Podcasts about rtds

The crew sits down and reviews three RTDs. Green River's traditional, and Penelope's Apple Cinnamon and Black Walnut. All three good in their own right, but one seemed to slightly edge the others.  All of them are under 100 proof and provide different qualities most Old Fashioned fans could enjoy. 

Send us Fan MailWe put the Old Fashioned to the test by tasting bottled RTDs, pre-batched bar styles, and homemade builds to see where convenience truly holds up. We dig into history, ingredients, proof, and technique, then land on what we'd actually buy again and what we'd rather fix with our own bitters and syrup. • why the Old Fashioned stays the gold standard cocktail • whether higher proof RTDs taste closer to a true Old Fashioned • bitters that change everything, especially black walnut bitters • sweeteners that work best, from agave to barrel-aged maple syrup • the Yellowstone ready-to-serve pour and how citrus zest shifts balance • Penelope bottled Old Fashioneds and why the black walnut stands out • Prohibition's influence on muddled fruit and soda habits • the Wisconsin Old Fashioned style and the brandy versus bourbon debate • why barrel-aged Old Fashioneds feel more integrated and smooth • glassware and ice choices that improve texture and dilution • how sugar makes Old Fashioneds hit harder than neat whiskey • the bacon fat washed Old Fashioned build and why it works • our final ranking, including why Handy and Schiller holds up best www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things scotchy bourbon boys. Check it out, Glenn Karen's t-shirts, and contact us. Also, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X along with Apple, iHeart, Spotify. Whether you listen to us or watch us, make sure you leave good feedback, become members, do super chats on the podcast, and you know, everything to support us, every single cent that we get goes right back into this. The Old Fashioned looks simple until you start comparing what's in the glass. We line up homemade builds, bottled ready-to-drink Old Fashioneds, and bar-style barrel-aged batches to answer a real question for bourbon fans: is the classic Old Fashioned still king, or have RTD cocktails finally gotten good enough to keep stocked year-round?  CT joins us as our resident mixologist and we get hands-on with what actually changes the drink: proof, dilution, bitters, sweeteners, citrus, cherries, ice, and even the weight of the rocks glass. We taste through popular options and talk straight about what works and what tastes like “every bad bar Old Fashioned,” including how to rescue an orange-heavy pour with lemon zest, or rebalance sweetness by cutting syrup and leaning into rye whiskey or higher proof bourbon.  We also dig into Old Fashioned history, from the 1806 cocktail definition to Prohibition-era muddled fruit, plus the Wisconsin Old Fashioned tradition with soda. Then we go full experiment mode with barrel-aged flavor, smoking tools, and a showstopper: a bacon fat washed Old Fashioned built with black walnut bitters, a touch of chocolate bitters, and barrel-aged maple syrup.  If you love bourbon cocktails, bitters, and practical home bartending tips, you'll want this one. Subscribe, share the episode with a whiskey friend, leave a review, and tell us your go-to Old Fashioned build: classic, Wisconsin-style, or something weird that somehow works?voice over Whiskey Thief If You Have Gohsts Support the showhttps://www.scotchybourbonboys.comThe Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world    https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

The beverage alcohol business is in a curve.That's the phrase Matt Rice, founder and principal of Thirsty Insights, uses to describe the first half of 2026: a volatile, high-stakes moment where consolidation, consumer shifts, distributor disruption, and M&A are changing the race order in real time.In this episode, Matt joins Erica and Scott for a mid-year M&A update on the deals, category shifts, and distributor moves reshaping the drinks industry.We dig into the surge of activity across wine, spirits, RTDs, beer, and non-alc — from Gallo's move to acquire Four Roses, to Molson Coors buying Atomic Brands, to The Wine Group stepping into non-alc cocktails with Saint Agrestis' Phony Negroni line. Matt explains why buyers are still active, but far more disciplined, looking for growth vehicles, scarce assets, synergies, and route-to-market leverage.The conversation also tackles one of the biggest distributor shakeups in years: RNDC's market exits, Reyes' expansion beyond beer into wine and spirits, Martignetti's move into control states, Columbia Distributing's Oregon and Washington opportunity, and Southern Glazer's continued push into beer-aligned assets.For emerging brands, the implications are significant. Matt explains why distributor attention can materially affect performance, why smaller suppliers have to be easier to sell, and why brands now need to show up with tighter market plans, better data, clear target accounts, and a willingness to do the hand-selling themselves.We also explore why independent RTD brands like BeatBox, Surfside, and Carbliss have outpaced many incumbent launches, why “born-in-category” brands often win, and why Matt would put a hypothetical $1 million angel investment into Wine 2.0 — not because wine is winning today, but because he believes the next cycle may reward those building for where the puck is going.For drinks entrepreneurs, this episode is a masterclass in how to think about M&A, distribution, category timing, investor signals, and the strategic discipline required to survive the curve — and come out stronger on the straightaway.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSubscribe to the Business of Drinks channel for more insights on how brands, retailers, and operators are unlocking growth across beverages. And please rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners. Thank you!

It's been a while since someone from the Whiskey Hotline rolled into the podcast studio, arms full of new and interesting things to try. This week we're trying the latest tequilas, bourbons, whiskies, scotches and RTDs. Dos Hombres Tequila Blanco Mijenta Añejo Tequila Symphony Series No. 3 El Mexicano Añejo Tequila Cambridge Distillery Three Seasons Gin Cambridge Distillery Truffle Gin Ben Lomond Scottish Dry Gin WhistlePig 12-Year-Old Rye Shafer Cabernet Cask Finish Yellowstone 8-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon Recollections Bottle Thornton Distilling Company Signature American Single Malt Thornton Distilling Company Prairie Peat American Single Malt Bladnoch 8-Year-Old Lowland Single Malt Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Sweet Peat Handy & Schiller Paper Plane Premixed Cocktail If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.  

Join Donald Snyder, a 20+ year spirit industry leader, as he discusses the many opportunities and challenges that brewers will face when adding spirits to their brewery operations. Adding a spirits program to a brewery is never a one-size fits all. From space constraints to unique state laws, every spirits journey will be different. Donald will walk through the federal licensing steps, TTB monthly reporting requirements, equipment considerations, packaging options, the current spirits sourcing market, a well-rounded spirits portfolio (from cocktails to spirits based RTDs to off-premise bottle sales), and even review an example Profit and Loss Business Model for different spirit types. Revenue diversification for brewers will becoming more and more critical and adding a spirits program could be a great way to bring in new customers.Donald Snyder, distilling industry consultant and previous President/Founder of Whiskey Systems Distillery Management Software, has 20+ years in the alcohol and beverage industry including holding senior management roles at the Buffalo Trace Distillery and MGPI of Indiana (formerly the Seagram's Distillery). Donald now helps distilleries of all sizes with licensing, internal audits and TTB compliance checks, spirit sourcing, aged whiskey barrel brokering, packaging supply chain management, equipment and vendor selection, business valuations, merger & acquisition support, team training and development, software utilization, and many other areas to drive profitability. Donald is now bringing his spirits experience to the brewing world to help brewers unlock potential revenue to help them offer high quality spirits in their taproom to the meet an ever-changing customer palate.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Map It Forward Podcast Advertising. Interested in advertising on this podcast. Email support@mapitforward.org to learn more.Episode DescriptionThis is episode 2 of a 5-part series with Stitch Coffee founder, Nawar Adra, and Map It Forward Founder, Lee Safar. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we're discussing what it takes to expand a coffee business in this economy, and in this episode we focus on one of the hardest parts of growth: deciding what actually deserves more investment.Nawar explains that growth decisions become clearer when operators stop thinking romantically and start reading the business properly. He talks through how Stitch looks at years of P&L history, margin pressure, department-level performance, and real market adoption before deciding where to keep pushing and where to stop.The conversation moves through RTDs, drip bags, steeped coffee, and why some products fail not because they're bad, but because the market infrastructure isn't there yet.Lee and Nawar also discuss why great operators need to study brands outside coffee, how strategy becomes sharper with maturity, and why sequence matters in growth. This is a practical episode about data, product discipline, and getting honest enough to cut what isn't working so you can back what is.Connect with Nawar Adra and Stitch Coffee here:- https://www.instagram.com/stitch.coffee/ - https://stitch.coffee/- https://www.instagram.com/nawar.adra/- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawar-adra-12909516a/If you found this episode valuable, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains.***************************************About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.Website: https://mapitforward.coffeeMailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglistPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/Contact: support@mapitforward.org

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Map It Forward Podcast Advertising. Interested in advertising on this podcast. Email support@mapitforward.org to learn more.Episode DescriptionThis is episode 2 of a 5-part series with Stitch Coffee founder, Nawar Adra, and Map It Forward Founder, Lee Safar. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we're discussing what it takes to expand a coffee business in this economy, and in this episode we focus on one of the hardest parts of growth: deciding what actually deserves more investment.Nawar explains that growth decisions become clearer when operators stop thinking romantically and start reading the business properly. He talks through how Stitch looks at years of P&L history, margin pressure, department-level performance, and real market adoption before deciding where to keep pushing and where to stop.The conversation moves through RTDs, drip bags, steeped coffee, and why some products fail not because they're bad, but because the market infrastructure isn't there yet.Lee and Nawar also discuss why great operators need to study brands outside coffee, how strategy becomes sharper with maturity, and why sequence matters in growth. This is a practical episode about data, product discipline, and getting honest enough to cut what isn't working so you can back what is.Connect with Nawar Adra and Stitch Coffee here:- https://www.instagram.com/stitch.coffee/ - https://stitch.coffee/- https://www.instagram.com/nawar.adra/- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawar-adra-12909516a/If you found this episode valuable, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains.***************************************About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.Website: https://mapitforward.coffeeMailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglistPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/Contact: support@mapitforward.org

This week, we review the pleasantly robust results from global beer companies during the first quarter of 2026. More importantly, we bid adieu to a dear friend and longtime contributor, Francois Sonneville.  For those wanting to thank Francois for years of fantastic industry coverage, please reach out: FSonneville@yahoo.co.uk.  We discuss individual company results at the following timestamps:  Heineken (7:32): Results are stable heading into a leadership transition. AB InBev (15:44): Revenue, volumes, and EBITDA are all well ahead of expectations. RTDs, Michelob, and Busch are filling the gap left by Bud Light.  Constellation Brands (24:20): Business is stabilizing following a tough year in 2025. Royal Unibrew (32:22): Despite strong results from a highly diversified business, the headline was the loss of the PepsiCo business in Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic states, which account for nearly one-sixth of company revenue.   Carlsberg (38:40): Both volume and revenues grew, with strong performance in the UK as the integration of Britvic goes forward. The headline is the switch from Coca-Cola to PepsiCo in Denmark and Finland and taking on the Baltic states from Royal Unibrew.  Molson Coors (48:20): Volume is down, but revenues are flat with improved EBITDA, though costs pressures – aluminum in particular – remain a headache.      Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@Rabobank.com Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up   Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services.   Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast. 

In this episode, we hear from Devon Hamilton, Director of Operations at Paradox Brewery, to break down the evolving world of contract brewing and why more breweries are using strategic production partnerships to grow without overextending themselves. Devon shares practical insights on scaling operations, maintaining beer quality, evaluating expansion decisions, and avoiding common mistakes breweries make when entering contract brewing relationships. The conversation also explores how contract brewing can support growth opportunities, improve operational flexibility, and help breweries navigate tighter margins in today's craft beer environment.Key TakeawaysContract brewing can help breweries grow sales and distribution without taking on major capital investments or expansion risk.Successful partnerships depend on strong onboarding, communication, forecasting, and clear operational expectations.Quality control and recipe consistency become critical when scaling production across facilities.Breweries should carefully evaluate the “build vs outsource” decision based on cash flow, utilization, staffing, and long-term strategy.The future of contract brewing may include growing opportunities in private label products, non-alcoholic beverages, RTDs, and regional production partnerships.ResourcesLearn more about Paradox Brewery's contract brew servicesGet the Brewery Profit Brief - weekly tips and tactics to improve cash flow and profitabilityReady to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies. 

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with the Echo Spirits team to talk about how a Columbus, Ohio distillery builds award-winning rum, creative whiskey blends, and a bar that feels like home. Along the way we dig into sourcing versus grain-to-glass debates, how finishes can rescue tricky barrels, and why community matters more than competition. • Columbus distillery community and why collaboration works • Why Echo starts with rum and how the portfolio evolves • Queen Share rum and the “saved cuts” distillation method • San Francisco World Spirits Competition medals and what they signal • Engineer Series blends as a limited, never-repeated workbench • Picking favourites like Trail Mix and Bavarian Rhapsody • Elusive herbal liqueur built for Chartreuse-style cocktails • Designing a cocktail bar that stays casual and welcoming • Two Cats canned cocktails and how RTDs get made • The costs and risks of fast growth and staying in stock • How barrel selection works and why rejects become new projects • Finishing barrels with beer casks and the amburana learning curve • Bottle Your Own Bourbon tour and hands-on bottling • Echo Spirits On The Vine seasonal location and Ohio events echo spirits.com follow us on Instagram Facebook as Echo Spirits also the bar at Echo Spirits on both of those platforms Echo Spirits on the Vine is our location up in Liberty Township Powell area that's also the social media for them Echo Spirits on the Vine Something interesting is happening in Columbus, Ohio: craft distilleries are getting better, bolder, and more connected, and Echo Spirits is right in the middle of it. We talk with the Echo team and our Cleveland rep Matt Lysen about what it really takes to build a modern distillery brand when you're small, bootstrapped, and trying to “bat above your weight” without losing what makes you special.We get deep into rum and whiskey making, including Echo's Queen Share rum, a flavor-packed, barrel-aged release built with a traditional “queen share” process and proven on a huge stage with medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Then we pivot to bourbon blending with the Engineer Series, Echo's limited, never-repeated blends that treat barrels like ingredients in a chef's kitchen. We also unpack what sourcing means today, why transparency matters, and why “what's in the glass” still wins when the pricing is fair.There's plenty of real-world talk too: how a cocktail bar can feel like a neighborhood hangout while still serving upscale drinks, how the bar team created Elusive to solve a Chartreuse shortage problem, and why canned cocktails like Two Cats help reach new drinkers. If you're planning a Columbus distillery trip, we cover Echo's Bottle Your Own Bourbon experience and their seasonal Echo Spirits On The Vine spot for live music, outdoor pours, and summer energy.If you like honest industry talk, award-winning spirits, and practical behind-the-scenes detail, listen through and share it with a friend who loves bourbon, rum, or great cocktails. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: do you care who distilled it, or only how it tastes? Add for SOFL If You Have GohstsSupport the showhttps://www.scotchybourbonboys.comThe Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world    https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

In today's competitive market, simply producing high-quality beer is often no longer enough to secure sustained growth. Many forward-thinking breweries are strategically diversifying their product portfolios, expanding into high-growth categories such as hard cider, spirits, wine, RTDs, can cannabevs.While this expansion opens up exciting new revenue streams, it simultaneously introduces a new set of operational, financial, and regulatory challenges. The question for many producers is: where do we even begin?Industry experts Alex and Aaron with lead a discussion focused on demystifying the diversification process and will guide attendees through the critical considerations required when integrating an entirely new product line into an established brewery operation.The session with specifically focus on how production software, like Ollie and Ekos, can act as the cornerstone for a successful transition. We'll focus on key areas such as streamlining procurement for new ingredients and packaging, adapting the production process, ensuring financial accuracy, and managing sales efficiency.Don't let complexity slow your growth. Learn how to successfully expand your portfolio while maintaining efficiency and compliance.Alex was born & raised in North Carolina. He is an alumni of Grimsley High School and UNC-Wilmington, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a former swimmer and grilling enthusiast. His first craft beer was Natty Green's Freedom IPA, and North Carolina beer holds a special place in his heart. Alex has spent 9 years with Next Glass, and currently is a Solutions Consultant supporting the Producer Solutions team. While coming from outside of industry initially, Alex brings valuable experience after thousands of conversations with brewery owners around the world.Aaron Keefner is happily approaching his 14th year in the craft beer industry, having started out in marketing with Goose Island in early 2012. He eventually moved to an operations role in wholesale support in order to gain experience on both the production/operations side, as well as the knowledge already obtained via marketing/sales. After 5.5 years he found himself at Revolution Brewing running their specialty beer program, including their celebrated Deep Wood barrel-aged program, as well as spearheading the rollout of their small batch program. In 2019 he assumed the role of Executive Director of Brewery Operations with More Brewing Company helping them expand and open their production facility in Huntley, IL and planning of a 3rd facility in Bartlett, IL. With his leadership, More was able to weather the storm of the pandemic and grow 600% in a span of just under 3 years. At the end of 2022, Aaron assumed his current role as a Solutions Consultant with Next Glass, serving as a product expert on Ollie & Ekos, ERP/CRM softwares for beverage production.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

For the second year running, PricePlow took the main stage at SupplySide Connect New Jersey with a live panel podcast. Episode #213 of the PricePlow Podcast brings you that roundtable in full, recorded live in 2026 with three of the most plugged-in editorial voices in the supplement and functional food space: Cassie Smith (Senior Director of Editorial Content, SupplySide), Heather Carter (Associate Editor, SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal), and Devon Gholam (Editor, SupplySide Supplement Journal and food scientist), while Ben hosts from the PricePlow side. The agenda they agreed on: protein, peptides, and fiber. From there, the conversation branches into GLP-1’s downstream effects on the dairy supply chain, the creatine stability arms race in RTDs and gummies, a debate on Mandatory Product Listing vs. DSHEA 2.0, delivery forms on the edge of legality, and frank takes on CBD, THC beverages, and where functional mushrooms are heading. If you caught Episode #164 from SupplySide Connect NJ 2025, this is the 2026 follow-up. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/supplyside-connect-nj-213 Video: Hot Takes & Fresh Finds – The Live Industry Breakdown at SupplySide Connect NJ 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCjUOg5Y8d4 Detailed Show Notes: Cassie Smith, Heather Carter & Devon Gholam at SupplySide Connect NJ 2026 (0:00) – Introductions and Live Show Setup (2:30) – Protein Is Everywhere (7:30) – Protein Science: Isolates, Hydrolysates, and Alternatives (14:00) – GLP-1’s Ripple Effect on Dairy and the Supply Chain (17:30) – Peptides: Two Very Different Conversations (22:30) – GLP-1 Support and the Post-Discontinuation Window (34:15) – Fiber Maxing: Beyond Digestive Health (42:30) – Take It, Try It, Trash It: Industry Hot Takes (47:00) – Mandatory Product Listing vs. DSHEA 2.0 (53:45) – Creatine in Beverages, Gummies, and the Stability Race (58:15) – CBD, THC, Functional Mushrooms, and Industry Scope (1:04:00) – Closing Remarks Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with the Panel Cassie Smith on LinkedIn – Senior Director of Editorial Content, SupplySide Heather Carter on LinkedIn – Associate Editor, SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal Devon Gholam on LinkedIn – Editor, SupplySide Supplement Journal Ben Kane on LinkedIn – PricePlow SupplySide / Informa Markets SupplySide Network SupplySide Connect New Jersey SupplySide on LinkedIn SupplySide Supplement Journal Informa Markets on PricePlow Previous Episodes … Read more on the PricePlow Blog

Today the gang speaks with Adam Kroener, CEO and co-founder of Carbliss, the fast-growing and expanding Wisconsin-based brand of spirit-based RTDs. =================================Our 3 Daily Bev-Alc Trade Publications: https://beernet.com/Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeerNetRadio/videosPodcast feeds - Audio: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/beernetradio=================================About Us:Beer Business Daily / Wine & Spirits Daily publisher Harry Schuhmacher joins his editors and bev-alc industry guests once a week as they grok the beer and beverage business issues of the day. Like and subscribe; it's free.-Our Three Daily Bev-Alc Trade Publications: https://beernet.com/-Twitter: @beerbizdaily#beernews #beerindustry #beer #beerbusiness

Open a whiskey magazine, newspaper, or check out your social media feed and you're sure to hear plenty of doom and gloom around the current whiskey market. There seem to be demons hiding in the bushes everywhere. Scapegoats include over-supply, over-confidence, speculation, poor management, inflation, capital constraints, tariffs, changing tastes like shifts to RTDs, hemp drinks, a rise in tequila popularity, or the younger generations seeming disinterested in drinking alcohol. And these are just the most popular. I've heard it over and over, we're heading for another whiskey depression (comparing this time to the 80s and 90s when whiskey fell out of favor). For some, it is just a matter of time, after all, history repeats, doesn't it? Join me as we take a look back on the trials and tribulations of the 20th century post-Prohibition whiskey industry, to see if there are any clues as to where our current industry is heading. WHISKEY STORIES ARE BACK! Cheers and slainte mhath, Drew

What does it actually take to build a non-alcoholic spirit that the bar world respects?In this episode of Business of Drinks, Chris Abbott, co-founder of The Pathfinder, walks us through how the NA brand scaled to more than 20,000 nine-liter cases in 2025 — up over 80% year-over-year — by doing something many emerging brands skip: Earning credibility on-premise first.From Day One, The Pathfinder wasn't positioned around what it doesn't have. Instead, the team spent two years developing a fermented and distilled hemp-seed base, layered with 20 botanicals, so bartenders could treat it like a real spirit. Their key insight? If you want back-bar respect, build like a spirits brand — not a wellness brand.Chris shares why they went after the hardest accounts first — bars you can't buy your way into — and how landing 50 to 100 serious on-premise placements before leaning on distributors changed the entire conversation. As he observes, case studies are helpful, but visible traction in elite accounts is what turns heads inside distribution (and for consumer brand awareness).He's also transparent about what really motivates distributor partners. It's not just growth charts. It's whether reps believe they can make money selling the brand. Once that clicks, velocity follows.We talk about the unexpected upside of scarcity (including an early COVID-era stockout that created outsized buzz), why the company resisted the typical CPG urge to launch multiple SKUs too early, and how RTDs were introduced later as a smart trial and versatility play — not as a distraction from the core bottle.Retail expansion through Total Wine and Whole Foods became another proof point. When Pathfinder started selling in markets where the founders weren't personally hand-selling or training staff, that's when they knew product-market fit had moved beyond the echo chamber.At its core, this is a conversation about disciplined growth. Chris returns again and again to fundamentals: Unit economics, profitable scaling, and earning the right to expand into new states and new channels.If you're building in non-alc, spirits, THC, functional, or any emerging drinks category where credibility with the trade matters, this episode offers a replicable blueprint for how to do it — and how to scale without losing focus.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Send a textA fresh studio, a new season, and the most pressing question in Australian wine: how do we move a region built on volume toward a future built on value? We open with Riverland's reality—cheap grapes, heavy irrigation, and a glut of ageing red—and ask whether protecting old vines and dialing back yields can spark a quality reset. Brendan Carter's deep dive provides a hopeful blueprint, but we weigh the hard limits: rainfall differences, trellis vs bush vines, and the sheer scale that makes a Swartland‑style pivot harder here.From there, we break down a $139m industry plan that puts dignity at the centre. Think concessional loans for growers to exit or replant, water leasing to manage transitions, safe removal of unsaleable stock, and a mandatory code of conduct to ensure minimum sustainable prices and fairer payment terms. It's not just policy talk; it's a roadmap to share risk more evenly so growers aren't left carrying the cash flow burden while the market resets at home and abroad.We also tackle the Gen Z question without the hand‑wringing. Wellness trends, tight budgets, and an explosion of formats—from no‑alc beer to smart RTDs—reshape habits, while most drinkers still want simple cues over flowery notes: when to open, how cold to serve, what to eat with it. Sustainability could bridge the gap. Two new grants push low‑emission packaging, including aluminium and flat recyclable PET that slash freight emissions and warehouse space without sacrificing weeknight quality. And for a dash of fun, we toast blœge—a bright red‑white blend that's chillable, perfumed, and category‑breaking—plus a viral luxury bottle cameo reminding us that wine is story as much as substance.If you care about Australian wine's next chapter—from fair grower payments to climate‑smart bottles and fresher styles that meet how we actually drink—this one's for you. Subscribe, share with a wine‑curious friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What change would you prioritise first?Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

This weeks guest is Paul Lachowich - Director of Operations & Head Distiller, Elora Distilling Company. As the first employee hired by Elora Distilling Company, Paul has been instrumental in shaping the company's operations and product offerings.  Paul's career highlights include the following:  Head Distiller:  Recipient of 2 Gold Medals and 2 Silver Medals at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Awards ; Designed and launched a diverse product line, including over 40 products such as gin, liqueurs, RTDs, rum, vodka, and whisky Beer, Brewing, and RTD Blending: Brewed beer and blended ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, combining technical expertise with creativity. Served as a beer judge for the Canadian and Ontario Brewing Awards, showcasing deep industry knowledge. Hospitality: Developed and curated the tap list at Birreria Volo, a premier Toronto craft beer destination. Paul's extensive hospitality background provides a unique understanding of consumer  preferences and market trends, enabling him to craft products that resonate with customers while demonstrating a mastery of distillation. This combination makes him a key figure in Canada's growing craft spirits landscape. @plachowich @eloradistillingco eloradistillingcompany.com A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

Have you ever wondered how all these brands get into a bottle without owning a multi-million dollar distillery? We've talked about sourcing before but that's just one part of the puzzle. In this episode, we're going to talk about that second step, co-packing. We're joined by Jeff Wuslich, he's the President of Cardinal Spirits and Cardinal Copacking, to break down what it takes to actually manufacture booze at scale. Jeff has a background in manufacturing and slowly became a cornerstone of the Indiana craft scene. Jeff also has their own brands they use to showcase their abilities and have relationships with powerhouses like MGP. One thing that interested me was RTDs and the explosion of the canned cocktail movement, but as Jeff will talk about there are some massive compliance headaches that come with them. If you've ever thought about starting your own label or just want to know how the industry actually moves behind the scenss, this one side you need to understand.. Show Notes: The journey of launching a spirits brand in Indiana Understanding the co-packing process and client communications The relationship with MGP and its effects on business Emerging trends in the spirits industry, including ready-to-drink options Compliance issues and industry regulations in co-packing Financial insights and pricing dynamics in co-packing Tips for aspiring distillers navigating the co-packing landscape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about Soju: can the Korean spirit capitalize on the popularity of KPop (Demon Hunters or otherwise), Korean cuisine, and the like? Does the future for the spirit in America lie in traditional methods of consumption, or as the base for flavored RTDs and the like. Also: do most Americans even know what lychee tastes like? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Join us for a live podcast recording at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, California on Wednesday, January 28, 2026Zach is drinking: DeLille Cellars "Red Willow" BlendJoanna is drinking: Matchbook Distilling Co. "Shady Lady" Rum DaiquiriAdam is drinking: Freezer Door MartiniInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of 2025 marks the end of an era. Our dear friend and cohost Jim Watson returns for one last episode. We celebrate 10 years of ingenious, unparalleled drinks industry coverage with a very special episode, discussing the biggest story from each year of the past decade. And if you've appreciated Jim's work over 125+ episodes of this show, you should thank him directly at: JCWatson334@gmail.com. Tune in to learn something and remember some pivotal beverage industry moments as we break down: 2016:  The Anheuser-Busch acquisition of SABMiller 2017:  Marijuana legalization in Canada and the US 2018:  The Keurig Dr Pepper merger and the broader category blurring in soft drinks 2019:  The year hard seltzers and RTDs took craft beer's momentum 2020:  Ugh… nothing in particular        2021:  The year of revenge spending and crazy valuations 2022:  The year inflation took over the world 2023:  The fallout from the anti-trans backlash against Bud Light 2024:  The year of plummeting valuations and the wine and spirits industry starting to panic 2025:  Trump Tariffs and RNDC pulling out of California   Want to sign up for our written research? Have a question, qualm, or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@Rabobank.com Check out the rest of our written research: Rabobank.com/knowledge Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services. Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast. 

Ben welcomes back Shehan Da Silva of Lost Craft Brewery to talk about the evolution of his brewery from a contract operation to one with two tap rooms, RTDs, spirits, and more. They dive into the LCBO system, fostering a sense of community around your business, and trying to ignore Reddit. 

In this episode of the ABB Solutions Podcast, host Mike Murphy continues the discussion with Abel Cavazos and Wayne Paschal from ABB's High Power Division. This second installment focuses on how environmental conditions, enclosure selection, and proper monitoring can significantly impact motor life and reliability, especially in high-power and high-criticality applications. Tune in to hear insights on:Motor Enclosure Selection: How WP2, TFC, TX, and TWAC designs differ, when each is appropriate, and how contamination, cooling efficiency, and horsepower size influence enclosure choice.Environmental and Cooling Considerations: Why airborne contaminants, restricted airflow, dirty cooling tubes, and clogged filters can lead to overheating, and which enclosure types help mitigate these issues.Maintenance Practices: Practical steps facilities can take to maintain high-power motors, including differential pressure monitoring, tube cleaning, fin maintenance, and planning for long turnarounds.Monitoring for Reliability: How stator RTDs, bearing RTDs, vibration checks, and temperature delta tracking help plants shift from reactive to predictive maintenance.Criticality and Feature Selection: How CR1 through CR4 ratings influence the level of monitoring required, and why adding diagnostic features helps reduce unplanned downtime.PCIC Presentation Insights: Background on the paper titled The Cost of Specifications Reducing Motor Features Based on Process Criticality Without Sacrificing Reliability, how it ties into API 541, API 547, and IEEE 841, and why it sparked new thinking around criticality at PCIC.References:Transforming industry with energy-efficient motors and reliable power generators: https://new.abb.com/motors-generators

Madre Mezcal has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the agave spirits space — and it's done it without the deep pockets of a corporate parent. Co-founder and CEO Chris Stephenson joins Business of Drinks to unpack how an indie brand captured 11% U.S. market share in a category dominated by global strategic-backed brands like Del Maguey, Ilegal, and 400 Conejos.Before founding Madre, Stephenson spent nearly 30 years shaping culture at MTV, Xbox, and SFX Entertainment. That experience laid the foundation for a different kind of drinks company — one built from the ground up through community, creativity, and culture.In this episode, Chris shares how Madre:

Beer volumes are down, dollars are soft, and the usual playbook isn't working.We brought back Lester Jones, chief economist at the National Beer Wholesalers Association, to cut through the noise with data, plain talk, and a clear plan for getting back to growth. Lester breaks down what's structural—demographics, consumption occasions, and channel mix—and what's cyclical—slower hiring, fewer hours worked, and sticky inflation—and shows how those forces collide to shape beer demand in 2025.We unpack the Beer Purchasers' Index and why distributor sentiment remains cautious, then dig into category dynamics where cider and FMBs stabilize, below-premium holds steady, and draft shows surprising resilience as on-premise accounts multiply. Lester argues the rubber band of pricing elasticity finally snapped: years of CPI-tracking increases met a year with little price and falling volume. The fix isn't blind discounting; it's surgical price investment, smarter pack-price architecture, and a return to safety and velocity on shelves. We also reframe on-premise: consumers want to socialize away from home, but aggressive pricing suppresses rounds. The antidote is occasion-first programming—happy hour value, low- and no-alcohol that extends the visit, and draft that delivers ritual, freshness, and better margins.Demographics get a rethink too. Instead of shouting at Gen Z, empower the 60-plus cohort—the wealthiest, most social audience—and design life-stage occasions that everyone wants to join. On competition, we sort through RTDs, seltzers, and hemp beverages, noting where shelves will rationalize and where beer's strengths—lagers with place cues, approachable ABV, and draft experiences—can win. We also address policy turbulence around tariffs and taxes, urging unified advocacy while businesses adapt sourcing and operations to protect margins.If you care about winning the next quarter without losing the next year, this conversation delivers a grounded strategy: price with purpose, simplify to velocity, program the on-premise, and market to moments that bring people together. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with one action you're taking this week to move the needle.And don't forget to sign up for the beer business finance newsletter - financial intel delivered weekly straight to your inbox.Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Lemon Perfect is one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in America — a zero-sugar, organic lemon water that's redefining what “better-for-you” can mean. Since launch, the company has sold more than 150 million bottles, is pacing for $100 million in retail sales this year, and projects $160 million in 2026.In this episode, Lemon Perfect Founder and Executive Chairman Yanni Hufnagel shares how he turned a simple ritual — morning lemon water — into a national phenomenon, and what it's taken to scale in one of the most competitive categories in beverage. TL;DR it wasn't easy! He talks about the moments that tested Lemon Perfect's survival, the pivots that unlocked scale, and the mindset that turned a near-failure into a $100 million success story.We discuss:

Send us a textThe RTD category has already experienced massive momentum, yet there's still significant room for growth as new brands and products continue entering the market. Gen Z is driving much of this expansion—but what does their enthusiasm for RTDs reveal about this generation's values, purchasing habits, and consumption behaviors? On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, host Emmett Strack sits down with Ruby Honerkamp and Rob Minucci, Co-Founders of Talkhouse Encore, a spirits-based canned seltzer rooted in the legacy of Stephen Talkhouse, the iconic Long Island music venue. What started as a way to extend a family's 50-year entertainment legacy during the pandemic has evolved into a brand achieving over 101% year-over-year sales growth—without the massive marketing budgets of their larger competitors.Honerkamp and Minucci share exclusive findings from their Gen Z research, revealing unexpected insights about how this generation discovers, purchases, and consumes alcohol. They also break down how brands can leverage alternative distribution strategies to achieve sustainable growth. Featured Guests:Ruby Honerkamp, Co-Founder, Talkhouse EncoreRobert Minucci, Co-Founder, Talkhouse EncoreMentioned in this episode:Talkhouse EncoreWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Fill out the form below: https://share.hsforms.com/1MEb-81x2TXi3f15qO_yEpA4tip1Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

Tip Top Proper Cocktails is rewriting the rules of RTDs. In just a few years, the brand has gone from a scrappy airline partnership to a Top 30 RTD brand in Nielsen — and #1 in the high-proof RTD segment, outpacing competitors with 72% year-over-year growth. The brand also hit a new sales benchmark, surpassing $10 million in revenue in the last 12 months.In this episode, Tip Top CEO Nick Reely shares how the company has scaled while staying disciplined about strategy — and why the fundamentals of growth still matter, even in one of the most dynamic beverage categories.Why listen? Get the inside scoop on:The growth drivers behind Tip Top's rise — and why distribution alone isn't enough.How to pick the right distributors — ones with a growth mentality and a willingness to give your brand real share of voice.Channel strategy that works — from grocery and liquor to airlines and hotels.Why earned media beats paid campaigns — and how innovation and bartender collaborations create “talk value.”Key brand health metrics every entrepreneur should track, including velocity, rebuy rate, and retailer satisfaction.This conversation is a playbook for any founder or operator looking to break through in RTDs — or any crowded drinks category.Last Call: Fundraising before you hit $1M in sales? It's one of the toughest hurdles for drinks founders. We break down the real options for brands too small for venture capital, from friends and family to grants and angels (yes, they're still active). And more!Don't miss our next episode, dropping on September 3.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinksIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

To run a bar without the vision for Gen Z would be to develop a menu blindly. They spend less than Millennials did, yet spend when they do buy. They consult their phone on TikTok rather than Google. And when their discretionary spend comes in at $450 billion, they're quickly becoming the generation that makes or breaks your bar. That's why forward-thinking bar owners are listening. Gen Z isn't just another clientele group, they're redefining the economics, culture, and brand of nightlife. Learn what makes Gen Z tick, and discover how to create an experience that draws them in, wins their trust, and brings them back. 

In this episode of Distilling the West, Dan is away on vacation, so Dave takes the reins for a one-on-one conversation with Dave Schleef, co-founder of 503 Distilling out of Oregon.Known for their creativity and bold flavors, 503 has carved out a space in the world of RTDs (Ready-to-Drink cocktails)—and Dave and Dave waste no time diving in. Together, they taste through several of 503's lineup, exploring the inspiration, craft, and unique flavor profiles that make these canned cocktails stand out.From the stories behind the recipes to the innovation happening at 503, this episode is full of insight, flavor, and a fresh perspective on how RTDs are shaping the spirits world.

Thinking about launching a cream-based or emulsified alcoholic beverage? This sponsored episode is a must-listen.We're joined by Matthew Benny, Chief Commercial Officer – The Americas, at Creamy Creation, a global leader in developing award-winning cream liqueurs and emulsified alcoholic drinks since 1979. From bourbon creams to plant-based oat liqueurs to cream-based RTDs, Creamy Creation is at the forefront of innovation in this highly technical and specialized category.In this conversation, Matthew pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to create and scale a cream-based product — and why the category is brimming with opportunity for innovative brands. You'll hear how consumer trends like indulgence and nostalgia are driving demand, and how forward-thinking companies are pushing flavor boundaries far beyond the traditional bourbon, chocolate, and coffee flavor profiles.We also dig into the technical hurdles that can derail an emulsified beverage launch — and how the right development partner can help you sidestep them. Matthew explains:The biggest mistakes founders make when bringing a cream-based beverage to market — and how to market these products so they actually move off the shelf.How Creamy Creation works with clients of all sizes, from entrepreneurs with only a concept to multinationals with fully specced briefs.How to avoid costly bottlenecks in retort processing for low-ABV cream products, and alternatives that open the door to more flexible production.Why cream-based drinks don't just sell in the winter, aren't just for female consumers, and don't actually need to be refrigerated.If you're curious about adding a cream liqueur to your portfolio, exploring plant-based indulgence, or looking for ways to stand out in a traditional category, this episode is packed with insights to shorten your learning curve and boost your chances of success.Don't miss our next episode, dropping on August 20.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinksIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Canned cocktails are everywhere now: on shelves, in coolers, and in your buddy's hand at the pool. But are they actually good... or just the new hard seltzer scam? In this episode, Matt, Jason, and Drew run through a lineup of ready-to-drink cocktails and decide once and for all: is it convenience, or is it crap?We taste test Long Drink, On the Rocks, Atomic Boss, and more while breaking down why RTDs are blowing up, who they're really for, and which ones you should avoid at all costs. Brutal honesty, questionable palates, and a little too much fun.#rtdcocktails #cannedcocktails #arsenicculturehttps://www.youtube.com/@arsenicculturehttps://instagram.com/arsenicculturehttps://tiktok.com/@arsenicculturehttps://www.facebook.com/arsenicculture/https://x.com/arsenicculture

In this episode of the Appalachian Brewing Company Podcast, hosts Artie Tafoya and Mike Parker are joined by Artie's good friend, Tom Kalfas, for a lively chat about all things ABC. The trio dives into the world of ABC's craft beers, Trinity Flavors' ready-to-drink cocktails, and Appalachian Spirits, sharing stories behind their favorite brews and innovative RTDs. From the bold flavors of Trinity's Transfusion to the refreshing Ve Skale Czech Pils, they explore the craftsmanship that defines ABC. Plus, Tom brings his travel experiences into the mix, sparking a fun conversation about adventures near and far.    

There are doubts that high-strength beers are causing as much harm as critics say. The products are sold as singles in supermarkets and liquor stores and are stronger than RTDs, ranging from seven to 16 percent. 'Communities Against Alcohol Harm' has been raising the issue at a number of public hearings - calling for a ban. But Brewers Association Executive Director Dylan Firth says a blanket ban would be an overreach. He says, if there are specific problems, they can be imposed on the licenses of each product. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener query about the fact that the best-selling RTDs do not include well-known spirits brands, and why the RTDs that do have largely struggled to find an audience. Is it a price issue? Do the marketing teams with those brands not know what do to with an RTD? Or is it just that there aren't enough use cases to make the drinks work. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Zach is drinking: Hot Yonder Summer from Yonder CiderJoanna is drinking: Château Minuty Rose et OrAdam is drinking: Shaken Gin MartinisInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with one of modern bartending's most influential voices Jeffrey Morgenthaler. Known for his no-nonsense approach to cocktails, pioneering work at Clyde Common, and the bestselling Bar Book, Jeff shares practical insights from 30 years behind the stick.Together, they dive into what's changed in the bar world, what hasn't, and why sometimes the most successful drinks are the simplest. From how to make a better Amaretto Sour, to why great bars can thrive outside major cities, this conversation is full of sharp, honest, and empowering takeaways for bartenders and bar owners alike.

This week the gang welcomes back Chris Steffanci, CEO of Pac Norwest powerhouse Columbia Distributing, as we discuss their recent B-F acquisition in Wash and Oregon, the changes in the beer vs wine & spirits distribution dynamic -- and how the nexus of RTDs changed everything, and more. =================================Our 3 Daily Bev-Alc Trade Publications: https://beernet.com/Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeerNetRadio/videosPodcast feeds - Audio: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/beernetradio=================================About Us:Beer Business Daily / Wine & Spirits Daily publisher Harry Schuhmacher joins his editors and bev-alc industry guests once a week as they grok the beer and beverage business issues of the day. Like and subscribe; it's free.-Our Three Daily Bev-Alc Trade Publications: https://beernet.com/-Twitter: @beerbizdaily#beernews #beerindustry #beer #beerbusiness

What does it take to build a breakout non-alcoholic beverage brand in today's ultra-competitive drinks market? For George Youmans, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Hiyo, it starts with a crystal-clear brand promise: a stress-relieving, mood-boosting sensation they call “the float.”In just three years, Hiyo has grown into a category leader, selling over 500,000 cases annually, with +212% year-over-year retail sales growth — making it the #1 contributor to growth in the functional-other beverage category, according to SPINS. With its USDA Organic formulation, a national rollout in 946 Target stores, and a recent minority investment from Constellation Brands, Hiyo is cementing its place as a top player in the fast-rising functional non-alc space.In this episode, George shares:How Hiyo went from a bootstrapped pandemic idea to tripling retail revenue last yearThe role of e-commerce in Hiyo's early success, including a 10X sales leap in year two and 3X in year threeWhy the “floaty feeling” — not just functional ingredients — became the emotional core of the brandHow the team leverages its 500K+ DTC customer base to drive velocity at retail with targeted geo campaignsWhy Hiyo prioritizes rate of sale over door count, aiming for sustainable growth over splashy expansionHow packaging design — based on Californian sunset palettes — became a brand differentiatorThe importance of staying operationally lean while growing fast — and what George learned from early forecasting mistakesHow event partnerships with EDC, HARD Summer, and Breakaway Music Festival support liquid-to-lips trial with over 300,000 festivalgoersWhy George believes Hiyo can be for hard seltzers and RTDs what Athletic Brewing is for beerLast Call: On Last Call, we dive into a new per-capita wine consumption map from Visual Capitalist and the NIAAA — and what it reveals about:Why wine consumption is lowest in the Midwest and SouthHow D.C. became the nation's most wine-loving "state"The surprising disconnect between income, control states, and wine salesWhy tasting room visitation may be dropping in California — but rising in states like Michigan and VirginiaDon't miss our next episode, dropping on June 4.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinksIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Summertime: when trends are born from the most unexpected places. Every summer, we at Barrel to Bottle are surprised by the hot sellers in beer, wine, spirits, RTDs, hard seltzers, hard teas…the list goes on. This week we're sampling what we think might be hot this summer.  Owl's Brew Hard Teal Seltzer Hopewell Sharp Japanese-Style Dry Lager Off Color Beer for Hell Firestone Walker Wandering Don collaboration with Odell Brewing Co. Hand on Heart Non-Alcoholic Rosé Kutjevo Grasevina High Quality Slavonia 2023 Bodegas Godeval Godello 2022 Domaines des Carlines Poulsard Cotes du Jura 2022 Nectar Hard Juice Variety 12 pack Dillon's Variety Gin Cocktail On the Rocks Sparkling Lime Margarita If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.

Hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter, connecting remotely from Colorado and Kentucky respectively, discuss recent happenings in the bourbon world and taste a couple of whiskies. Jim is in Colorado Springs for a Derby party, having flown out of Louisville on Derby Day. He mentions winning an exacta on the Derby race. He is sipping on Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select 90.4 proof, the annual Derby bottle, describing it as a traditional Woodford. He notes that at the Derby party, they were making mint juleps with Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, and while not his favorite drink, he partook. He even helped make the simple syrup. Todd is drinking Penelope Architect, the third in their series. It's a straight bourbon whiskey sourced from MGP, finished in French oak staves, bottled at 104 proof, and retails around $65. Todd finds it nice, noting the MGP cherry character and a "funky oak" from the French staves. They discuss Lost Lantern's new monthly subscription service, which recently launched after they had previously speculated about something similar. The service costs $90 a month plus shipping for a different bottle each month, special sign-up bottles, behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive events, virtual tastings, and early access to new releases. News from Buffalo Trace includes an announcement that they are adding an EH Taylor bottled-in-bond to the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC). They speculate it will be a well-aged version and note that some EH Taylor bottles already fetch prices similar to BTAC on the secondary market. They express hope that these will be findable, perhaps requiring waiting in line as in past years. Other news includes the release of the new Wild Turkey 8-year 101, which is starting to hit shelves at an MSRP of $49. They note that 8 years is the minimum age, and it could contain older stock. They are looking forward to reviewing it and comparing it to the 70th-anniversary release. Whiskey Thief has released their 2025 Mayday Rye, a 7-year-old, 146 proof (hazmat) rye. It's available at their distillery in Frankfort and their new tasting room in Louisville, and they are now shipping to some states. The hosts praise Whiskey Thief's ryes. Jim mentions an upcoming interview and tour at Law's Whiskey House in Denver during his Colorado trip. He notes Law's has established itself as a pioneer in Colorado whiskey, particularly with their bottled-in-bond and American single malts. Jim's second pour is the 291 Colorado Rye Whiskey finished in Aspen wood staves and maple syrup barrels, the "M" release, at 122 proof. He finds it has a great maple sweetness and notes that 291 whiskies are generally easy to identify due to their unique profile. He mentions his son recently volunteered bottling and labeling at 291, noting things are going well for the distillery. Todd's second pour is Pikesville Straight Rye from Heaven Hill, 110 proof and 6 years old, retailing around $50. He considers it a classic and a great value rye. He recalls being introduced to it during an interview with Bernie Lubbers at the Evan Williams Experience. They briefly discuss the Heaven Hill rye mashbill used for Rittenhouse and Elijah Craig Ryes, noting different proofs and ages. They talk about recent trends, including the rise of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, which are exploding in popularity, especially with younger consumers. They mention that the largest distillery in the US is now producing White Claw. While neither host is personally a big fan of seltzers or most RTDs, they acknowledge the market demand and hope bourbon is well-represented in this category. They also discuss the growing trend of THC-infused beverages, noting that hemp-derived THC under 0.3% by weight is federally legal. They express confusion about the health claims and draw parallels to the initial marketing of vaping as a safe alternative to cigarettes. They mention a recent barrel pick they did at James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington for Bourbon on the Banks. They tasted three barrels and selected a bourbon, choosing one they felt would appeal more broadly, although they personally favored another with a great nose (vanilla icing, cake batter). They highlight the historical tour at James E. Pepper, discussing the distillery's long history and the role of James E. Pepper's wife. They note they also tried an excellent rye there aged 7-8 years. They discuss the recent move of RD1 Spirits to a new location and Macaulay Minton's Dark Arts moving into the old RD1 space, noting Macaulay's unique tastes and the interesting decor. They mention Sarah Algrim joining Macaulay. Beau Cumberland's Frankfurt Bourbon documentary is highlighted, with an upcoming screening on Friday, June 13th at The Foundry in Frankfurt, kicking off Bourbon Week. The screening is donation-based, with proceeds going to Frankfurt flood victims. Todd is the narrator for the documentary and receives praise from Jim for his narration skills. They hope to make the documentary more widely available in the future. Jim mentions researching a historical Shannon distillery in Shelbyville from the early 1800s. They recommend Beau Cumberland's YouTube page for short interviews and mini-docs on American spirits. Jim concludes by noting the pleasant "chest hug" from the 291 rye and acknowledging the late hour for Todd. Todd mentions a busy day with his son's soccer game. They wrap up the episode, encouraging listeners to find The Bourbon Road on social media and subscribe to the podcast. Bourbon on the Banks 2025 Smokeys Lifestyle Cigars The Hill House Bed and Breakfast  Be sure to check out our private Facebook group, "The Bourbon Roadies" for a great group of bourbon loving people. You will be welcomed with open arms!

In this episode, we talk industry trends and data with David Jackson, Chief Operating Officer for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association. Also known as NABCA, this is the official organization representing the 18 states and jurisdictions that operate with a government control model. Major topics include the continued rise of RTDs and THC drinks, which categories are in decline, and whether the alcohol industry is currently in a correction or something deeper and more worrisome.

Is the world ready for a Southside RTD? How are you gonna handle the minty flavor? What the hell is a southside supposed to taste like anyway? These were all questions Meredith Mills-Merritt wrestled with when she found the Original Southside. Based on her mother's famous cocktail recipe from Oklahoma, Meredith worked in secret to perfect the recipe before launching last year. She discusses the R&D process of getting the gin, mint and citrus just right, the thought process behind her small business model, and the graphic design that gave the world Southside's beloved mascot Squeeze.Plus, Bar Convent Brooklyn is fast approaching and so is The Speakeasy's 600th episode! Tickets are on sale now (and Patreon Regulars get in for free), so get yours now to see which bona fide celebrity guest is gonna be there for this landmark show. Book early to avoid disappointment!Follow Meredith at @meredithleahmerrittFollow the Original Southside at @drinksouthsidesThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we're talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy_PodcastLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, drink recipes from all our guests, and free kits every month from our friends at Shaker & Spoon. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.Get your hands on some Buddha's Hand Bitters at kingfloyds.comDon't forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 

In just five years, The Finnish Long Drink has grown from a quirky imported concept to one of the fastest-scaling RTD brands in the U.S.—crossing 2.7 million 9L cases in 2024, up from just 33,000 cases in 2019.In this episode, Evan Burns, co-founder and CEO, shares the story of how he and three Finnish co-founders turned a legacy Finnish beverage — originally invented for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics — into a U.S. juggernaut. With 52,000 retail doors across 46 states, investors like Jay-Z's Marcy Ventures, and a growing fanbase that spans demographics, Long Drink has become one of the biggest breakout hits in spirits-based RTDs.In this episode, Evan shares:How The Finnish Long Drink grew 50%+ year-over-year through focused execution and simple, consistent brandingWhy “availability and awareness” are the two metrics that drive every business decision — and how the team measures cold box placement, displays, and social tags dailyWhy Long Drink keeps it SKU set small — and why Evan believes "flavor isn't innovation"The origin and impact of viral marketing moments — like the #PantsDrunk campaign during COVID and $5 Venmo bar activationsHow organic celebrity interest from actor Miles Teller, DJ Kygo, and golfer Ricky Fowler led to authentic, long-term brand ambassadorshipWhy Long Drink turned down multiple VC offers and focused on velocity-driven growth with strategic capital partnersHow the team grew to 110 employees, prioritizing on-the-ground brand ambassadors and salespeople over corporate hiresThe real reason Evan says they'll never make a pumpkin spice Long DrinkLast Call: This week, we explore the overlooked (and often underestimated) world of fruit wines — and why smart wineries should be paying close attention. States like Michigan, New York, Virginia, and North Carolina are growing incredible fruit beyond grapes, and making some pretty compelling fruit wines. Should they lean into it? We discuss.Don't miss our next episode, dropping on May 7.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinksIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Amid news of oversupply and decreased demand, the wine industry has an opportunity to adapt to the changing market. Audra Cooper, Director of Grape Brokerage, and Eddie Urman, Central Coast Grape Broker at Turrentine Brokerage, discuss key grape and wine industry trends, from oversupply and vineyard removals to the growing necessity of sustainable certification. They explore regional dynamics, bulk wine market shifts, and future trends, emphasizing innovation, industry collaboration, and better marketing to stay competitive. Resources:         REGISTER: 4/5/25 Fungicide Spraying: Evolving Strategies & Grower Insights Tailgate 258: 5 Ways Certification Makes Brands the SIP | Marketing Tip Monday 259: Winegrape Market Trends of 2024 265: How to Stand Out on Social Media in 2025 268: How to Tackle Leadership Transitions Successfully Turrentine Brokerage Turrentine Brokerage - Newsletter Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript [00:00:00] Beth Vukmanic: Amid news of oversupply and decreased demand, the wine industry has an opportunity to adapt to the changing market. [00:00:11] Welcome to Sustainable Wine, growing with the Vineyard team, where we bring you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. I'm Beth Vukmanic executive director. [00:00:22] In today's podcast, Craig McMillan, critical resource Manager at Niner Wine Estates. With Longtime SIP Certified Vineyard, and the first ever SIP certified winery speaks with Audra Cooper, director of Grape Brokerage and Eddie Urman, central Coast Grape Broker At Turrentine Brokerage, [00:00:41] they discuss key grape and wine industry trends from oversupply to vineyard removals to the growing necessity of sustainable certification. They explore regional dynamics, bulk wine market shifts and future trends. Emphasizing innovation, industry collaboration, and better marketing to stay competitive. [00:01:01] If you love infield education and are on California Central Coast on April 25th, 2025, please join us at the fungicide spring tailgate hosted at Cal Poly. In San Luis Obispo, California, Dr. Shunping Ding will share updated results from a 2024 study on fungicide programs using bio fungicides and their impact on grape yield and berry chemistry. Then we'll visit the Cal Poly Vineyard to explore new powdered mildew management technologies and discuss fungicide spraying programs. With farmers from throughout the central coast to register, go to vineyard team.org/events or look for the link in the show notes. [00:01:44] Craig Macmillan: Our guests today are Audra Cooper. She's Director of Grape Brokerage with Turrentine Brokerage. And also, Eddie Urman, who's Central Coast Grape Broker with Turrentine Brokerage as well. And thanks for coming back. This is part two of a, of a, of an episode here. So, I really appreciate you folks making time to come back. [00:02:00] Audra Cooper: Thank you for having us back. We're excited to join you once again. [00:02:04] Eddie Urman: Yeah, thanks for having us. [00:02:05] Craig Macmillan: So Audra, let's start with you. In our last conversation . [00:02:17] And that was kind of where we left it that then started a conversation amongst the three of us afterward. We were like, okay, there's a lot more to talk about here. So let's do it. [00:02:24] Can you give some examples of what you mean by getting ahead of changes? [00:02:30] Audra Cooper: I think it's a sound business strategy to always try and stay ahead of the curve regardless of what component of business or what industry you're in, right? It's just a, a good strategy to have and a good philosophy to have. It's really important in this industry to continue to stay relevant and in order to stay relevant, you have to stay within the trend or ahead of the trend. [00:02:51] Being behind the eight ball is, never a good thing . You need to be ahead of the curve. A good example of that is sustainable certification. And we still have these discussions on the daily and Eddie, you can talk to this too about how often we have to talk about if you're not sustainably certified, you are cutting your buyer pool, probably roughly in half, as I mentioned in the previous podcast, and you're limiting yourself. [00:03:18] And the majority of the practices, most growers are probably already doing, and they're just not going through the certification process and getting that done. And if you look back a little over a decade ago, it was something that wineries were paying, you know, 25, 50 per ton more for, they were paying a premium. [00:03:36] And then it became more of a, this is really nice to have. And so more and more growers We're doing it as a point of differentiation in their marketing. And now today it's almost a necessity. It's no longer something that's necessarily going to get you a premium price for your grapes. It's also not necessarily a point of differentiation any longer. [00:03:55] It's a need to have. [00:03:57] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, Eddie, do you have anything to add to that? [00:03:59] Eddie Urman: No, I think that's a great example. , Audra offered up. [00:04:02] Craig Macmillan: So there's, trends around that, and there's a lot of certifications now, and I agree, I think a lot of folks don't need to be afraid of whatever the certification is, because you're probably doing a lot of those things already, a lot of common practices. [00:04:13] I think that's an interesting insight that now it's kind of becoming expected or certainly a requirement for a lot of wineries. [00:04:19] Let's talk about changes in acreage. That's where we left off last time when we were talking about the difference between vineyard removals, which have been suggested, recommended, et cetera, by a number of folks in the industry as we just are in oversupply period I've heard estimates that we may have 30 to 35, 000 acres of grapes, more than we need based on current demand. [00:04:40] how accurate do you think that is? , how bad is it on the supply side? [00:04:45] Audra Cooper: Well, I think you have a couple parts to that question, right? Let's dissect that a little bit and start with, we just got back from the Unified Wine Grape Symposium in Sacramento, and of course, during the State of the Industry, Jeff Bitter gave his annual synopsis of the nursery survey that they do annually on how many vines were sold, and they do a, A lot of data work in regards to what were removals and his number that he reported over the last two years was 37, 500 acres have been removed from the state of California. [00:05:15] He believes based on their research that another 50, 000 acres need to be removed to reach the point of balance, assuming that consumption stays at its current rate or drops just a tiny bit. [00:05:29] And when we look at our information internally, now we don't do a survey like Allied does, but we're tracking a lot of information, both with our winery partners as well as our grower partners in regards to who's doing what, and our number's a little bit higher, but we also go back four years technically going back to 2022, our number for the state of California is closer to about 50, 000 acres that have been removed, and, you know, I would argue that If consumption stays flat, certainly there will need more removals, but I don't know about 50, 000 acres more. [00:06:04] That seems like an awful lot of acres that need to be removed. If his numbers are right, that would put us back to Basically global recession numbers, which would be around 500, 000 acres bearing.  [00:06:16] Craig Macmillan: right. in the Grape Crush Report, which is an annual report that's put out by, uh, California Department Of Food and Agriculture and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there is a non bearing acres section in there, which I always find very interesting. Are we able to glean anything from that data in terms of what's been sold, what we think's gonna go back in, et cetera? [00:06:39] I want to put a timestamp on this. So this is being recorded first week of February, 2025. So the unified was in 2025. The report that's coming out is going to be for the 2024 year. [00:06:48] What can we learn from that non bearing acreage report?  [00:06:51] Audra Cooper: So there's two different reports. the acreage report will be coming out a little bit later in the year. We're going to have our crush report come out on February 10. I think you can glean two pieces of information, but both are very similar. And that is how much acreage has actually been removed and how light the crop truly was, particularly in the coastal regions for 2024. [00:07:10] And so when we look at, for example, a 23 bearing and non bearing acreage information from the state of California they're reporting 446, 000 acres of bearing wine grapes. And if you take that at, say, 7 tons an acre, that's 3. 12 million tons. And we know with certainty at 7 tons an acre, That acreage seems pretty low. [00:07:35] It doesn't seem realistic. So unfortunately, because it's a voluntary report when it comes to bearing versus non bearing acres, I do think that the state's probably about two years behind on real data trends. And so unfortunately right now, if you were to use that report as, you know, an analysis of the industry, you'd probably be a bit off. [00:07:54] Craig Macmillan: got it, got it. Are there trends in what varieties are coming out and what varieties are going back in? Because that's often been the driving force for removals and replants, is chasing the marketplace. Are we seeing that kind of thing in California? [00:08:11] Audra Cooper: Yeah, you know, I'll I'll touch on this a little bit and then turn it over to Eddie. It's, it's really difficult to predict in our industry how and what and when to plant, right? Because you are following a trend and a trend that you're going to be lagging behind in trying to meet because of the amount of time it takes to get a crop and a crop that is productive. [00:08:31] And so oftentimes we're abridged, Yeah. Yeah. too far behind in regards to consumer trends. When we look at the central coast as a whole, there's certainly some segmented dynamics on what's being removed versus planted. And, you know, a good place to start, of course, is Paso. Eddie, do you want to talk a little bit more about that? [00:08:51] Eddie Urman: Yeah we do see some trends of, varieties, being pushed out more frequently than others. You know, for the Central Coast, a couple that come to mind are, Zin, Pinot Noir Merlot is one that historically came out. If it's still there, still going out, and then more specifically, old vines is probably the more specific categories. You are seeing a lot of Cab being pushed, that are old vines, but likely to go back into Cab if it gets replanted. [00:09:17] Audra Cooper: that's an interesting trend, because when we're looking at what was purchased based on the survey numbers that Jeff Bitter reported, he was talking about 12, 000 acres being planted based on their survey in 2024, and an overwhelming percentage was still red varietals, which really bucks the trend on what we're seeing observing boots on the ground. [00:09:41] What we've mainly been seeing planted are more alternative whites and niche whites like Grenache Blanc, Pinot Grigio Astrotico, you know, very specific alternative whites in which they're trending with DTC and kind of smaller producers. Certainly we still see some redevelopment of Cabernet as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, not so much on the red blender side or Merlot. [00:10:06] Those seem to be being pulled out and not redeveloped. [00:10:09] Craig Macmillan: Are we seeing any changes or trends around Okay, I'm pushing out Cabernet. I'm going to replant Cabernet. , am I going to replant the same amount of Cabernet? Am I using this as an opportunity to plant new ground? Do we have any information about that kind of thing? [00:10:24] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I mean, to give you hard data would be challenging. I don't know that anyone really has, a hard, fast calculation of what they do and don't do in regards to, the varietal makeup of a redevelopment. And I do want to clarify, I think there's a common misconception, particularly in the coastal regions that This is new net acreage. [00:10:43] It's not new net acreage. A lot of this is redeveloped acreage, but it will be higher in productivity based on, you know, better vines, healthier vines, better spacing, new farming technology, and so forth. And so we'll have new net supply based off that acreage. In full production. When you look at the new developments, though, and it was save paso cab, for example, it's really difficult to say, Oh, well, let's do 50 percent cab and 50 percent red blenders. [00:11:14] I mean, that's a tough decision to make. And you're really making a a pretty risky bet. I think for most people, they're going to plant to the site and also to the trend in the market. And so oftentimes, for example, again, Paso Cab, you're still going to have Cabernet largely go back in on those redevelopments. [00:11:31] When you look at Santa Barbara County, I think they're diversifying a little bit more than they had been in the past. You're not largely just Chardonnay Pinot Cab. You're also seeing alternative reds and whites being planted in that area. Monterey County, when you look at that region, it tends to be a little bit more mixed bag, but still largely chardonnay then in the southern Monterey County area, cabernet and red blenders. [00:11:54] Craig Macmillan: Do you have anything to add to that, Eddie? [00:11:56] Eddie Urman: As far as the rate of what's going back in the ground, you know, in acres. I think as far as East Paso goes Monterey County, Santa Barbara County, we're seeing contraction as far as more acres coming out that are going back. The only area we do see more plantings that are new, it is in the West side of Paso. And it's substantial. I think there's a good amount of acres that have gone in the West side. [00:12:17] Being from the growing side, I think we always wanted to diversify away from Cabernet and Paso Robles specifically, but the reality is the majority of people still want to buy Cabernet. So if anything, I'm worried that growers expect other varieties to try to diversify their portfolio that might not match the demand. [00:12:37] Craig Macmillan: Right, right. And speaking of demand. , we're talking about land and grapes, what's the current state of the, the bulk wine market where you'd expect a lot of the sovers to go where are we kind of at and what do you think are going to be the impacts on the bulk wine market with the replanting? [00:12:53] Audra Cooper: currently right now, listed available with us is about 28 million gallons. We anticipate that it will climb to probably 30, maybe past 30 million gallons at the peak of listing this year, which is typically early summer. In large part, that's still 2023 vintage. However, we do still have some 21, 22, and of course now new 24 is being listed. [00:13:18] The rate of listing is not being eclipsed by the rate of, you know, attrition decline in regards to bulk wine being removed from the market, whether that's through sales or higher and better use internally for those who are listing it. So we still have an off kilter balance there and certainly dramatically an oversupply and that dynamics likely to continue for the next couple of years until we see consumption increase and, and therefore increasing demand for new products. [00:13:45] Typically when we've seen these large increases in availability, what's gotten us out of it is the negotiants who are developing new brands, particularly when we look back to the premiumization sector. We saw a lot of middle tiers, you know, the likes of Duckhorn and Joel Gott and several others who were growing programs that they may have had for a couple of years, but they were very small and they've broadened those to other Appalachians or California and went to the bulk market first to kind of grow those programs before they started grape contracting. [00:14:16] So we're going to need to start seeing that trend in order to clean that market up. [00:14:19] Craig Macmillan: And so that's, that's basically good news, you think, for the bulk wine supply going down the road. [00:14:23] Audra Cooper: I think. In the future, it is in the short term. It's rather painful to have that amount of availability, right? We've been tracking this for the better part of three decades, and there's never been a single calendar year in which we've carried this amount of inventory, particularly going into last harvest, it was the highest inventory we'd ever seen in our tracking. [00:14:44] Keep in mind that this is what's listed available for us. This is not going out and taking inventory of what everyone has in tank that they're not necessarily going to bottle or they don't have a program for. So you can easily maybe double that number and that's what the likely availability is. [00:15:03] Craig Macmillan: Eddie what do you think is going to happen with pricing on on bulk wine? Yeah, I know that you're a specialized in grapes. But obviously those growers are concerned about what's going to happen to those grapes. From the grower side, how attractive is it right now to turn product into bulk wine, do you think? [00:15:21] Eddie Urman: I would say it's very, very, very much not attractive. Uh, we would. Not advocate for that in most scenarios for growers at this time regarding bulk pricing, you know, bulk wine, obviously we have bulk people who have better insight than Audrey, but in general, it's not going to be good. We don't, we don't foresee an increase in price as. we're obviously seeing an increase in supply of bulk wine, that typically is going to still have more downward pressure on price. And as far as growers bulking wine, it's, I think, a very risky game right now. You know, bulk wine does have a life expectancy, to Audra's point earlier. And, know, if you bulk it now, you have to sell it eventually to make your money back. [00:16:02] And then on top of that, you have to carry those costs with today's interest rates.  [00:16:06] Craig Macmillan: Right, right. So, prices for bulk wine right now, I'm guessing have been on the decline for probably a couple of years. Is that accurate? [00:16:13] Audra Cooper: Yeah, that's an accurate statement. If I were to really think about how long they've been on the decline, I would say probably mid, mid calendar year 2023 is when we start to see the downturn of the market be very, you know, impactful on pricing and overall demand. And of course, increasing inventory is really when that trend started. [00:16:34] I want to kind of go back to what Eddie was talking about regarding you know growers making bulk wine and and how risky that is, you know, we have a saying internally and it's so Elementary, but it's so applicable to these times. Your first loss is typically your best loss or your least loss and so it's really important when you're looking at alternative to market Whether or not you're actually going to be able to optimize how much investment you have in that product, and more often than not, when you're making grapes into bulk wine as a grower, you're not going to have the wherewithal to compete with a competitive set, other wineries, or large growers whose business models incorporate making bulk wine as a producer. [00:17:15] So you really end up being on the losing end of that game. [00:17:19] Craig Macmillan: Eddie, do you see price pressure on growers? Are prices being negotiated down or contracts being changed or not renewed? And if so, does that vary by region, do you think? I know you specialize in the Central Coast, but just from what you know. [00:17:34] Eddie Urman: I think for the Central Coast, it's easy to say that there's still unfortunately more cancellations or evergreens being called and their contracts being executed. There is some activity of people being willing to look at stuff and even make offers, which is good news, but typically it's at a lower pricing. [00:17:51] Craig Macmillan: This is for both of you if I'm a grower and I'm facing this situation both what I can get for my price and then also what the chances are of me selling my stuff on the bulk market, is this a situation where we're maybe better off not harvesting all the crop or mothballing some vineyards for the short term? [00:18:08] Eddie Urman: Yeah, I mean, I think in general, the less we pick this upcoming season that doesn't have a home, you know, the better off if it's picked for, uh, a program where it's actually needed, that's great, but bulking one on spec or taking in more fruit because it's cheap or very, you know, very low cost is not going to be a good thing. good overall thing for the industry. [00:18:30] As far as mothballing, we've talked a lot internally. This is where the conversation came in last time about making tough decisions and being intentional about how you're going to farm or you plant going into the season as a grower is, you know, mothballing is very controversial. [00:18:45] I think for our team, as far as whether it truly works and can you truly come back after it's done, if you're mothballing a Vineyard that's at the end of his life expectancy. You're probably just delaying your pain one more year. Cause it probably will not come back. If you're mothballing a five year old vineyard, maybe it's something that's a different story, but a real tough decision. [00:19:06] Mothballing a young producing vineyard most people are not in that situation. [00:19:12] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I mean, I want to expand a little bit on the, the mothballing and not harvesting fruit. I think it's really important that, you know, while this is a rather negative time in the industry and it's really easy to be very pessimistic. I do want to be optimistic about the needed outcomes and the solutions and the pain that's still rather prevalent in our industry to get kind of to the other side of being healthy. [00:19:36] I do want to be optimistic about some of the newer plantings that we've seen basically since 2012. There is a lot of new to middle aged vineyards that I really hope continue to stay in the ground. They need to stay in the ground because they are the highest and best fit for some of the newer style products in wine. [00:19:54] And we need to be able to continue to keep our wine quality elevated. And so while certainly there's vineyards that need to be removed or, or mothballed and taken out of production, there's also the flip side of that where there's a huge need for some of the. better vineyards and the more sought after vineyards or the vineyards that are priced right for the program that they're going into. [00:20:16] So this is kind of a double edged sword in the sense that yeah, we need plenty of production to be pulled out of the supply chain, but at the same time there's a huge need for very specific supply. So I want to be very careful in classifying those items. [00:20:30] Craig Macmillan: Right. And that brings me to my next question Audra there must be regional differences. Yeah. Yeah. In these patterns, I would assume some areas maybe are a little bit more protected from this kind of contraction or, or expansion over supply and others probably really bearing the brunt. I would guess. Do you see patterns at the state level? [00:20:48] Audra Cooper: I see patterns at the state level, but I can even bring it down to the central coast, even so far down to like even Paso right now. And Eddie and I have been talking about this a lot. You know, we saw a huge uptick in available inventory for east side AVA Cabernet and red blenders and even some of the white. Over the last two years, particularly last year in 2024, [00:21:11] and now we're seeing that dynamic shift from the east side climbing and available inventory. And now the west side is where we're seeing most of our listings come from over the last couple of weeks. And so we're now seeing it kind of push into more of the premium luxury tiers as far as this oversupply and the contraction and the kind of the pain points. [00:21:29] And so we are moving through the channels. Which I know again is, is difficult to hear and it's a very negative position to be in the industry, but it's also a sign that the market and the supply chain is moving through what it needs to move towards in order to come out the other side of this thing on a healthier end. [00:21:48] We comment on this a lot where. You know, it's going to get worse, dramatically worse for a short period of time before it gets better. And we're starting to see kind of the beginning of that position. [00:21:58] Craig Macmillan: What about the San Joaquin Valley? San Joaquin Valley? [00:22:02] Audra Cooper: is actually typically leading the charge in regards to our market, particularly our supply aspect of things, both in grapes and bulk wine. And so when we see A retraction in our industry or oversupply. We typically see it in the interior of the central valley first And when we see kind of a new, Growth stage we see it over there first as well And so they're ahead of us by one to two years Currently and then it kind of follows into the central coast and then up into the north coast and what i've seen Historically when you look back at markets and you look at kind of the time horizons of these things how? Long they live and what pushes the momentum of these markets. You'll typically see it last longer in the Central Valley, tiny bit shorter in the Central Coast and a lot shorter in the North Coast. The North Coast usually doesn't see quite as long of a pain period as the other two regions do. And there's, there's a lot of reasons that we probably shouldn't get into today because it would be a whole nother topic of conversation. [00:23:00] But I do think that the Central Coast right now has got another challenging year ahead of it. But also I think that the on ramp to a more positive industry is a little shorter than what I think people are giving credit for too because a lot of the work is being done, we just got to get through these major pain points first. [00:23:19] Craig Macmillan: We know that consumers drive demand for wine and hence wine grapes but are there other economic forces or political forces or regulatory forces that put pressure on this grape market aside from just consumer demand? [00:23:32] Eddie Urman: again, but 1 of big 1s is, put, it could put pressure to the positive or negative on our industry. We don't really know yet. It's still to be determined. when I read this question, the other thing came to mind to me is, is from a grower's perspective ensuring that you're growing. The compatible correct grapes for your region or varieties or it's staying within where you need to be. If the market for, for example, Chardonnay went through, went to the moon, it doesn't mean everyone in Paso should plant Chardonnay, [00:24:00] even though that's the hot variety, right? [00:24:02] It wouldn't be the best variety for most areas of Those are some of the quicker things that come to my mind. I'll probably elaborate. [00:24:10] Audra Cooper: I think to expand upon that, certainly regulations regarding, you know, water usage and irrigation is is a huge factor. And, and Eddie, you could probably do an entire podcast on that particular topic. And I'm sure that you guys have actually, Craig in addition to that, you really look at the economic environment in which people are growing grapes and producing wine. [00:24:32] And the economy of it is getting, you know, more and more difficult. The margins are getting much smaller. You can argue that more often than not people are taking losses year over year. And that puts a ton of pressure on their cash flow. In addition to that, when you look at the lending environment as well, that's become a lot more say, non conducive to being able to continue with business. In a lot of cases, [00:24:57] we have a handful of clients, if not more, who are questioning, do I prune because I don't necessarily have the same operational loan that I've had over the last couple of years and I've been taking low grape prices in order to survive to the following year, but you can only do that so long before it catches up to you. [00:25:14] And then we have another group or another segment of clientele who will prune, but may end up having to throw in the towel sometime, you know, mid summer or sooner because they don't have enough capital to continue with the grapes or you know, not sold. And then you look at the producer side on the winery side, and, and they too are getting crunched. [00:25:32] You know, we often talk about how low grape prices are, but we forget that, you know, wineries are getting crunched on their bottle price as well in order to nationally distribute. You know, what you see on the shelf as a price point does not necessarily mean that that's a price point to that producer. So the economies of this industry are getting more and more difficult every single year. [00:25:52] Craig Macmillan: Eddie, especially, are you seeing trends towards things like mechanization to try to keep costs down? [00:25:58] Eddie Urman: Yeah, absolutely. I mean mechanization and then automation and the vineyard or two, the , you know, hottest topics so here. And people were definitely making the efforts to try to implement those as they come available. The difficult thing can be oftentimes it's investment in equipment. That's very expensive and you have to truly consider is it going to, is it economically feasible to invest in that equipment and what's the payout time going to be based upon the amount of acres you're farming or how many passes you can do with that piece of equipment. So we're, we're seeing it happen, which is great. [00:26:31] It's innovation and it's heading us in the right direction, but at this point, a lot of it is still quite expensive and not everyone could participate for cost reasons. Yeah. [00:26:41] Craig Macmillan: Going forward, we've talked about this a little bit in terms of how different regions are kind of more paying for longer and some a little bit less and et cetera. And this then translates into the wines that are out there. Audra, you'd mentioned you know, the potential of negotiants to come in and help to alleviate the market. [00:26:59] That's definitely what happened in the nineties from my memory. We saw a lot of negotiate brands pop up because there was a plentiful supply for some of those years. Are there things that companies or government or grower associations, are there things that organizations could do to advise growers or help move people in the right direction in terms of kind of what they need to do? Is the viticulture consulting community? Taking these things into account Eddie, let's start with you, [00:27:29] Eddie Urman: that's a big question. there are plenty of people giving good advice in the industry and growers do have resources to reach out to, but it's very difficult to hear information that doesn't. Align with what you would like to do, right? So taking out our emotions from this from the equation and say, okay, does it really make sense to do this or to do that? Where where's that going to leave us and is that going to be in a position? To move forward in a better, know in a better new industry or new, you know New time in this industry when things rebound there's information out there, but it is difficult extremely difficult right now for growers and wineries to make decisions [00:28:09] Craig Macmillan: Yeah. That's the challenge when you have something like this, where it's individual decisions that lead to mass outcomes. It's hard for me as an individual to say, okay, well, I'm going to do my part. I'm going to keep these 10 acres out of production. Especially when I can see that I could sell to somebody. It's a tough go. Go ahead, Audra. [00:28:24] Audra Cooper: So I'm gonna go off on a tangent here a little bit. [00:28:26] Craig Macmillan: do. [00:28:28] Audra Cooper: I don't know, you might not welcome this one. So, you know, some people know this about me. I'm a pretty big Tony Robbins fan. And, You know, for some of you who don't know who that is, he's a self help guru that does a lot of different events and has written a lot of books and he has a philosophy and a saying that he utilizes through most of events, which is where focus goes, energy flows. [00:28:51] And unfortunately, we have not done the best of jobs being positive about ourselves in the industry, out there in the media, that ultimately is consumed by the masses. And so, I've been on this huge bandwagon about, when we're talking to the media, obviously we need to be rooted in reality, but we need to be as optimistic as we can about who we are and what our why is. [00:29:16] And I think oftentimes when we have these downturns, and this one's a pretty deep one, admittedly. That's the rooted in reality, right? But in these downturns, we tend to turn very, very pessimistic and we fail to remember that to some degree or another. We've been here before, and there have been a lot of innovations and activities and work and leadership that have pulled us out of it, and so we need to remember our history a little bit, I think would be my recommendation there, and I think a lot of the associations do a great job In reminding everyone what the historical background is and in some of our why Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is a great example of what an association can do for a region on a national and international level. [00:30:03] I will continue to sing their praises because I think they've done a beautiful job in what they've done over the last 15 years. When you look at You know, what's happening from a government and regulation standpoint, you know, we have to band together as a community and be loud voices. We can't just rely on our neighbor or our representative to be our representative voice. [00:30:25] We need to make sure that we continue to be out there and loud. The other thing too is. We have a community, but we have a tendency to not keep collaboration consistent, and I would love to see our industry collaborate a little bit more, particularly on social media. I know that there's a lot of people probably listening to this right now thinking, why is social media even a remote solution? [00:30:48] But the amount of consumption from the younger generation that are now of drinking age that have not adopted wine as a beverage of choice, consume a huge amount of social media, more than they do TV, more than they do reading, more than any other culture. aspect of information gathering or any other platform that's available to them. [00:31:10] And we have an opportunity to band together and collaborate and change the algorithm regarding wine on social media. And I love to see us do that. We haven't done it. And there's various methods of doing that. And again, could probably be another podcast. I'm by no means the foremost expert on that, but our collaborative efforts. [00:31:27] We'll just drop that because I don't even remember exactly [00:31:30] Craig Macmillan: I think that's sound advice And it's always been a challenge. We do have some statewide Organizations that have that mission. They have a lot on their plate But I agree with you. I think that that is definitely the route or it seems to be the route There's more more research coming out that's showing that Not just the time but also like where people get their news You know, it shows you how important that is to them, how important , that venue is to them. [00:31:55] Eddie Urman: 1 of the things for me to extrapolate on that a little bit. What Audra was talking about is unified at the industry hot topics. Um. Rock mcmillan talked for a minute. The ceo of silicon bank about the wine industry Not itself and taking market share from itself, but taking market share from wine from beer from spirits They've clearly done that to us. [00:32:18] I mean It's a competition. It is what it is, and we've not done a great job marketing To younger, younger generations, everybody knows that everybody repeats it, but what are we going to do about it? And how can we as an industry figure out how to do a better job getting people exposed to wine, getting people to enjoy wine? [00:32:37] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I like that, Eddie. It's time to get aggressive and it's time to re enter wine in the conversation of culture and being part of the daily lifestyle. We've let it kind of fall by the wayside and it's time to get aggressive about what wine can be and was and should be here in the near future. [00:32:57] Craig Macmillan: right. You'd mentioned, you know, what's happened in the past. Audra, are there lessons that we learned that we are forgetting from 20 years ago or lessons that we should have learned 20 years ago that might help us now? [00:33:11] Audra Cooper: it's, that's an interesting question, and I think it is a great question of merit, because history does tend to repeat itself I think we need to get better about predictive trends, and I don't know what the answer is to that, I just know that we need to do that and again, we, we kind of talked about it early in the podcast here that, you know, it's really hard to plant a trend, because you're usually behind the eight ball on it. [00:33:38] And I think that we need to get better about how we plan for the future. I think we forget that, you know, Robert Mondavi and the Gallo's and, and countless others who came before us really went out. To the masses and marketed wine, not just their brands or their programs. They were out there to make sure that they were representing the wine industry and the product that we produce first and foremost. [00:34:06] And so I think there's that element. It's not necessarily missing, but it's not loud enough and it's not aggressive enough. And so we definitely need some leaders to come forward in that regard and really push the initiatives. That we fought so hard to stay in business for. When you look back historically to, I think we have a tendency to kind of do the blame game a little bit. [00:34:28] Like, you've planted too much over there on the coast and you've removed too much of the northern interior and you're charging too much up there in the north coast. And the reality is there's a place. For everyone to play and instead of being the competitive set that we are, again, to Eddie's point that Rob McMillan made as state of the industry, we should be looking at how do we take market share from our competitors, which are beer and spirits, RTDs, and so forth, not from each other. [00:34:57] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It sounds like it's a time when we need to see some new leadership step up or some folks to take leadership roles which is always kind of scary. [00:35:08] Audra Cooper: It is. It's, it's, you know, here's the, the beautiful thing about emotion though. It's usually a call to action. So if we get scared enough. Someone will do something and I think we're just about there, and, and there's probably people working in the shadows that we're not aware of that will probably come forward here soon, you know, there's great leadership at CAWG level with their association as well as the Wine Institute, they're working hard every single day to be lobbyists , for our industry and to be making sure that they're representing our issues and finding solutions, solutions. [00:35:40] You know, one of the big things that I've learned over the last couple of years, particularly this last year, is, is that we are all responsible for our future and making sure our future is compelling. And so we need to be supporting those associations and paying attention to the relevancy of the information that's out there. [00:35:55] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that's excellent. This is a, again, kind of a, kind of a tangent and it may not lead anywhere, but I, I just had this thought. You were talking about sustainability certifications and how important they are for growers now. Do you think that communicating the sustainability story of wineries and probably done at an individual level and then spreading out from there do you think consumers would respond to that? [00:36:17] Eddie Urman: Yeah it's hard to say because marketing is not my forte, but I, it sure seems like with the trends as far as health conscious and all this, I think it would resonate with them. It really should. And it's something we should probably capitalize on more as an industry in general. Yeah. [00:36:33] Craig Macmillan: That's interesting. Well do you have, does anybody have like a final message or one thing you would tell growers on this topic? Audra, [00:36:40] Audra Cooper: Well, we covered a lot of topics today, and I think I'll leave everyone with the same thing I said earlier, Where focus goes, energy flows, and if we're focused on the negative, and we're focused on how tough the industry is right now, that's where we're going to be. If we're focused on solutions, we'll find one that works, and it's going to be different for everyone. [00:37:04] Everyone's solution may look a little bit different. This is both an individual and industry wide issue that we're facing currently. with the downturn in the industry and the extreme oversupply. But I have faith that the work that's already being done will pull us out of this. We just need to get innovative in how we market to new consumers. [00:37:26] Craig Macmillan: That's great. Where can people find out more about you folks? [00:37:29] Eddie Urman: on our website. , you can get our information on there and reach out and contact us. Anything else Audra. Right. [00:37:44] Audra Cooper: Year you can go to our social media Turrentine Brokerate or you can find me at GrapeBroker on Instagram. You can also call us or email us or text us if you'd like, or smoke signal us too, although please don't carry fires. [00:37:50] Craig Macmillan: Anyway, right. Well, thank you so much. I guess today we're Audrey Cooper she is a director of great brokerage at Turrentine. Brokerage and Eddie Urman, who is the central coast, great broker Turrentine. Thank you both for being here and having such an interesting conversation. It's an important topic with a lot of question marks, lots and lots of questions, but I think we had some good things come out of it and I really appreciate it. [00:38:11] Audra Cooper: All right. Thank you.  [00:38:17] Beth Vukmanic: Thank you for listening. Today's podcast was brought to you by wonderful laboratories. Wonderful laboratories. Operates two state of the art high throughput laboratories to support pathogen detection and nutrient analysis. The team provides full service support to customers with field sampling, custom panels, and special projects. Their customers include pest control advisors, growers, consultants, seed companies, backyard gardeners, researchers, and more. [00:38:45] Make sure you check out the show notes for links to Turntine brokerage. Their previous interview on the Sustainable Winegrowing podcast, that's number 259, wine Grape Market Trends for 2024, plus other sustainable wine growing podcast episodes, including 265. How to stand out on social media in 2025 and 268 how to tackle leadership transitions successfully.   [00:39:10] If you'd like this show, do us a big favor by sharing it with a friend, subscribing and leaving us a review. [00:39:16] You can find all of the podcasts@vineyardteam.org/podcast and you can reach us at podcast@vineyardteam.org. Until next time, this is Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard team.   Nearly perfect transcription by Descript

Guinness is synonymous with U.S. St. Patrick's Day celebrations. National ambassador Ryan Wagner joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss preparation for the holiday, how the Splitting the G viral phenomenon has played a role in the brand's upward trajectory and introduces it to new consumers.    Wagner also discusses the on-premise rebound following the pandemic, what goes into creating a perfect Guinness pour and consumer learnings in recent months.   Plus, the Brewbound team discusses the latest news coming out of Constellation Brands' Gold Network Summit with distributors, the New England Craft Beer Summit and the financial picture for the Brewers Association.    Jess, Zoe and Justin also play Another Round or Tabbing Out on recent beyond beer innovation plays, including Constellation's Rule of Five hard punch; Boston Beer's Sinless vodka RTDs and Just Hard Squeezed FMB; and Barrel One's latest crossover brand with Crystal Light Vodka Refreshers.

We are dipping our toes into the world of Ready to Drink cocktails. We are joined on this episode by Chris and Luke, co-owners of Not Pizza. Not Pizza is a locally produced RTD that consists of 2 seltzer drinks and 2 non-carbonated drinks. Chris and Luke talked to us about how they got the idea to start this venture, how they got the name Not Pizza, what goes in to producing RTDs and marketing it. We got the chance to enjoy the Orange Seltzer and the Iced Tea varieties.Support the podcast by donating at Anchor.fm/bestbestfriendspod/supportCheck out the live stream at Twitch.tv/bestbestfriendspodcastSave $10 on your first box of $25 or more on Tavour with Promo Code BESTBESTFRIENDSPODRemember to Subscribe, Rate and ReviewUNTAPPD - @BestbestfriendspodINSTAGRAM - @BestbestfriendspodFACEBOOK - @BestbestfriendspodTWITTER - @BBFPodEMAIL - BestBestFriendsPod@gmail.com

With many macro headwinds for the wine world, Gino Colangelo, founder of Colangelo PR, felt the negative and often poorly fact-checked press around alcohol and health posed an existential threat. Teaming with Karen McNeil of The Wine Bible and fellow PR leader Kimberly Charles, they founded Come Over October, a campaign to create a positive narrative around wine. With freely available media assets and over 120 partners, the movement, in its first stretch, has shown the power of focusing on the positive elements of wine.  Detailed Show Notes: Macro wine challenges include marijuana, Ozempic, and RTDs, but “no alcohol is healthy” messages from WHO and other gov't organizations potentially pose an existential threat to the industryCome Over October (“COO”) foundingCampaign to advocate for wineCommission research - 60%+ 21-39-year-olds would change consumption if alcohol health guidelines changed, 60%+ participate in Dry January or Sober October (which equates to 17% of the year)Karen McNeil, writer of The Wine Bible, got backlash over post against Dry January and ideated Come Over OctoberKimberly Charles, owner of an SF wine PR firm, joined as co-founderStarted the company in spring 2024 (Come Together, a Community for Wine) as a mission-driven company to advocate for wineFundamental principlesHad to reach consumersNo negativity towards other alcoholic beveragesInvolve everyone in the wine worldThe goal for success: turning the narrative around wine positive (e.g., more articles on the social benefits of wine)Measured by impressions of negative vs. positive articles about wineIn a battle for hearts and minds vs just getting the facts rightAsked for two things from partnersModest check - $1-10k to pay for campaign, website, social media, media asset creationActivation - use campaign assets (free to all) to run a COO campaignExample activationsTotal Wine - in-store signage, direct marketing, social media postsConstellation Brands - bought in-store radio ads for 800 Kroger stores under the COO banner (promoting Kim Crawford, Meiomi, & The Prisoner with Karen McNeil doing voiceover) and reversed negative sales trends in storesJackson Family - free tasting, events, cash support for COOCampaign success metrics120 companies participated>1,000 retail stores engaged (e.g., Kroger, Total Wine, Gary's)~$100k donated media (e.g., Wine Enthusiast, Vinepair, Wine Spectator)Next Campaign - Spring 2025Focus on the food messageDifferentiate wine as food vs alcoholContinue togetherness messageBring in chefs, restaurantsThen roll back into OctoberWould like to hire a Director to run the companyHealth debateLoneliness epidemic - 30% of males don't have close friendsWine has a unique ability for positive wellness in bringing people togetherDoes the industry need a positive health message/research to turn things around truly? (e.g. - wine → better relationships / friendships → stress reduction → better health)60 Minutes show on The French Paradox (1991) changed the wine world and led to 30+ years of growthNot yet seeing health impacts of marijuana usage as it has only been legal recentlyContact info: info@comeoveroctober.com or gcolangelo@colangelopr.com Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Business of Drinks, Erica interviews Rocco Lombardo, president of Wilson Daniels, a luxury wine importer and marketer. Despite formidable industry-wide headwinds, Wilson Daniels achieved over 6% revenue growth in 2024, expanding its sales to $250 million — while the broader wine market contracted.  How did Rocco and the Wilson Daniels team come out ahead?  In this episode, Rocco shares: Why Burgundy, Piemonte, Tuscany, and value sparkling wines are among the fastest-growing categories in the portfolio. Strategic initiatives that have fueled growth, building on the portfolio's strong foundation of family-run wineries, sustainable practices, and deep market discipline. How Wilson Daniels grew from a West Coast-focused company to a national powerhouse with a $350+ average case price for its brands at wholesale. How Wilson Daniels uses storytelling and authenticity to engage consumers with the rich histories behind its luxury wines. Rocco's insights into market challenges, including tariffs, shifting consumption trends, and competition from emerging categories like RTDs and cannabis. Last Call:And don't miss Last Call, where Scott, Caroline, and Erica discuss what they're drinking this winter — and why. The category-spanning selections might surprise you! Don't miss our next episode, dropping on January 15. For the latest updates, follow us: Business of Drinks: LinkedIn Instagram @bizofdrinks Erica Duecy, co-host:Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. LinkedIn Instagram @ericaduecy Scott Rosenbaum, co-host:Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as North America Search Manager at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor. LinkedIn Caroline Lamb, contributor:Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners. LinkedIn If you enjoyed the conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach more listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Ready to have a BALL? The Cold Cans boyz class it up with a variety of RTDs from the BuzzBallz lineup. They invent and trademark a new drinking game and Joey does a photoshoot with his sweet dog. Whipshots return.

Golf. It's a sport enjoyed by millions of people and it can also be almost as divisive as modern politics. Can it only be enjoyed by the landed gentry and the country club set? Turner Lewis doesn't think so and he's out to prove the haters wrong with Fore Craft Cocktails, a line of RTDs designed for the golf course but, as tested by our boundary-pushing hosts, also thoroughly drinkable off of one. The brand founder sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about getting a cocktail line up and running in less than a year (and during a pandemic no less) why he had to drive a rental truck overnight from Wisconsin to Virginia, and what he thinks about ruining a good walk. Plus, Greg has a golf course encounter of his own to share. Tune in to hear about it! Follow Fore on Instagram at @forecraftcocktails Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBond Don't forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 

@ModeloUSA @Budweiser #Chelada #Michelada #SummerDrinks #BeerLovers #Podcast #RadioShow #Host Will the homemade versions reign supreme, or will the RTDs surprise us? Tune in to find out and get ready for some summer drink inspiration! Don't miss out on this fun-filled episode. Join us this Fri. @ noon on FB, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast.