MicroShiner at the 2014 ADI Spirits Conference

A little more than a month ago, the world of craft spirits descended on the Washington State Convention Center for the American Distilling Institute's annual Spirits Conference & Vendor Expo.

photo via Distilling.com

Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, just blocks from Pike Place Market, the venue played host to hundreds of established and aspiring craft distillers, as well as a wide variety of industry experts and vendors. Widely considered the essential entry point for any start-up micro-distilling or craft spirits enterprise, the conference featured a full week of workshops and breakout sessions related to beginning or growing a craft spirits business. These sessions, each one facilitated by members of craft's best and brightest, covered the entire gamut, with titles the likes of "So You Want to Start a Distillery" (John Jeffries of Death’s Door Spirits, Evan Parker of Turkey Shore Distilleries, and Robert Cassell of Millstone Spirits), "Who Are the Craft-Friendly Distributors? (John Henry of El Buho Mezcal), and The History of Craft Distilling" (Colin Spoelman of Kings County) vying for the attention of the gathered attendees.

photo via Distilling.com

Anchoring the event was ADI's Award Gala, held Tuesday night in the Sheraton Downtown ballroom. This was prefaced by an open tasting hosted by the Washington Distillers Guild, which showcased more than a dozen craft labels from across the state. With so many options at hand, discretion was the better part of valor, and a number of spirits went untasted. The absinthe was not one of them. 

Finally, the gala attendees grudgingly found seats in the grand ballroom, where Andrew Faulkner of ADI presided over the Institute's 2014 awards banquet. Distillers from across the country were recognized for their spirited achievements, with medals awarded in a variety of categories, including micro-distilled and blended honors. Derek Bell of Corsair Distillery received the coveted Bubble Cap Award for outstanding achievement in artisan distilling.

The following day was filled with more sessions, most notably the "What is Craft?" breakout paneled by Andrew Faulkner (ADI), Derek Bell (Corsair), Ryan Hembree (Skip Rock), Steven Stone (Sound Spirits), and Jim Blansit (Copper Run). This session sparked a lively discussion centered around ADI's craft certification program, and the distinction between micro-distilled spirits and those labels founded on sourced or blended products.

Another key element of the conference was the vendor expo, and much time was spent mingling with the various representatives present on the expo floor. From artisan glass and custom labels to specialty grains and handcrafted stills, companies from every corner of the spirits industry were on hand to pitch and promote their products. Mike Haney of Hillbilly Stills and Jim Malzahn of Black Swan Cooperage were crowd favorites, with both boasting products of superior craftsmanship and personality to match.

Of course, the greatest highlight of the week for us was the opportunity to meet and greet the individual distillers themselves. Each with their own unique back story and take on craft spirits, every interaction only served to reinforce the notion that this industry is as much about people as it is about product. With a network that includes everyone from makers to tasters, ADI is diligently working to bridge the gap between producers and consumers, and create a platform from which distilling dreams can be achieved.

We're already looking forward to next year!