of almonds; you may catch hints of caramel. Best enjoyed on ice or just on its own. When you sip on one of these rums you are stepping into the magical world of Master Blender Joy Spence.

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve

Rum-making began at this estate in 1741. Most people describe this rum’s flavor as earthy, citrusy, and spicy. An interesting combination that also includes other notes such as toffee, cinnamon, and cloves. Although it serves well on its own, it proves to be an excellent carrier of cocktails since it cuts through without overpowering other ingredients. Worthy Park Estates is a distillery that honors tradition and as a result, distill their rums in a traditional Jamaican Pot.

Hampden Estate Pure Single Jamaican Rum

Wild fermentation is the method used to make Hampden’s pure single rums. There is no sugar added during this process. Their Pure Single Jamaican rum aged for eight years carries a lot of heat. Its strong spicy, earthy herb-like taste with a touch of citrus, banana, and caramel strikes the palate with tremendous strength and also warms the senses. Serve over ice and sip slowly. This is the best way to go with this rum.

Long Pond Distillery — 18-Year-Old 2000 Mezan

Hopefully, the price tag does not scare you away from this vintage 18-year old Jamaican rum. This rum slowly ages and matures in a bourbon oak cask. As you can imagine, a lot of rich flavor and aromas embody this spirit. Its sharp ginger and tropical fruity notes along with a warm and spicy base create a nice finish.