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Using bulk distilled spirits?


tuesdaygamby

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As a consumer, and still working on getting a dsp, I have done a fair amount of research on this.

 

Most re-packagers go out of their way to avoid the topic.  The label says as little as legally requires.  (High west, tincup, breckenridge).

 There is another set of distillers that are doing a secondary Barrelling or blending(mosswood, prohibition, St george )  that call it out specifically and successfully.  

The last type are those that are playing off the recent recognition of MGP to announce that as their source.

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Claiming that you are "distilling" someone else's GNS into Vodka in a pot still is like putting a Hungry Man TV dinner in a microwave, and telling your customers that you are a chef. 

The whole concept of re-distilling initiated back when farmers were trying to convert the majority of their crops into low wine stripping runs at the end of the harvest season. Then they would re-distill thier low wines into finished spirits over the winter or they would sell off their low wines to others for final spirit distillation. 

This has now evolved into a marketing bonanza for pretend distillers who run GNS through pots and little columns that have virtually zero effect on the end product, while claiming they are "craft distillers".

As the industry of US based distillers continues to evolve, these issues will become more visible to the consumers, and that may well change how you wish to ultimately proceed.  Customers aren't easily deceived for long in an open market place. 

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On September 10, 2016 at 6:38 PM, ColoradoDistiller said:

"Customers aren't easily deceived for long in an open market place."

What do you think of places like Breckenridge Bourbon who sell 100k+ cases per year and buy the majority of their spirits?

It is an excellent business model, but one I have chosen not to emulate.

If those of us who are grain-to-glass really want to have an impact on the public awareness about the difference, we will need to band together to publicize and market the difference.

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I think consumers would rather drink something that tastes good, and they don't really care if it's from Indiana or grain to glass locally. Back to Breck as my example, they buy most of their barrels, blend it until it tastes great, and people love it. No deception, just great product.

Now given a choice between G2G and mega-corporation products that taste equally good, most folks would choose G2G even at a price premium. Hate to say it, but many micro-distilleries are putting out mediocre product.

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  • 7 months later...
On 9/10/2016 at 1:38 PM, ColoradoDistiller said:

"Customers aren't easily deceived for long in an open market place."

What do you think of places like Breckenridge Bourbon who sell 100k+ cases per year and buy the majority of their spirits?

Or the majority of Scotch whisky.  Buying, aging, blending, treating - what have you - is not wrong unless you misrepresent the product.  Blending is a true art.  Nobody cares where they get their fix from as long as they don't feel duped in the process. Do I care that a corvette is only "mostly made" in America?  No.  Because it's fast and sexy and I'd pay a premium to not be in a Prius (which is also largely made in America but I digress...).  Just don't add water and claim it's "local".  Customers care about taste and honesty.

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You're forgetting about extra special magic water, that makes bio-ethanol into "Super Premium, Craft, Single Batch,  Artesian, Ad  Naseum Vodka. It's really, really special and expensive.  What a load of crap.

Blending and aging on the other hand is a legitimate industry. Bacardi was never known as a distillery, they became famous as blenders who aged various rums in caves. That industry is a whole different ball game than fake vodka and gin re-heaters.   

Do I have to amend my DSP to add the serial number of my Kurig, if I use it to warm up NGS and claim I hand made Vodka in it ?

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  • 5 months later...

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