All,
The semantic issues are important (whisky v. whiskey and what the distinction might mean). But in my mind the definition of craft distiller takes priority. We need a consensus on the definition in order to present it as "Craft Distilling as Defined by the American Distilling Institute." We need to do this in order to establish a reference point that legal people, legislators, lobbyists, and producers can use to acquire standing. Without a definition, the craft distiller becomes subject to whimsical, arbitrary, and occasionally malicious legislative decisions regarding permits, taxation, and regulation.
The key element in Ralph's proposed definition is the ceiling on proof gallons. 50,000 may seem high, but I don't think it is.
If we follow the brewers, micro means less than 15,000 barrels, regional means less than 50,000 barrels, and craft means less than 1,000,000 barrels. Hence, Boston Brewing is still considered a craft brewer, but just barely. (A barrel is 31 gallons).
We also agree that distillers must distill.
Are there serious reservations about the definition as written? If so, we'd like to hear them. If not, we intent to publish the definition in the upcoming issue of DISTILLER, and post it on the website as a permanent statement.
Thoughts?