Recent Articles

Nate Randall, founder and distiller at California’s Hinterhaus, describes the happy accident and lessons learned in crafting ACSA’s reigning Innovation Award winner.

It’s holiday party season, but do you really want to be stuck behind that bar? Few things are as festive as a large bottle or pitcher of your chosen cocktail, ready to pour. Here are tips and recipes for preparing that cheer and making it memorable.

The way a distiller makes cuts will help to define the flavor and aroma of their spirit—but it doesn’t have to be complicated.

The world of gin, from the creative and technical side to marketing and sales, is experiencing the same flux that’s affecting the broader craft-spirits world. But Ward—veteran spirits journalist, brand builder, and consultant—offers a broad look at the category, from evolving definitions and flavors to breakthrough marketing.

Successful collaborations need not be limited to alcoholic beverages. Coffee, chocolate, and hot sauce are among the many products with flavors that may be compatible with your spirits—and with customers who appreciate them.

With an eye toward modern craft spirits, top bartenders share their favorite riffs on two classic drinks: the swizzle and the negroni.

In this clip from his video course, master distiller Stephen Julander discusses how whiskey mellows with time, and he enjoys being able to blend from both new-oak and previously used barrels at Santa Fe Spirits.

Some smaller distilleries are tapping into a wide range of botanicals to create gins meant to evoke (and be enjoyed in) the cooler weather.

Fruit can be a valuable addition to packaged, ready-to-drink cocktails, but it takes research and care to produce a safe, shelf-stable product.

The head distiller and blender in Tucson, Arizona, is embracing the scorching desert climate and local flavor—namely, mesquite-smoked malt—to craft distinctive whiskeys while making transparency integral to the brand.

While ABV and proof are the most common methods for measuring spirit strength, they aren’t the only ones. Here’s a look at two alternative methods that you should know.

Fall drinks that deliver to your guests delight (or fright) can be so much more than Halloween gimmickry and red food coloring. Here’s how to elevate them while making use of great craft spirits.

Independent distillers are rowing against a confluence of troubling trends that make it more difficult for them to succeed. Here’s how industry groups are hoping to counter those trends.

Zykan, former master taster for Old Forester, current master blender for Hidden Barn and perfumer for Oduoak, joins host Sydney Jones for a rollicking episode of intentionality and shared experience.

Several factors are converging to undermine the broader beverage-alcohol market, and smaller distilleries are among the most vulnerable.

Lost River Permaculture sells premium handmade vodka and angus beef—and while that may not be the most obvious pairing, it makes perfect sense to Shawn Ward and Lisa Landrie, the couple who started the distillery and farm in Lost River, Saskatchewan.

MPE Gran-U-Lizers™ are cutting-edge precision roller mills designed to deliver consistent and exact particle size reduction, making them ideal for distilleries. Unlike hammermills and roller-compaction mills, Gran-U-Lizers™ offer unmatched accuracy and precision in grinding.

For distillers of any size, the concept of flavor drift can be confusing and worrisome—yet it’s an inevitable part of any product’s life cycle. Here’s what to know about flavor drift and how it can affect your products.

The president of Corning & Company reimagined and reconfigured Sonoma Distilling into a house of brands—some are owned, others are partnerships—but quality and experimentation are still top of mind for this award-winning master distiller.

While agave is native to the Americas and strongly associated with Mexico, the plant can thrive in similar environments around the world. Brands in Africa, India, and Australia are among those that aim to widen the reach of agave spirits with plants grown closer to home.