Artisan Liquor Makers

The Los Angeles Times ran a story February 11, 2010 called Sober Times for Artisan Liquor Makers written by Jenn Garbee. The article makes two great points:

1. Distilleries are growing in numbers

Bill Owens, founder of the Hayward, Calif.-based American Distilling Institute and the leading industry consultant….Owens says the fact that many small producers struggle in their early years hasn’t slowed industry growth. He estimates that the number of craft distilleries in the United States has grown from fewer than 60 less than seven years ago to more than 200 today. “Where these new distilleries are struggling now is the retail markets.”

2. Challenges are plenty for Liquor Entrepreneurs

…the day-to-day challenges, such as navigating state liquor regulations, battling with large spirits companies for retail store shelf space and persuading consumers to pay top dollar for a hand-crafted product…the daydreams of selling small-batch, hand-crafted spirits on the merits of taste alone are hardly reality in a business dominated by large corporate distillers with deep advertising pockets that offer similar, and often less expensive, products…many artisan distillers have found that the tight economy has made entering the market with their often pricier spirits even trickier…

Liquor entrepreneurs are spotting opportunity by doing what they love.