Written by Jason Dobson, Business & Creative Director, Contagious UK
I have always understood the desirability that great packaging can deliver to new brands; from our portfolio, Karizuwa Japanese Whiskey and Lind & Lime Gin are great examples that come to mind. But in response to new shopper habits— like an increase in omni-channel and at-home experiences— the bar has been raised on this front for new brands just now entering the fray.
At Moonshine University, it’s our job to stay abreast of trends in the distilling industry. Thanks to our expert faculty, we’re able to glean key insights into the future of spirits. This year, we gathered our team to identify emerging trends we expect to be in the spotlight in 2021.
Driven by the long-term effects of an on-going pandemic, this year’s forecast is shaping up to be focused on authenticity in the form of appeals to community, premium experiences, and hospitality. Here are the spirits trends to watch for in the coming year:
Written by Jason Dobson, Business & Creative Director, Contagious UK
During lockdown we’ve all been adopting new ways of purchasing and experiencing products. Browsing has increased and the accelerated adoption of digital consumerism has created a huge opportunity to provide enhanced and innovative online experiences— experiences that are personal, show loyalty, and appeal to a local audience while simultaneously striving to embrace a global presence.
Did you know there’s only one American holiday written into our Constitution?
Ironically, the origins of this boozy celebration also start with the early Temperance Movement, an awareness campaign that emerged in the 1800s to limit alcohol consumption in the US.
Written by Luis Ayala, Founder of Rum Central, Got Rum? magazine & The Rum University; Originally published in Got Rum? magazine (November 2016)
If you walk into the average North American or European bar and ask a dozen patrons what a “Rhum Agricole” is, then you are likely to receive just as many different answers.
Written by Shelley Sackier, Director of Distillery Education, Reservoir Distillery
“You can see the piece within the piece.”
I know that might sound a tad cryptic, but this was a phrase uttered nearly simultaneously by both Vic Ramoneda and his employee, Bill DiSantis, as we all bent over a freshly cut plank of wood in the Ramoneda Brothers Stave Mill in Culpeper, Virginia.
“Do you mean like Michelangelo and the whole, ‘The sculpture is already complete—it’s there in that block of marble’ kind of thing?” I asked them both.
I laughed. They nodded politely at the joke. And then agreed, “Exactly.”
Written by Nathan Kreel, PhD, Technical Sales Representative, and Mui Lay, Product Manager, Gusmer Enterprises
There are many different options and strategies for finishing a product through filtration. Each step is met with a balance of cost, time, product stability, and acceptance of the outcome. Filtration can be performed on any spirit of any age, blend, and formulated combination thereof, and doing so is dependent on the aforementioned factors. To understand filtration, it is important to understand what the product to be filtered is, the filtration media and application, and the desired product coming out at this stage in production.
Written by Dr. Patrick Heist, Chief Scientific Officer of Ferm Solutions & Co-Owner of Wilderness Trail Distillery
When we started Wilderness Trail Distillery in 2012, choosing the right yeast strain was easy; that’s because my business partner, Shane Baker, and I started off in the distilling industry as suppliers of yeast and fermentation products.
Written by Colin Blake, Director of Spirits Education at Moonshine University; originally published in Artisan Spirit
In 2005, what some deem the “start” of the American craft distilling movement, there were less than 100 active distillers. Today, that number has surpassed 2,000. Over the years, I’ve watched in aw as the movement has grown exponentially, beating the odds time and time again.
Written by Kobe Desmet, Brand Ambassador at Tequila Fortaleza
The world of agave spirits may seem daunting at first— the more you know, the more there is to discover! But don’t worry. If you’re at the beginning of developing your knowledge of this unique style of spirits, the best place to start is with the base itself, the agave.
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