Beverage Group Content Director Jeremy Nedelka Tel : 763-383-4400 x2213 email : jnedelka @ epgmediallc . com

Kyle Swartz Editor , Off-Premise

OUR THIRD ANNUAL Beverage Alcohol Retailers Conference took place in June in downtown Louisville . Educational sessions covered topics from current industry trends and data , to single barrel-picking programs , to a spirited debate about the state of the three-tier system . The conference culminated in our first-ever Beverage Dynamics Top 100 Retailers banquet , which recognized the 100 best retailers in America . Twin Liquors of Texas took home the top prize as 2019 Retailer of the Year .

Everybody left Louisville with more knowledge and contacts ( plus suitcases weighed down with bubble-wrapped bourbon ). We thank all attendees for making this another great BARC ! Look for continued coverage of this event in future issues , and we hope to see you all at BARC 2020 .

In the meantime , what ’ s hotter than whiskey ? Not just from America , but also worldwide . The concurrent boom in brown and craft has given rise to quality distilleries across the globe producing top-quality spirits . Beginning on page 19 , I delve into what ’ s currently driving Scotch , Irish , Canadian and Japanese whisk ( e ) y , along with a peek at a cool new single malt from Australia .

Whisk ( e ) y is likely the largest trend in beverage alcohol right now , but obviously it ’ s far from alone . Rosé and sparkling wine are selling like gangbusters , while craft beer is at a crossroads . Across categories , we see producers launching lower-ABV and organic / all-natural options , as the nutritional fad from food spills over into alcohol . For a look at the major category trends , along with results from our annual retailer poll on this subject , see my feature on page 25 .

Another category that ’ s trending up is tequila . The craft movement has seen a wave of artisanal tequilas , which satisfy a growing number of aficionados . And we expect more quality-conscious consumers to reach for these bottles in the coming years . After all , as Top 100 winner TJ Douglas , owner of Urban Grape in Boston , once told me , “ All whiskey drinkers are tequila drinkers — they just don ’ t know it yet .” Wise words . For more on this subject , see Tom Henry Strenk ’ s piece on page 13 .

What ’ s better than summertime ? To me this season means sipping wine by the poolside , whiskey cocktails on rooftop bars and craft beer with barbecue . Hopefully we can all find time to travel ( in May / June I was in Chicago , Louisville and Italy ), which is great opportunity to try different drinks and brands from around the world . ( Three Louisville craft breweries you should check out : Against the Grain , Mile Wide , and Gravely .) As you all savor this season ’ s warmer weather and refreshing drinks , we at Beverage Dynamics hold up a glass of our own and say , cheers !

Editor , Off-Premise Kyle Swartz Tel : 763-383-4400 x2225 email : kswartz @ epgmediallc . com

Contributing Editors Jonathan H . Newman Marnie Old Tom Shay Tom Henry Strenk

Brand Development Manager Vincent Melita Tel : 763-383-4400 , x2251 email : vmelita @ epgmediallc . com

Sales Managers Bruce Kostic Tel : 763-383-4400 , x2215 email : bkostic @ epgmediallc . com

Mark Marcon Tel : 763-383-4456 email : mmarcon @ epgmediallc . com

Debbie Rittenberg Tel : 763-383-4455 email : drittenberg @ epgmediallc . com

Managing Art Director Dodi Vessels Art Director Nicole Siewert

Sr . Creative Services Project Manager Angela Scott Tel : 763-383-4441 email : ascott @ epgmediallc . com

Senior Product Manager , Data & Insights Marina Velez Tel : 763-383-4400 x2212 email : mvelez @ epgmediallc . com

LIST RENTAL Kris Grauer email : kgrauer @ npsmediagroup . com Tel : 203-822-7933

REPRINTS For more information on e-prints or reprints from Beverage Dynamics magazine , contact Wright ’ s Media , MBrewer @ wrightsmedia . com - Marcia Brewer , 877-652-5295 .

Sr VP / Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito Operations Director Bernadette Wohlman CEO Marion Minor

Beverage Dynamics is published by EPG Media & Specialty Information Editorial and executive offices at 40 Richards Ave , 3rd Floor , Suite 300 Norwalk , CT 06854 Telephone : 763-383-4400 Fax : 763-383-4499

6 Beverage Dynamics • July / August 2019 www . beveragedynamics . com