Guest Liberty Bar - Seattle Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Every day, there are more and more postings of new distilleries all over the country. I counted I think 13 new distilleries announced this month on this forum. That's amazing. Imagine how many have not found ADI and are NOT yet on the forum? This is amazing. Incredible. This means that in the next few years, there'll be dozens and dozens and dozens of new distilleries moving into the market, and that is an AMAZING number, is it not? Amazing. Just amazing. What does this mean in terms of the market? It's great on one hand as it will really promote the industry of craft/small-batch distilling, but on the other hand, that's a lot of competition. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next few years. Most won't make it very far - but the market will either explode or be be swamped with new products, most not being able to find a foot-hold or a customer base. What do you think will happen with this mass of new labels available? How will everyone find their market and thus sell their product? All in all though, it's pretty incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Forester Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 The growth really is great. Twenty years ago there were five micro-distilleries in the US, Five years ago there were 20. A year ago 90, Right now well over 150, and by this time next year around 250. Partly this is because the time is right on the part of consumers. The big boys paved the way with better spirits starting a few decades ago. Then the micro-distilling pioneers broke ground and made it seem possible to do. In addition, the shake-up at ATF, with alcohol now coming under TTB, has changed the whole attitude on the part of the federal gov't. With ATF, alcohol was policed, now with TTB it is taxed. One enforces crime, the other wants new business and the tax dolllars. When I first looked in to starting a distillery, ATF basically told me No Way, No How. The second time I looked into it was when TTB had just started handling it. I was told It's Very Difficult, and Takes a LOT of Money. Now TTB is becoming very helpful in the process, most of the time, and I see and hear of improvements every day. So BE NICE to TTB officials and reps. Thank them profusely when they are helpful. Don't get mad when they are not. They may not have the info to help you or are caught up in red tape. Compliment them when they do a great job. It will come back to all of us ten-fold and make the start-up process much easier. I look forward to being the fourth distillery in Maine, and have a friend starting the fifth, and have spoken with the folks who look like they will be starting the sixth and seventh... Micro-Distilleries are here... and happening. we are creating new products, new ways of doing things. It's the American entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity at work. (And Aussie, Kiwi, Tasmanian, Caribbean, etc. feel free to chime in.) Every day, there are more and more postings of new distilleries all over the country. I counted I think 13 new distilleries announced this month on this forum. That's amazing. Imagine how many have not found ADI and are NOT yet on the forum? This is amazing. Incredible. This means that in the next few years, there'll be dozens and dozens and dozens of new distilleries moving into the market, and that is an AMAZING number, is it not? Amazing. Just amazing. What does this mean in terms of the market? It's great on one hand as it will really promote the industry of craft/small-batch distilling, but on the other hand, that's a lot of competition. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next few years. Most won't make it very far - but the market will either explode or be be swamped with new products, most not being able to find a foot-hold or a customer base. What do you think will happen with this mass of new labels available? How will everyone find their market and thus sell their product? All in all though, it's pretty incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohninWV Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Jonathan.... Not disputing your claims, but where are you getting the number of 250 distillers by this time next year? Again, just curious. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Liberty Bar - Seattle Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Hey there, John. I would imagine that he's extrapolating the amount of interest that we see here and then doing some quick math. Heck - if the numbers from this Guild alone hold out - there could conceivably be more than that amount. And, we're not even talking about contract labels - that's a whole different story. Still, I wonder how these distilleries will find a foot-hold. And - how can the ADI work together on costs? That is something that we should discuss. Bottles, stills, etc... Again, it should be an interesting next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Forester Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I base my figures on discussions with Bill. He keeps tabs on everyone who contacts him at ADI. He is supposed to send me the most current figures this week for n series of articles on micro-distilling I'm working on, and I will update then. J Jonathan....Not disputing your claims, but where are you getting the number of 250 distillers by this time next year? Again, just curious. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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