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Remember When – November
50 Years Ago-Nov. 8, 1966 — Thomas Vlasic of Trumbull County received an award of merit from the Retail Licensed Beverage & Food Dealers Associati…
15 Years Ago-Nov. 6, 2001— Ohio Investigative Unit Agent Harold Torrens was a co-recipient of the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association’s Agent of the Year award…
10 Years Ago-Nov. 7, 2006 — Woodstone Creek, Ohio’s first microdistillery, released its first product, Cincinnati Vodka…
5 Years Ago-Nov. 1, 2011 — Fat Head’s Brewery of Middleburg Heights and Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Co. of Akron won gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival….
1 Year Ago-Nov. 3, 2015 — Jim Matesich of Matesich Distributing Co. in Newark was elected secretary of the National Beer Wholesalers Association.
Study Finds More Than 1,300 Active Craft Spirits Producers in U.S.
NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — More than 1,300 craft distillers operate in the U.S., according to research spearheaded by the American Craft Spirits Association.
The Craft Spirits Data Project found that the country’s 1,315 craft distillers produced 4.9 million cases and generate $2.4 billion in retail sales in 2015, up 27.5 percent and 27.9 percent, respectively, since 2010. Additionally, the market share of U.S. craft spirits reached 2.2 percent in volume and 3 percent in value in 2015, up from 0.8 percent and 1.1 percent in 2010. Read more
Brand Stories Help Market Spirits To millennials
NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — Brand stories are the emotional glue that connects spirits brands to millennial consumers, according to research by a global public relations company.
Brands with compelling narratives appeal to millennials’ desire to be “in the know” and also motivate them to share their discoveries, according to the research study “Millennials & Spirits: Influencing the Path to Discovery,” by PR agency MWWPR. Read more
Teen Drivers Need Extra Attention
Buckle up. Put the phone away. Slow down. Don’t drive drunk.
That is the message the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility advocated during its recent support of National Teen Driver Safety Week.
During the past 25 years — first as The Century Council and now under its current name — the foundation has educated the public about safe driving practices and seen a reduction in crashes. But there is a lot of work to do, and one segment of the driver population that requires additional attention is teen drivers, who historically have crash rates greatly exceeding those of older, more experienced drivers.
The good news, according to the foundation, is progress is being made in many areas that can be attributed to driver education, teen driver safety laws and increased public awareness. One of those areas is drunken driving. Drunken driving fatalities among those under age 21 declined 80 percent from 1982 to 2014, the foundation reported, and in the last decade, there has been a reduction of 48 percent.
Despite progress, a recent report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association shows that teen drivers are still 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash than adult drivers, with teen crashes increasing by 10 percent last year compared to 7.2 percent for adult drivers. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for all 15 to 20 year olds, and teens continue to have the highest crash rate of any group of drivers in the United States.
To address this issue, the foundation encourages everyone to speak with their kids and friends about how to be safe behind the wheel. Parents play a pivotal role in promoting good driving habits among their children by setting a good example. Teens who say their parents set rules and monitor their activities in a helpful, supportive way are half as likely to crash and 70 percent less likely to drive intoxicated than teens who describe their parents as less involved.
That’s why parents should always model safe driving behavior, discuss safe driving with their teen on an ongoing basis, and sign a “safe driving contract” such as the one described under the “Parents” tab of Responsibility.org’s www.iknoweverything.com website.
Ohio Homebrewer Among Sam Adams LongShot Winners
BOSTON (PRNewswire) — A homebrewer from Ohio was one of three winners in the annual Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Competition.
Barnstorm Saison, brewed by David Cousino of Avon, will be featured in the LongShot American Homebrew Contest variety pack when it is available in the spring of 2017. It will be joined by American Wild Ale by Duane Wilson of Horseheads, N.Y., and Imperial Stout by Samuel Adams employee Graham Johnson of Marblehead, Mass. Read more
Constellation Brands Ramps Up Distillery, Winery Acquisitions
VICTOR, N.Y. — While completing the previously announced acquisition of a Utah distillery, Constellation Brands last month announced its acquisition of a minority share in a new Kentucky distiller and a Washington state winery.
Constellation completed its acquisition of Utah’s High West Distillery, which includes all of High West’s operations and its portfolio of high-end American straight whiskeys. The company also recently acquired a minority stake in Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Bardstown, Ky. Read more
Texas Tour
Tito Beveridge (center), founder of Tito’s Handmade vodka, hosts RNDC-Ohio’s (l-r) Jared Camden, Courtney Koening, Brian Butts, Kristin McAlarney, Jay Logsdon and Sam Randazzo during their recent visit to Austin, Texas.
J.P. Wiser’s
J.P. Wiser’s is a family of Canadian whiskies that are crafted with the finest ingredients and aged a minimum of three years to deliver a light and smooth taste.
In the late-1800s, John Philip Wiser began a long tradition of Canadian whisky making with a simple goal: produce the highest quality whisky that pleased the eye, nose and tongue. More than 150 years later, J.P. Wiser’s whisky is still made using traditional recipes to ensure that the final product lives up to the standards set out by J.P. Wiser many generations ago.
J.P. Wiser’s Deluxe received an “Excellent, Highly Recommended” score of 89 and the Tried & True Award at the 2015 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Other whiskies available in Ohio Include J.P. Wiser’s Rye and Spiced Vanilla.
J.P. Wiser’s Canadian whiskies can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks, or as part of your favorite whisky cocktail.
Pendleton
Pendleton whisky delivers an uncommonly smooth taste and rich, complex flavor.
A product of Hood River Distillers, Pendleton is an oak barrel-aged, super-premium blended whisky distilled in Canada using the finest ingredients. Before bottling, Hood River adds only the purest glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood, Oregon’s highest peak.
Pendleton whisky was specifically created to celebrate the bold spirit of independence and hard-work ethic of the American cowboy and cowgirl. Each Pendleton whisky bottle prominently features the rodeo’s famous bucking horse symbol and Let’er Buck slogan.
Pendleton whisky can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks or with your favorite mixer. Since its launch in 2003, Pendleton has won numerous awards, including a gold medal at the 2011 Spirits International Prestige (SIP) competition and a gold medal at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Ohio Liquor Agencies Offer Special Holiday Gift Packs
The Division of Liquor Control is anticipating another successful holiday season this year with specialty gift items and products, which are perfect for the fall season and a long-standing tradition for the liquor industry. Each year at this time, suppliers make a variety of these gift-giving ideas available for Ohio consumers.
Fall and the holidays always bring out new options. This year, we are seeing growth in items such as Crown Royal flavors and small batch American whiskey, while bourbons and craft sprits continue to be hot sellers.
Suppliers submitted products in July that were tailored toward the holidays. After reviewing these products, the division selected items that include a range of brands and prices that have the potential to appeal to Ohio consumers celebrating the holiday season.
For the 2016 holiday season, 56 holiday gift packs were selected for sale in Ohio’s contract liquor agencies. These value-added gift packs include not only the particular brand of liquor, but also contain distinctive accessories and other collectibles, such as glasses, snifters, shakers, flasks and decanters. Prices for all of the holiday items range from $10 to $90. The distribution of holiday gift products to contract liquor agencies is determined based on past sales of these types of items and special requests for particular products.
The division seeks to offer a diverse selection of holiday products that meet and exceed the needs of all Ohio consumers, continuing a holiday tradition of providing Ohio’s adult consuming public a variety of seasonal products and a high level of customer service.
With the many celebrations that are part of the holiday season, it is critical that all businesses selling alcohol practice safe, legal and responsible sales. Educate and train your employees to prevent sales to anyone who is intoxicated or underage. Make a commitment to taking proactive measures to help make this a safe holiday season for everyone.
Please visit our website at www.com.ohio.gov/liqr for a list of new products, holiday gift items and social responsibility resources.
Gerry O’Neil is chief of Agency Operations for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.