Matt Pietrek – 01/09/2024 – CocktailWonk.com

At a press conference today at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados, Plantation Rum owner Alexandre Gabriel revealed the brand’s long-awaited new name, Planteray, which will first appear on bottles of Cut & Dry Coconut Rum. In conjunction with the name change is the news that Cut & Dry will be available outside Barbados for the first time.

According to Gabriel, the Planteray name “…pays homage to sugarcane, the PLANT that gives birth to the rum, and the sun’s RAYs that are essential for sugarcane growth and ripening.” Other than replacing ation in Plantation with eray, all other branding elements remain unchanged, as the image above shows.

Origins of the Planteray Rum Name Change

The decision to change the well-recognized Plantation name dates to the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. Global cultural differences revealed varied levels of acceptance of the word, with some of the strongest negative reactions coming from the US and the Caribbean, where recent history of colonization and enslavement is still being reckoned with.

Prior to 2020 when asked about the name, Gabriel explained that when he launched the brand more than two decades earlier, the term “plantation” in his native French simply meant farm. The problematic connection to enslavement didn’t draw much attention until the brand expanded into more countries.

Although the 2020 protests weren’t the first rumblings that the Plantation name was problematic to some, the heightened attention made it clear the company needed to address the issue head-on. In its June 29, 2020, press release announcing that the brand would change its name, Gabriel stated:

As the dialogue on racial equality continues globally, we understand the hurtful connotation the word plantation can evoke to some people, especially in its association with much graver images and dark realities of the past…

Name Change Timing

Unsaid in the 2020 announcement was what the new name would be and when it would roll out. A Spirits Business Article noted at the time, “The progressive rebrand is expected to take more than two years.”

When mid-2022 rolled around without word from Plantation on a new name, numerous social media threads sprang up, and many of the brand’s more vociferous critics asserted Plantation had no intention of changing the name. Allegations of stalling even made it into mainstream press articles.

While this public conversation was occurring, Plantation’s parent company had previously filed for a trademark for Planteray in France in October 2021 and a US trademark for Planteray a month later. These trademark filings were sixteen months after the 2020 name change announcement.

However, filing for a trademark isn’t the same as approval, and other companies can object to its approval. In a 2022 interview with Drinks International, Gabriel said:

The team thought it had a name last year but found it was blocked by a leading global drinks company. This put the process back six months. Two other names are currently being checked and registered for a patent in the 100 countries where it has distribution, which takes time.

Given the trademark filing dates and Gabriel’s statement in the interview, it’s reasonable to assume that it was the Planteray name that was objected to. Regardless, an agreement regarding the use of the name appears to have been hammered out.

As for the other potential names Gabriel referred to in the interview, one is almost certainly Planterra: French and US trademark filings for Planterra were filed in August and September 2022.

The new name was kept closely under wraps until Planteray could be registered in the 100-plus countries where the Plantation name was already in use. Announcing the new name before completing the required registrations would have invited trademark trolling.

Planteray Rum Rollout Details

The first Planteray product will be Cut & Dry, available in the USA, UK, France, as well as in Barbados, where it’s produced and bottled. The remainder of the brand’s lineup will shift to Planteray branding as existing custom bottles and packaging are depleted.

According to Gabriel, the brand currently holds a substantial inventory of bottles with “Plantation” embossed in large letters at the base, as the company had stockpiled large quantities of custom bottles during the COVID pandemic when the liquor industry experienced significant manufacturing delays.

Thus, consumers will notice that shipments of Plantation Rum–branded bottles won’t stop overnight, and some countries may see the Planteray rollout sooner than others.

From the Irish Liquor Lawyer: https://irishliquorlawyer.com/liquor-industry-insights/wswas-recent-study-will-harm-the-industry/

WSWA put out another report that will no doubt be used as propaganda to stop and in some cases reverse direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping for manufacturers and retailers.

WSWA conducted its own poll in partnership with Morning Consult, which shows that 25% of adults they surveyed, who purchased alcohol from an online vendor or manufacturer were not age verified.

WSWA goes onto make the claim that DTC shipping is supported by a 10% (based on their surveyed audience) radical fringe of society and with the dangerous 25% failure rate, people should be majorly concerned about the advance of DTC shipping on behalf of this radical fringe group.

The study goes onto spout stats such as 76% of American adults are concerned about the age verification process when purchasing product online. And that 60% of adults identified increased risked to underage access as a concern, and 85% agree that online vendors should be held to the same standard as a brick-and-mortar location.

Finally, the study spewed stats about consumer choice, which are meant to make DTC advocates a radical minority that represents a great outlier. The stats pertain to where people like to purchase alcohol. Under the study, 65% purchase from grocery stores, 64% from the liquor store, 47% from bars and restaurants and only 10% from online vendors and 9% from manufacturers.

Problem with the methodology

Unlike the VinoShipper study, which provides great detail to prove its conclusions, the WSWA detail provides us no background data.

To illustrate, in the oral argument in the 1^st Circuit’s Rhode Island wine retailer shipping case, Anvar v. Dwyer, the Rhode Island attorney stated that the plaintiff admitted in deposition that she was not asked by the common carrier driver for an ID. The state intended to drive the point home that DTC shipping is dangerous and people are not being verified and this could lead to minors getting their hands on alcohol.

Alex Tanford in rebuttal simply answered that she is 70 years old. It drives home the point, people that are senior citizens are generally not age verified and not age verifying a 70-year-old does not mean minors are more likely to get their hands on alcohol.

It is common sense that if someone looks like Uncle Jesse from the Dukes of Hazzard, they are probably not being age verified whether it is in a brick-and-mortar or by common carrier.

What WSWA does not do is provide details in its study on the age demographic of the 2,200 U.S. Adults it surveyed, and whether the 25% crowd were senior citizens or a demographic of 21–25-year-olds. Second, the data does nothing to demonstrate that the 25% failure rate of adults surveyed will lead to minors getting increased access to alcohol via DTC shipping.

The survey contacted 2,200 adults; an adult is someone over 18 in general terms. If the survey provided responses to how age compliance fared for the 18-20 crowd, and what the compliance rates were for age verification, we might be able to take this study seriously.

Unfortunately, WSWA like the Wizard of Oz, will not let us see behind the curtain, yes transparency matters!

The 10% radical fringe argument suffers from the same faults as the 25% age verification failure rate does. We don’t know the surveyed demographic. If those surveyed were at the higher age bracket that did not grow up with technology that would matter, however, this crucial piece of information is missing. So, the argument that the DTC market only is supported by 10% of society is not credible.

What is missing is concerning

If minors gaining access to alcohol is a major concern, then I believe WSWA misses the boat on some glaring but important issues. In the VinoShipper study, they utilize Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) data to track retail licensees that failed minor compliance stings. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (n.d.) Underage Drinking Prevention and
Enforcement 2021, SAMHSA, https://www.samhsa.gov/, accessed December 2022)

Unlike the WSWA study that surveyed adults, the SAMSHA stats look at selling directly to minors and whether retailers attempted to age verify them. According to the SAMSHA stats, Delaware and Pennsylvania retailers sold to minors without age verifying more than 25% of the time. I will allow the reader to judge whether these glaring failures of the system were left out by WSWA because the brick-and-mortar retailers purchase through the three-tier system.

VinoShipper v. WSWA study

The VinoShipper study came to a radically different conclusion than the WSWA study. VinoShipper’s study concluded that minors were not utilizing online purchasing to obtain alcohol. VinoShipper utilized independent data from IDology a 3^rd party age verification software provider to conclude that out of the 633,985 registered buyers only 943 purchases were attempted by minors. Attempted minor purchases represented .15% of all attempted purchases.

Unlike WSWA’s data, VinoShipper utilizes an independent third party and does not rely on in-house data. Further, it produces data from government agencies and maintains citations to independent sources.

WSWA’s data comes from an non-independent source and it provides no citations to independent third-parties.

If transparency and independence is crucial in a study’s credibility and reliability, then we must question WSWA’s results and conclusions.

Another interesting point to note, WSWA tried to diminish VinoShipper’s study being stating that “What Gray and Harrison fail to mention is that these 1.05 million shipments are a drop in the bucket (only 2%) of the total 41 million-plus DTC wine shipments nationwide, according to the Sovos 2023 Direct-to-Consumer Shipping Report.[1]”

If 2% is so small to make a study uncredible, then I think WSWA has just questioned the efficacy of its own study. WSWA claims it contacted 2,200 U.S. adults. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020 there were 258.3 million adults in the U.S.[2] WSWA’s surveyed number represents .00085% of the population. Maybe WSWA should put an asterisk around its own study.

Why this study is so harmful

We can dismiss the methodology and the conclusion it raises; however, we should not dismiss the harm the study will cause. Many legislators do not know liquor issues well, they are inundated with numerous subject matters, and often times learn the issue from a well-paid lobbyist.

We should learn from Wisconsin that a DTC open state can become a DTC closed state through effective lobbying and the stroke of a pen.

This study will no doubt be used as propaganda and passed out to unknowing legislators as the gospel on the impact of DTC shipping.

Further, attacks on DTC access for producers could not come at a worse time. Alcohol manufacturers experienced their worst year since 1991.[3]

DTC access for manufacturers opens up sales and expands markets that  otherwise would not become available. Since Granholm the number of wineries in America has doubled and DTC shipping has led to growth. For the spirits industry the lack of DTC shipping options is hurting growth potential.

A niche distillery in Oregon may have a cult following across the country. Suppose this demand is for 10 cases in a state. The volume is not enough to make it profitable for the in-state wholesaler to take on this distillery. However, the distillery could expand its brand and sales and develop the market through DTC sales. Without DTC access the distillery is losing sales and potential growing market share.

Conclusion

Minor access to alcohol and DTC shipping are serious issues and should be addressed. Nobody wants to see minors getting access to alcohol, but providing suspect studies on DTC shipping and ignoring in this study, the failures of brick-and-mortar stores on selling to minors, is irresponsible and does not serve a greater purpose.

Further, trying to shut down DTC markets, which provide a market to grow for suppliers that a wholesaler will not take on, is harmful. Especially when our liquor industry is going through tough days, advocating to shut off markets through suspect studies will only harm an industry that is suffering a downturn.

[1] https://www.wswa.org/news/wswa-responds-recent-stories-efficacy-dtc-alcohol-shipping

[2] https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/08/united-states-adult-population-grew-faster-than-nations-total-population-from-2010-to-2020.html#:~:text=Population Under Age 18 Declined Last Decade&text=In 2020%2C the U.S. Census,from 234.6 million in 2010.

[3] https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2024/01/us-alcohol-industrys-worst-year-since-1991

But mandatory juice, wine and spirits labeling is not required until July 1, 2025, and then only on bottles sold after this date using one of five labeling options — including the future possibility of a Quick Response (QR) code. Wine and spirits bottled before 2024 are exempt from CRV labeling, as are tasting room bottles.
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/industrynews/what-californias-expanded-bottle-bill-means-for-wineries-distilleries/

According to Impact Database data cited by High Noon, the ready-to-drink (RTD) producer overtook Tito’s Handmade Vodka to become the biggest-selling spirits brand by volume in the US in 2022. 

https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2024/01/high-noon-is-top-selling-spirit-in-us/

10x capacity will serve growing demand for the brand’s products and custom distilling partnership program  

 COLUMBUS, Ohio (Jan. 8, 2024) — Middle West Spirits has completed a new world-class distillery in Columbus, Ohio, making it one of the largest independent distillers in North America. The expansion increased distillation capacity by tenfold, adding a state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot distillery along with grain processing and bottling facilities to supplement the capacity of its original distillery on Courtland Avenue in the Short North District.  

The distillery expansion has brought economic benefits to the east side of Columbus, with the reuse and improvements to land and existing structures, tripling the employee base with more additions to come in 2024, plus management of over 25,000 acres of local grain farmland, and bringing additional revenue to the Bexley community. 

Middle West Spirits was co-founded in 2008 by Head Distiller and CEO Ryan Lang and was built on a passion for crafting the highest quality spirits. Lang comes from a family heritage of distilling and agriculture spanning four generations, which inspired his journey to learn every aspect of whiskey making. With over 15 years of experience producing award-winning spirits, the Middle West team has extensive knowledge and now has ample capacity to pay it forward by providing the craftsmanship and facilities to support fellow whiskey makers at any part of their journey, from small batch to large format and seed selection to bottling.

“Along the journey of our own whiskey making development and growth, we have collaborated with partners at every stage and size of the process, from testing to full-scale commercial production. Now that our expansion is complete, we are excited to continue these partnerships and help more fellow distillers by assisting with all aspects of whiskey-making while we continue growing and innovating our own brands,” said Lang. 

Middle West Spirits currently produces 15 of its own branded products, including MIDDLE WEST Bourbon, Rye and Wheat Whiskey, the super-premium Double Cask Whiskey Collection, OYO vodkas, Vim & Petal and Lux & Umbra gins. 

Partnerships and Custom Distilling 

Middle West Spirits’ Partnership team has collaborated with dozens of companies such as Horse Soldier and Old Line Spirits to develop unique products. With the expansion complete, the team is ready to add new partners in need of grain sourcing and processing, state-of the-art distilling, bottling and blending, barrel maturation and finished goods storage, aged, barreled and bulk whiskey and fulfillment. The combination of strong farmer partnerships to ensure high-quality, non-GMO grains, distillation facilities and expertise make Middle West Spirits uniquely positioned to help its partners grow and innovate with fully customizable capabilities.  

For more information about becoming a Middle West Spirits custom distilling partnerships, please visit https://middlewestspirits.com/partnership/. 

### 

About Middle West Spirits 

Middle West Spirits was built on a passion for crafting the highest quality spirits. That’s why Middle West uses unique, Ohio grains and controls every step of the production process - from seed selection to on-site grain processing, distilling, aging, blending, and bottling - all in its Columbus, Ohio distilleries. Middle West spirits have earned more than 200 awards, including top honors from the ASCOT Awards, PR%F Awards, Beverage Tasting Institute, Heartland Whiskey Competition and more. Guests can enjoy the full Middle West experience at the Courtland Avenue Distillery, Service Bar Restaurant and Bottle Shop in Columbus, OH to purchase Middle West’s signature products. To learn more about Middle West Spirits, visit middlewestspirits.com, or follow on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

This morning I stumbled across a Chinese Distillery that is selling directly via a branded website: https://moutaiamerica.com/

I searched in the forum, and could not find any further information.

If a Chinese Distillery is allowed to open a “Authorized U.S. Online Retailer Shop” – are all U.S. based distilleries allowed to do the same?

Many U.S. based distilleries are not allowed to open authorized DTC online retailer shops. How are they able to do this?

Jamie Siefken will assume the role of President and General Manager of the privately held Cedar Ridge Distillery and Murphy Quint will assume the Master Distiller role while continuing
in his role as Director of Operations, effective immediately announced Jeff Quint, Founder and CEO. Murphy becomes the second-generation Master Distiller.
“Building Cedar Ridge with my wife Laurie has been the greatest achievement of my career.  Were proud we’ve been embraced by the local Iowa community and that our products have won over the taste buds of whiskey enthusiasts across the country.  Were especially proud our son Murphy will take over as the second-generation Master Distiller and know that the distillery is poised for continued growth under an experienced executive team being led by Jamie
Siefken.”
Over the past several years, Cedar Ridge Bourbon has become the best-selling bourbon in Iowa, outperforming all other 750ml bourbons in terms of sales. Under Jamie’s leadership the sales
team has expanded the footprint at retail and is now available on and off premise in 32 states, through a strategic partnership with Chopin Imports Limited. During this time Murphy has also
expanded the portfolio with highly sought after limited editions.
“The growth of Cedar Ridge has been remarkable both as a brand and as a destination in Iowa and beyond,” says Jeff Quint who will remain CEO of the Swisher, Iowa distillery.
Under Murphy’s direction the distillery has expanded its portfolio of award-winning bourbons and introduced The QuintEssential, one of the first American Single Malts launched and the winner of several double gold and gold medals. It's an incredible honor to receive the title of Master Distiller. While this badge bears my name, it wouldnt exist without the unwavering
support and dedication of the entire Cedar Ridge Operations Team. Their passion fuels mine, and together we'll write a bold new chapter in our whiskey legacy;

# # #

ABOUT CEDAR RIDGE
In 2003, Jeff and Laurie Quint founded Cedar Ridge Distillery because they believed it was time for Iowa–the number one corn-producing state in the U.S.–to share its homegrown bourbon whiskey with the world. Today, as Iowa’s first and oldest distillery, Cedar Ridge Distillery provides premium Midwest whiskey from America’s grain belt, managing every step of production while allowing nature to be the ultimate guide. Influenced by its heritage of winemaking and roots in agriculture, Cedar Ridge Distillery consistently produces high-quality, award-winning products. Learn more at CedarRidgeDistillery.com. 
For more information: Laura Baddish, lbaddish@baddishgroup.com

“We’ve been friends since 2015 and the two things that really hit off our friendship were obviously booze and drinking really fun liquor and experimenting with cocktails, and also talking about politics,” Hussey said. “We were really interested in each other’s politics and our political activism and wanted to infuse that passion into whatever we do.”

That activism is also a reaction to the industry in which they now work.

“The rum and sugar production history, there’s a really bad history of not just bad labor practices but slavery, right? In the Americas and the new world in general. This is our attempt at doing something to address that really terrible, awful history,” Regueira said. “Chicago is historically a labor town. You have in the DNA of our city, you have Haymarket which was the birth of the modern labor movement, right? So Chicago plays a really important role in that … So we wanted to pay homage to Chicago and acknowledge the terrible history of sugar production and rum, but also try to do something about it.”

Erica Gunderson – 12/14/2023 – News WTTW

https://news.wttw.com/2023/12/14/after-devastating-crash-co-founder-cooperative-distiller-still-working-bring-caribbean

Husk Distillery has a wonderful green outlook onto both mountains and cane fields, and visiting it is an iconic north coast experience. Husk’s products have also become iconic, such as their famous Ink Gin and increasingly, their innovative style of rum.

  Husk’s premium rum release is a completely new stye for Australia, made from their own cane fields, the rum is a classy high-quality and complex rum similar to that made in the Caribbean (think Haiti, or Martinique), where cane juice provides the flavour, rather than the Aussie (think Bundaberg) way, made from molasses with artificial additives.

https://www.echo.net.au/2023/12/husks-premium-rum-release-a-new-stye-of-australian-rum/

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/12/04/south-florida-man-lost-vodka-business-to-ukraine-war-now-hes-rebuilding-it-right-here/

Jason Parker referenced this in his "How a Barrel Works" presentation at ADI 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352442235_Sources_of_variation_in_bourbon_whiskey_barrels_a_review

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drinksindustryireland_david-boyd-armstrong-elected-chair-of-drinks-activity-7140744209115811840-ndqB?utm_source=combined_share_message&utm_medium=member_ios

Source: https://www.winebusiness.com/

by Alex Koral

December 12, 2023

Neither snow nor rain stays the efforts of the United States Postal Service (USPS), that is unless alcoholic beverages are concerned. This is because, under Title 18 of the US Code, USPS is currently prohibited from carrying any vinous, malt or spirituous liquors under any circumstances.

Over the last few years, however, several attempts have been made by proponents of direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of alcohol to remove this stricture. In 2023 such efforts took the form of H.R. 3721, which sought to enable USPS to serve as a potential carrier servicing the DtC shipping market. 

While H.R. 3721 is unlikely to pass in the current Congress (indeed, what can?), that is not for a lack of interest or good cause. After all, the ban on USPS carrying alcohol is just one more remnant of the Prohibition era that makes less and less sense in a time when shipping of wine is nearly ubiquitous.

Besides updating anachronistic laws, there is a lot of potential benefit that could come from letting USPS carry alcohol. For one, DtC licensees would have more choice when looking for a carrier to work with—not that the active wine delivery services are lacking, but competition can drive innovation and improvements. In addition, many rural areas of the country are not serviced by even the largest of private carriers and instead rely only on USPS deliveries. As such, wine consumers living in those areas are currently unable to access the DtC wine shipping market without a change in the law. It was also estimated that H.R. 3721 could generate $190 million in additional annual revenue for USPS, which would be a huge boon for an agency that regularly posts large deficits. 

It is no wonder then that H.R. 3721 received broad, bipartisan support along with a ringing endorsement from the National Association of Letter Carriers.

As reasonable as these arguments are, there are some potentially thorny issues that could affect USPS’s ability to serve the DtC alcohol shipping market, which so far have largely gone unmarked upon. While none of these issues are necessarily insurmountable, they should be at least well considered well ahead of whenever USPS might start carrying boxes packed with wine.

Why shouldn’t USPS carry alcohol?

Perhaps the biggest unresolved question that needs to be addressed if USPS will start carrying alcoholic beverages is how it will manage the various state laws that govern the DtC wine shipping market. 

It is paradigmatic in the industry that wine must be shipped in compliance with the laws of the state where it is being shipped to, and states imposed numerous requirements on the carriers servicing the market. These include the need to be licensed by the state, the need to file regular reports detailing the shipments they’ve made to consumers and the need to take responsibility for any error that might occur during the delivery—each of which raises serious federalism questions.

It is perfectly reasonable for a state to require carriers to be approved and licensed by their alcohol control board before carrying alcohol, and private carriers are well-adapted to manage such regulatory burdens. But, as a federal agency, who in USPS would be the owner of their licenses? The Postmaster General? The President? Would the licenses need to be updated after every election?

And critically, what would happen if a state found issues with DtC deliveries made by USPS? Several years ago, the leading carriers came under extreme scrutiny from a number of states alleging problems with their alcohol delivery programs, including not properly checking IDs at the time of delivery and shipping from unlicensed sources. One of the responses from some states was that, if those carriers couldn’t address those alleged problems, then maybe they shouldn’t be able to ship anything at all. 

Thankfully those threats went nowhere, and the carriers adopted practices to safeguard wine shipments. But what would happen if Massachusetts or Louisiana determined that the risk of a few questionable deliveries of alcohol meant that USPS had to shut down entirely in the state? Yes, it is perhaps an unrealistic situation, but any attempt by a state to crack down on USPS in relation to alcohol shipping could have huge consequences that should be considered sooner than later.

Further, one of the primary arguments for letting USPS deliver alcohol, the potential revenue it could bring the agency, falls a little flat under further scrutiny. 

Indeed, being a carrier of alcohol can in itself be costly. Wine is a fragile product that requires careful handling and protection from the elements. The current leading carriers for the DtC wine shipping market have invested large sums purchasing climate-controlled vehicles and storage facilities to ensure that no shipments going to Texas in July or Michigan in December are ruined by weather. And that is on top of the outlays needed to buy ID scanners and otherwise track packages containing alcohol to ensure they are properly delivered. 

And it is unclear how much of the estimated revenue USPS will actually receive. The entire DtC wine shipping market brings in about $4 billion annually. $190 million would represent about 5% of that amount, which is pretty much what is currently spent by the entire market on annual shipping costs. For USPS to realize that full amount would require it to take over most of the market. Even if that were likely, it’s questionable how beneficial it would be to have a government agency take that much business from private carriers.

Why not?

Ultimately, it is hard to advocate against changing the law to permit USPS to carry alcohol in compliance with state laws. There is clear interest and support for removing the outdated prohibition and expanding options for the DtC shipping market, and no good reason to continue to block USPS from carrying alcohol when the major carriers are already doing so. 

Even if H.R. 3721 doesn’t pass, it has widespread support and so similar bills will almost certainly be introduced until something passes.

The concerns raised above should not be considered dealbreakers, but more food for thought. Even if the projections for revenue to USPS don’t fully pan out, any additional earnings will be appreciated. And controversies between state and federal agencies are not uncommon, so any issues around how USPS might be policed for its alcohol deliveries can be addressed.

That said, the devil is always in the details and so it would be better to address those devilish issues sooner than later.

https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2023/12/2023s-top-trending-cocktails-revealed/

https://www.katytimes.com/stories/beloved-local-institution-mkt-distillery-closes-its-doors,60760

No report on any distilleries affected at this time.

Three Rifles Distilling Co. in Clarksville is We are accepting donations of all kinds at the distillery to contribute to disaster relief in the area, and letting people come and pick through necessary items as needed. Contact support@leatherwooddistillery.com 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2023/12/10/updates-fatalities-reported-in-middle-tennessee-after-saturday-tornadoes/71868379007/

https://mailchi.mp/copperworksdistilling/join-a-copperworks-bottling-party-9zlj4lm5os?e=61f52bbfea

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/leewood_im-happy-to-share-that-ive-been-elected-activity-7138578842289401856-WKwu?utm_source=combined_share_message&utm_medium=member_ios

After 15 years of breaking barriers, educating, and changing perceptions, Montanya Distillers founder and owner Karen Hoskin has sold the venerable American Rum brand to CRN Ventures, a team with deep ties to the company.

https://therumlab.com/montanya-distillers-acquired-by-a-team-with-deep-ties-to-the-brand/

BEARFACE Canadian Whisky recently introduced the Matsutake 01 as part of its coveted Wilderness Series. Framed as a departure from traditional whisky offerings, this spirit incorporates wild Matsutake mushrooms from the Canadian wilderness into its profile. This ingredient choice delivers a "unique umami finish," allowing the brand to set itself apart from other whiskies on the market while embracing current industry trends.

https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bearface-canadian-whisky

LOUISVILLE, KY (November 20th, 2023) Pursuit Spirits, the innovative whiskey company behind the popular Pursuit United line of bourbons and ryes, is thrilled to announce the launch of two new behind-the-scenes distillery experiences for whiskey enthusiasts. These one-of-a-kind tours were crafted by the founders to provide exclusive access that doesn't exist anywhere else.
The first experience, "The Whole Shebang: Tasting + Barrel Pick + Fill Your Own Bottle" is a 90-minute VIP adventure for $139.99. Guests will taste a variety of Pursuit's award-winning whiskeys, learn all about mashbills, blending, and maturation from our expert guides, partake in their own private barrel selection, and then fill a personalized bottle to take home. This is a rare chance to check off a bucket list item by taking part in the barrel picking process that is typically reserved for only the whiskey elite. Instead of pulling a lever and watching your bottle fill from a
tube, guests will fill their own private select whiskey using a whiskey thief straight from the barrel.
The second experience, "Pursuit United Breakdown" is a 45-minute deep dive into Pursuit's limited small-batch bourbon for $35. Guests will taste the individual distillates that make up Pursuit United at cask strength, learning the unique profiles and stories behind each component. The experience culminates in sampling the iconic Pursuit United Bourbon and Toasted Oak Collection Bourbon to realize how the sum is greater than the parts.
"We've been privy to everything the large distilleries had to offer so we decided to give whiskey lovers something they can’t do anywhere else. These inside looks are what makes Pursuit Spirits so special," said Kenny Coleman, COO & Co-Founder. "These immersive experiences take guests beyond the traditional 51% corn tour and focus on how barrel maturation and blending are the real stars of the show."
The Pursuit Spirits Distillery Experiences are available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with limited tickets available per tour. The Distillery is located in the Clifton neighborhood, just minutes from downtown Louisville, at 1700 Mellwood Ave. Visits and experiences are available by reservation only. To book your experience, visit pursuitspirits.com and hit the Visit Us button.
ABOUT PURSUIT SPIRITS: Founded in 2018 by the creators of the popular podcast Bourbon Pursuit, Pursuit Spirits is rooted in providing an uncommon whiskey experience, created for those who know good whiskey. Today, Pursuit Spirits offers award-winning small-batch bourbon and rye whiskeys with Pursuit United as well as their single barrel product, Pursuit Series. For more information, please visit www.pursuitspirits.com.

Contact:
Pursuit Spirits Media Team
press@pursuitspirits.com

Three friends, all alike in ambition, are undertaking the ultimate ocean encounter in 2023, The World’s Toughest Row Atlantic Challenge. The mission is two-fold, firstly to communicate the detrimental effect of waste items on the ocean. Plastic is the biggest culprit, but many materials do not decompose, polluting the water, damaging ecosystems and threatening marine life.

The second is to raise awareness of the power of seagrass and the role it plays in combating the climate crisis. Home to many sea creatures and pivotal in the protection of shorelines, seagrass is the unsung hero of the ocean, not to mention a huge carbon sink, sequestering it 35 times faster than the rainforests. However, its survival is threatened by human intervention, including mooring anchors, buoys and pollution, to name a few.

https://mermaidatlantic.com/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/13/investing/premarket-stocks-trading?cid=ios_app

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabamians Ready for Convenience Coalition (ARCC) today announced a new survey conducted by McLaughlin & Associates that found nearly two-thirds (63%) of Alabamians support allowing licensed retailers to sell spirits ready-to-drink cocktails at the same locations as beer, wine and malt-based canned cocktails. Support climbed to three-quarters (74%) as they learned more about the issue and the similar alcohol content of the RTD beverages.

"In today's polarized political landscape, it's rare to find issues that enjoy bipartisan support," said Jim McLaughlin, president of McLaughlin & Associates. "In Alabama, there is consistent and robust support for sensible sales policies, with 61% of Republicans, 73% of Democrats and 61% of Independents endorsing a policy to allow spirits RTDs to be sold alongside beer and wine."

The average alcohol-by-volume (ABV) of both beer and spirits-based canned cocktails is between 6-10%. Under current Alabama law, beer is allowed to be sold in grocery and convenience stores along with wine and malt-based canned cocktails, but spirits-based canned cocktails are required to be sold at a liquor store despite having the same or similar alcohol content.

ARCC is made up of the Alabama Grocers Association, the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association, the Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Diageo, United-Johnson Brothers of Alabama and Gulf Distributing Holdings.

“Grocers hear from customers every day about their desire to easily purchase spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails,” said Ellie Taylor, president and CEO of the Alabama Grocers Association. “Our industry has a proven track record of selling beverage alcohol in a responsible way, following all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.”

ARCC is focused on increasing consumer convenience by advocating for legislation to allow spirits RTDs to be sold where beer and wine are sold.

"Alabamians understand that allowing ready-to-drink cocktails to be sold in the same retail locations as beer and wine is long overdue," said Mindy Hanan, president and CEO of the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association. "We are eager to modernize these Prohibition Era liquor laws and offer more convenience and choice to consumers. The Alabama Legislature needs to support legislation aligning with what Alabama voters want – fair and sensible policy for ready-to-drink cocktails."

Adult consumers interested in supporting the effort to make spirits-based canned cocktails available in retail outlets where beer and wine are available for purchase can sign up at Ready4Convenience.com.

“Having spirits ready-to-drink beverages available in convenience stores provides Alabama’s adult consumers with the products they desire in a convenient and responsible way,” said Bart Fletcher, president of the Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama. “It’s time Alabama joined our neighboring states in making these products available in locations consumers prefer.”

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Alabama Grocers Association

The Alabama Grocers Association is a state trade association representing the grocery retail industry since 1990. With more than 100 retail members operating over 750 stores statewide, as well as over 210 manufacturers, brokers, wholesalers and other members, the AGA is the voice of the industry in the state of Alabama. The food retail industry in Alabama provides over half a million jobs with over $2.5 billion in annual wages paid. Grocers pay over $1.18 billion in state taxes and have a total economic impact on the state’s economy of over $12.1 billion. For more information, visit www.alabamagrocers.org.

Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association

The Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association (ARHA) serves as the advocate and indispensable resource for the restaurant, lodging and tourism industries in Alabama. As a leading business association, the ARHA represents the state’s $16 billion industry, which encompasses more than 10,000 locations and a workforce of over 225,000 employees. The association is proud to protect, advance, and educate a growing industry of opportunity.  For more information, visit www.arhaonline.com.

McLaughlin & Associates

McLaughlin & Associates is a national survey research and strategic services company whose personnel have played a key role in assisting Donald Trump, former Governor Bob Riley, Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Congressman Mike Rogers, and more.

The Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama

The Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama (P&CMA) is the statewide trade association representing Alabama’s wholesale and retail petroleum distributors and retail convenience store operators. Originally formed in 1949 as the Alabama Petroleum Marketers Association, P&CMA’s membership is made up of more than 200 active member companies who collectively own, operate and/or supply more than 3,000 retail locations across the state. Our industry employs more than 59,000 Alabamians, conducts more than 3.7 million transactions per day, sells more than 4.4 billion gallons of gasoline annually and collects more than $4 billion annually in tax revenues for governmental entities. For more information, visit www.pcmala.org.