� the beverage and restaurant industries . In his small apartment-turned-alchemist-den , he homebrews beer kombucha , and concocts his own bitters and infusions .
AMERICAN VODKA and protect our freedom — both here and abroad .” American Anthem partners with two charities , Operation Gratitude and The Mission Continues .
Phillips Distilling Co . proudly supports veteran employment initiatives . Created by a U . S . veteran , UV Vodka is now supported by a workforce of approximately 10 % veterans . Four years ago , UV created Salute to Heroes , a campaign that helps military veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment . Since 2015 , UV Vodka has donated over $ 300,000 to this cause .
THE NOTION OF TERROIR Unlike winemakers , vodka producers don ’ t lay claims that a particular region ’ s soil , climate and terrain influence the taste of the final product . But many do express a strong connection with their localities .
“ We speak more to ‘ Minnesota Made ’ than American made ,” says Reimers about Prairie Organic Vodka . Organically grown corn is sourced from family-owned farms in Benson , Minnesota , and the spirit is distilled in Princeton , Minnesota . “ Our key differentiation is being USDA Certified Organic and the vodka is distilled to taste , versus a set amount of times .”
Deep Eddy Vodka prides itself on its Austin heritage , which is where the brand is based , Cherry says . It ’ s made from corn , 10-times distilled and six times filtered . Its flavors are made with real fruit juice .
Tito ’ s Vodka also plays heavily upon its American heritage , which it announces on the label : “ Crafted in an old-fashioned pot still by America ’ s original microdistillery .” But the brand relies just as heavily on a sense of place , upon its Austin roots and its claim as Texas ’ oldest legal distillery .
“ Customers will really get excited if a product is locally made ,” notes retailer Ruiz at Sodie ’ s Wine & Spirits .
LINE-EXTENSION PHILOSOPHIES When it comes to adding new expressions and flavors , each brand goes its own way . Some , like Tito ’ s , focus strictly on the 80 proof original , while others are busy adding to flavor portfolios .
This spring , Skyy added to its Infusions lineup with Sun-Ripened Watermelon . “ Watermelon is a huge trending fl avor and is perfect for warmer weather ,” Batchelor says . “ Skyy Infusions are made with real fruit , which helps us stand out in a crowded market .”
“ We have not added any new flavors recently , but we are launching our new grapefruit-flavored vodka in early 2019 ,” Sachs says . “ Our flavors have proven to be extremely successful for New Amsterdam Vodka .”
“ Given the saturated flavored vodka category , we decided to go the other direction and remove underperforming flavors and refocus on our core 10 flavors ,” says Reimers about Phillips ’ UV brand . Introduced in 2002 , Blue Raspberry is still one of the most popular flavors . Recently UV Silver ( unflavored ) Vodka has taken the lead for the brand .
For its part , Smirnoff offers a variety of flavor options . “ We ’ ve found over the last three years that consumers want variety by season and cultural moments such as holidays . For us , our marketing around flavors has had the most impact when we ’ ve prioritized support for flavors with seasonal appeal ,” Shah says . With this in mind , the brand launched a variety of seasonal limited-time flavor offerings such as Smirnoff Peppermint Twist for the winter and holiday season , as well as Smirnoff Red , White & Berry for all things Americana during the summer months .
The newest addition to the family is the Smirnoff Moscow Mule , a nod to its invention of the Original Moscow Mule cocktail over 75 years ago . This ready-to-mix ginger & lime flavored variant now makes at-home cocktail creation even easier – just add ginger ale or ginger beer .
Right now , the brand team at American Anthem Vodka is too busy to think about adding flavors . “ We are knee-deep and very heavy in the launch of the unflavored expression ,” Robertson says . “ Our focus for the next year or so is driving distribution and awareness . Who knows what the future holds in terms of line extensions or flavors .” •
THOMAS HENRY STRENK is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer with over 20 years experience covering
� the beverage and restaurant industries . In his small apartment-turned-alchemist-den , he homebrews beer kombucha , and concocts his own bitters and infusions .
StateWays | www . stateways . com | September / October 2018 31