Ripped from the Headlines

Important news from our industry...

Joe Canal's in Woodbridge announces a free (21 & over, with ID) tasting of Irish Whiskey on Sunday, March 16, from 1-3pm. Perfect timing - the day before St. Patrick's Day. On the tasting menu:

Redbreast 12 year Single Pot Still Whiskey
John Powers
Tullamore D.E.W.
Green Spot Single Pot Still

Slainte!

Makers Mark to Boost Capacity by 50%
Source: Shanken Daily News

Beam Inc.’s Maker’s Mark has revealed details on a new $67 million distillery expansion plan. The project will add a third still to the existing Maker’s Mark distillery and is slated to increase the facility’s Bourbon production by 50%. In addition to installing the new still—which is expected to take 18 months—Beam plans to construct new warehouses over a seven-year period. This new investment comes on top of $50 million Beam has already poured into the Maker’s Mark distillery in recent years.

The news follows last year’s controversial plan by Maker’s Mark to lower its alcohol in an effort to meet booming demand. After a sharp consumer backlash, the brand swiftly reversed that decision, but in June reportedly began exploring a “state of the art rinse process” designed to extract more Bourbon from each barrel.

Maker’s continues to be one of the driving forces behind the Bourbon category’s renaissance, rising by 5.3% to 1.25 million cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank. Globally, the Bourbon brand was among the 15 biggest growth brands among Impact’s Top 100 Spirits by volume, posting a nearly 11% increase to 1.44 million cases.

Goose Island Plans Major Expansion, New National Ad Campaign
Source: Shanken Daily News

In the wake of a 70% jump in sales last year, Goose Island Beer Co. is laying plans for significant expansion. The Chicago-based craft brewer, acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2011, has leased a 130,000-square-foot warehouse near its headquarters on Chicago’s north side, where it plans to house hundreds of new Bourbon barrels for production of its Bourbon County Stout series, which is aged for more than a year.

Bourbon County, offered just one day a year, has sold out in a matter of hours everywhere it’s been released. The product, offered in flavors such as coffee, rye and vanilla, has become a cult favorite, with beer lovers in cities such as Miami and Houston camping out overnight in front of retail stores the day after Thanksgiving to ensure they could buy it.

“The bigger warehouse will allow us to quadruple our capacity for Bourbon County,” says Goose Island CEO Andrew Goeler. “We’ll get more product out to our markets, although we’ll still be far short of meeting demand.”

Once a regional brewer before being taken national last year by Anheuser-Busch, Goose Island brews some of its labels at A-B plants in different states, but Goeler says the company wants to keep Bourbon County a made-in-Chicago product.

Goose Island is also introducing its first national ad campaign, including print and digital spots. The ads feature Goose Island’s Fulton Street Brewery in Chicago and run under the tagline, “To what’s next.” Meanwhile, Goose Island—whose volume neared the 350,000-barrel mark in 2013—is planning the release of 18 new beers in 2014.

"Disneyland of Food"

That's planned for Bologna, Italy. It's related to the Eataly chain, which has locations in New York City, Chicago, and more than 20 other international destinations. Click for the story.