Distillers Talk #153 - Alan and Christi Unfiltered on the Future of the Industry

Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson take on some controversial topics in the spirits industry right now and discuss the future of the market, as well as tips for brands and ancillary partners.

Seth Benheim and Nick Roady of Broken Barrel Whiskey Company join Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson and discuss the importance of packaging and standing out in a market as a craft producer in a developed market. We also get into responsible distribution strategies and working with foreign markets while satisfying your home accounts, as well as upcoming plans and unique collaborative releases.

Ian Verno of Ten-030 Barrels joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to discuss his hybrid barrels

Distillers Talk goes to Yunnan Province, China this week! Evan Villarrubia of MB Distillery joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to discuss his start in the distilling industry in China, as well as the production of some of his products including sugar cane rum and rice based spirits. We’re also going to get into China’s multi-tier system and Chinese distilling culture.  Check out our Facebook and Instagram on Monday, February 12th to weigh in on our poll with questions for Evan's next episode with us!

David McIntyre of West Fork Whiskey in Indianapolis joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson this week. We discuss West Fork's beginnings under a small budget and the evolution of its production setup and product line, as well as struggles encountered along the way. This is a great episode for those looking to start up a distillery with a small investment!

Thomas Thacker in North Carolina joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to talk more about his process and operations at Southern Grace Distilleries making Conviction Bourbon and White Dog. Tune in also to learn about their whiskey prison and paranormal tour stories!

Author and host of the Whiskey Lore podcasts, Drew Hannush joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to discuss his new book, The Lost History of Tennessee Whiskey. Order it now through Amazon here.

Andrew Lohfeld of Roulaison Distilling Co in Louisiana joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to discuss some hot topics in rum right now. We get into single estate varietals and Louisiana grown sugarcane, a Louisiana rum designation, rum nomenclature and changes to Louisiana state law for self distribution. 

Bobby Demars, Christian Riddout and Christopher Sebastian from Blind Barrels join Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to discuss their unique whiskey service, helping connect their subscribers with American craft distilleries.

Jeff Rasmussen of StillDragon joins Alan Bishop and Christi Atkinson to share his more unique experiences helping their clients design more efficient and innovative systems. We also chat about his journey into the industry and some surprises coming up with DragonStill.