tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post6183927096297158993..comments2024-03-19T20:31:23.141-05:00Comments on The Chuck Cowdery Blog: A Comment About Yesterday's PostChuck Cowderyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12191121480961526039noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-63791006271832943892016-06-14T16:42:19.335-05:002016-06-14T16:42:19.335-05:00This whole discussion is so pointless. We are talk...This whole discussion is so pointless. We are talking about alcohol, yet this discussion sometimes has an almost religious fervor. The only thing that is relevant is my individual preference that is dictated by the flavor of the liquid. Either I like it or I don't. It doesn't make me a better person or morally superior if the product is made by a so-called craft distiller. This religious battle almost makes me want to go out and buy tequila instead of whiskey. If only I didn't like it so much...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11241044107098690543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-7534307591567387732016-06-06T21:01:13.478-05:002016-06-06T21:01:13.478-05:00Many other people are doing what High West does bu...Many other people are doing what High West does but they don't spin it as successfully. That's not a criticism of High West. You need to be good at telling your story.Chuck Cowderyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12191121480961526039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-52699178580083027522016-06-06T20:33:52.345-05:002016-06-06T20:33:52.345-05:00Why can't these smaller distilleries follow Hi...Why can't these smaller distilleries follow High West's example? Purchase whiskey from MGP while being completely forthright about it, have your genius master distiller do an outstanding job of finishing/blending said whiskey, release these products under your label, all while you continue to distill and age your whiskies for future release. Mr Perkins and High West.....you guys rock!Crown Point Marchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11954073193405396961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-21806194972505329452016-06-06T15:42:18.834-05:002016-06-06T15:42:18.834-05:00Hello Chuck,
Great post. It's sure easy to rai...Hello Chuck,<br />Great post. It's sure easy to raise a rukus around here when 'craft' comes into the conversation. Fortunately, most of the folks who visit our distillery here in rural Missouri are more interested in tasting whiskey than arguing about it. Bottom line; we are having more fun than it should be legal to have, and we broke $1M in annual sales this quarter. Like you said. it's all good!<br />Ralph Haynes<br />New Haven, MORalphhttp://pinckneybend.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-19983498016184697332016-06-06T13:20:43.684-05:002016-06-06T13:20:43.684-05:00A lot of digital ink is spilled attempting to look...A lot of digital ink is spilled attempting to look at craft whiskey through the lens of the craft beer success.<br /><br />The elephant in the room is the aging problem. Craft beer doesn't have to age 6-12 years to be good. Bourbon whiskey does.<br /><br />Craft whiskey business plan:<br /><br />1. Spend a lot of money and do a lot of work<br />2. Wait 6-12 years<br />3. Start reaping profits<br /><br />That's a tough sell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-58285845767190094452016-06-05T21:51:53.976-05:002016-06-05T21:51:53.976-05:00I've visited quite a few small craft distiller...I've visited quite a few small craft distilleries, because that's all we've got in my area. I finally got a chance to tour Kentucky recently, and after crawling around the facilities at several "real" distilleries for the first time (especially Sazerac's tours at 1792 Barton and Buffalo Trace are beyond awesome for someone who knows whiskey), the craft distilleries lose a lot of their charm. There are some good small craft distilleries, but personally, I'd rather contemplate the big blackened rickhouses around Bardstown which I know are maturing very good whiskey, rather than listen to yet another guy babbling about passion and hand-made when describing his overpriced white dog. Erik Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12240369317945678257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-17705745198406103202016-06-05T19:56:20.437-05:002016-06-05T19:56:20.437-05:00Can't agree with you more about the smaller di...Can't agree with you more about the smaller distillery's tour being more intimate - I've toured all of the big distilleries (that does tours) and been to small ones as well but the small ones have always been more intimate and just because of the reason you mentioned - the person giving the tour is often the founder or someone close to the founder. <br /><br />They can literally tell you everything about the whiskey they are making - their goal, the reason why they got into the business, and their dream. This isn't something your average tour at the big distilleries can match. Not to mention that in most cases their founders tend to be, well, dead.Yagaminoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-64911290647261313302016-06-05T16:02:25.944-05:002016-06-05T16:02:25.944-05:00Well, (to Mike) there is no rule that big distille...Well, (to Mike) there is no rule that big distillery bourbon or rye is national and constant. Any craft distillery can make a valid version, in fact one that may be superior. They just have chosen not to, or can't (in general). <br /><br />I don't see a valid comparison, even local vs. national, that is, between craft and established Kentucky distilling. Crafts are making different products, not ones that can be compared even for uniformity vs. diversity.<br /><br />Anyway, big distilleries can and do sell white dog. Heaven Hill did for decades before any craft brewery did - Georgia Moon. And numerous large distillers sold corn whiskey which can be quite similar to what crafts typically sell. <br /><br />It's the other way where I don't see the evidence.<br /><br />Gary Gillman, Toronto.Gary Gillmanhttp://www.beeretseq.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-41116984460205145732016-06-05T10:11:55.460-05:002016-06-05T10:11:55.460-05:00Chuck,
I am glad you added this follow up to yest...Chuck,<br /><br />I am glad you added this follow up to yesterday's blog. Living close to Kentucky, I have toured many of the macro, or "heritage", distilleries and have also visited many micro, or "craft", distilleries in the nation. I have developed a mindset that they are clearly two different monsters. Let me compare it to food and soda pop.<br /><br />A Coca Cola is the same anywhere in the country. A stabilizing factor one could say. There are many different regional flares of food. Near my home, Cincinnati has a unique style of chili and goetta is popular. Travel to New Orleans and local fare as much different. Follow that with a trip to Maine. Just food styles vary from region to region yet Coca Cola is a constant, I apply the same consideration when looking at craft vs. heritage distilleries. <br /><br />I purchase something from every craft distillery I visit. Some are good, some are not. For every craft item I purchase, I also purchase a Four Roses or Buffalo Trace product. It is a process of enjoying local flare and stability. To consider them in competition is unjust. Each is in it's own league.<br /><br />Thank you for steering this away from a micro vs. macro competition. As the market continues to grow, both micro and macro, we are all winners.Mike from Ohionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-65223269654880080382016-06-05T09:33:42.571-05:002016-06-05T09:33:42.571-05:00Most of the craft whiskey I've seen is young w...Most of the craft whiskey I've seen is young whiskey, non- or little-aged. And a lot of what is made is vodka or gin. That is a different or non-brown goods market. So that part doesn't count in this discussion.<br /><br />Despite some crafts being in business almost 20 years, I am surprised there isn't more 4 year plus aged straight whiskey. Either for philosophic or financial reasons, there is only a little of this. What there is is good, but there would need to be a lot more to start seriously to challenge big distilling. Big distilling always made a quality product so there is no analogy to big brewing which let standards slide from the historical norm.<br /><br />Personally, I think flavoured young spirits or vodka can make a good living for some crafts but they need to get into methodically aged straight whiskey to really make a difference. There is plenty of scope in that field to do so: using interesting yeasts, heirloom grains, variations on mashbills, even backset to ferment. Hey James Crow and E.H. Taylor, Jr. did it.<br /><br />Gary Gillman, Toronto.<br /><br />Gary Gillmanhttp://www.beeretseq.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-86590431558749723042016-06-05T01:30:09.887-05:002016-06-05T01:30:09.887-05:00Lots of "craft" or "start up" ...Lots of "craft" or "start up" whiskies suck, especially when asking $60 plus a pop. I know. I've been trying. Sure, they all have a new distilleries to pay for and payroll to make, but they're out of their bleeping minds.MadMexnoreply@blogger.com