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AirTalk

Industry Check In: How Have Distilleries Fared During The Pandemic And What’s The Outlook?

By AirTalk Staff
Published May 25, 2021
Employee Matthew Coulson poses for a photograph with whisky casks in the bonded warehouse at The Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, central Scotland, on February 26, 2021. - It has survived world wars, Prohibition and The Great Depression but this may very well be the toughest time yet for Scotland's oldest whisky maker. The Glenturret Distillery, located on the banks of the River Turret two miles (3.2 kilometres) northwest of the town of Crieff, was established in 1763 and is a popular stop for whisky enthusiasts. "It has been a really tough period for us with Covid, US tariffs and Brexit as well," the distillery's managing director, John Laurie, told AFP. (Photo by Andy Buchanan / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY Stuart GRAHAM (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Employee Matthew Coulson poses for a photograph with whisky casks in the bonded warehouse at The Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, central Scotland, on February 26, 2021.
(
ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images
)
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Industry Check In How Have Distilleries Fared During The Pandemic And What’s The Outlook
The food and beverage industry has been rocked by the pandemic. We recently heard from restaurants and breweries about their outlook as Americans continue to get vaccinated and states chip away at restrictions. Now we’re hearing from distillers. Some say temporary loosened restrictions saved their businesses, but it’s going to be a long and slow recovery as tasting rooms reopen and states consider approving permanent laws that could benefit distilleries. Do you operate or work in a distillery? What has been your experience over the last year and what do you think the future holds for the industry? Tell us your thoughts by commenting below or call 866-893-5722. Guests: Ryan Friesen, head distiller at Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana, he’s Vice President of the California Artisanal Distillers Guild; he tweets @Kehrageous Simon Haxton, one of the owners of Portuguese Bend Distilling located in downtown Long Beach Adam Smith, vice president of government relations for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, he’s based in Sacramento, California; he tweets @AdamDISCUS Becky Harris, president of the American Craft Spirits Association, a national nonprofit trade group, she’s also chief distiller of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Virginia; she tweets @beckhar67

The food and beverage industry has been rocked by the pandemic. We recently heard from restaurants and breweries about their outlook as Americans continue to get vaccinated and states chip away at restrictions.

Now we’re hearing from distillers. Some say temporary loosened restrictions saved their businesses, but it’s going to be a long and slow recovery as tasting rooms reopen and states consider approving permanent laws that could benefit distilleries.

Do you operate or work in a distillery? What has been your experience over the last year and what do you think the future holds for the industry? Tell us your thoughts by commenting below or call 866-893-5722. 

Guests: 

Ryan Friesen, head distiller at Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana, he’s Vice President of the California Artisanal Distillers Guild; he tweets

Simon Haxton, one of the owners of Portuguese Bend Distilling located in downtown Long Beach

Adam Smith, vice president of government relations for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, he’s based in Sacramento, California; he tweets

Becky Harris, president of the American Craft Spirits Association, a national nonprofit trade group, she’s also chief distiller of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Virginia; she tweets