Still Building - The Business of Craft Spirits

Fraud, folklore, and a blue bottle: we map the unlikely journey from anonymous barrels to belief-driven brands—and what that means for what you pour tonight. We start where spirits had no logos, no labels, and trust lived with your local merchant. As railroads stretched supply chains and scandals spread, the sealed bottle became a promise of purity, and trademarks gave that promise legal teeth. Na...

The shelf looks like a renaissance—rows of elegant bottles, local labels, and stories that sparkle—but the numbers tell a tougher truth. We unpack why craft distilleries keep multiplying while their overall share of the U.S. spirits market shrinks, and how a tiny top tier within “craft” captures a disproportionate slice of volume. From wage spikes and glass shortages to barrel scarcity and cash fl...

The small-batch spirits revolution has captivated American drinkers, but behind the beautiful bottles and artisanal methods lies a complex reality for the smallest independent producers. These micro-distilleries—making fewer than 5,300 cases annually—operate in a business landscape fundamentally different from their larger counterparts. What makes these craft producers unique is their hyper-locali...

The craft beverage alcohol world sparkles with innovation, yet small producers face a daunting challenge: getting their carefully crafted spirits from distillery to glass. This journey, once a fragmented obstacle course of distributors, retailers, and marketing hurdles, is being transformed by smart strategies and unexpected tools. We dive deep into the emergence of integrated route-to-market plat...

Have you ever tasted an incredible craft spirit and wondered why it isn't more widely available? The answer lies in a complex web of distribution challenges that often crush small, innovative distillers before they can reach their potential. The traditional three-tier alcohol distribution system presents nearly insurmountable barriers for craft producers. Designed for mass-market brands movin...

Passion alone isn't enough to succeed in the craft spirits world. Regardless of how exceptional your product might be, breaking through distribution barriers and reaching consumers remains a daunting challenge for small producers competing against industry giants. Our deep dive explores Corning Company's revolutionary approach to solving this exact problem. As an integrated route to mark...

Ever dreamed of crafting your own spirits brand? That vision of copper stills bubbling away while you perfect your unique flavor profile is captivating. But underneath those dreams lies a complex reality that can quickly transform passion into paperwork. The global spirits industry presents tremendous opportunities for craft producers, but the barriers to success remain formidably high. We dive de...

What happens when AI doesn't just recommend your next purchase but actually makes it for you? Corning & Company is pioneering this revolutionary shift in the craft spirits industry through what they call "agentive e-commerce." This transformative approach reimagines how craft beverages move from production to consumption by creating an integrated ecosystem connecting brand owner...

Beverages aren't just changing – they're transforming entirely. This deep dive explores the psychology driving the 2025 beverage consumer through six distinct segments that are reshaping the industry landscape. Healthy Hedonists seek wellness without sacrificing enjoyment, gravitating toward low-alcohol options and clean labels. Experience Seekers chase novelty and premium experiences, r...

Corning Company is revolutionizing the craft spirits industry by solving major distribution challenges that prevent small, independent distilleries from reaching consumers. Their innovative platform serves as a vital bridge connecting craft brands with consumers, retailers, and distributors through an approach rooted in their remarkable 140-year history as America's largest pre-Prohibition wh...