Spirited Businesses: Growing Your Region's Craft Distillers

Date: December 17, 2014
Time:  2:30–4:00 p.m. EST
Price: $95 for IEDC members, $135 for Nonmembers
Contact: [email protected]

Craft spirits is a $10.2 billion market and growing fast. According to the American Craft Spirits Association, there are at least 350 craft distilleries in the United States today – a figure projected to pass 500 in 2015. The craft spirits industry holds economic development opportunities in tourism, manufacturing, revitalization, exporting and more.

What issues challenge the growth of craft distilling? Many state governments still have Prohibition-era legislation on the books, and often, local restrictions stifle growth as well. At the same time, many states are quickly making progress at changing laws to allow on-site sampling and sales at distilleries, while guilds are forming to address industry barriers and engage in marketing and consumer events. Economic developers can foster the growth of these homegrown manufacturers and destination magnets by addressing policy barriers, building partnerships, and more.

Attend this webinar and learn:

• The potential of craft distilling for economic growth in your community 
• How to address barriers to craft distilling at the local and state levels 
• Tips and strategies for helping craft distillers with marketing, exporting and more

Speakers:

Nicole Austin 
Engineer/Distiller, Oak View Consulting 
Master Blender, Kings County Distillery 
President, New York State Distillers Guild

Translating her chemical engineering background into a distilling role, Nicole Austin’s responsibilities include recipe development, production, safety, quality control, and sales. Self-taught in the area of spirits production, she is now directly responsible for the aging and blending of the medal-winning Kings County Bourbon Whiskey as well as the Chocolate Whiskey, one of the distillery’s most popular products. In 2012, Nicole was recruited by Dave Pickerell, a distilling industry icon, to be the first employee at his consulting firm, Oak View Consulting. In 2013, she became the first president of the New York State Distillers Guild, and was elected to the first board of directors of the American Craft Spirits Association.

Penn Jensen 
Executive Director 
American Craft Spirits Association

Penn Jensen is the Executive Director of the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA). Penn’s origin in the spirits community began with a senior management position at the American Distilling Institute (ADI) in 2004. His success with ADI, and within the burgeoning craft spirits phenomenon, led to the establishment of ACSA in 2013. During that time, he also served as Vice President of Upland Brewing Company and subsequently as the Executive Director of the Brewers’ Guild of Indiana until, in 2010, the growth of the craft spirits movement required his full time attention. Penn’s “crossover” career between craft brewing and craft distilling has brought a special perspective on the extraordinary impact the craft movement has had upon the cultural and economic fabric of modern America.