In the days where just about every person had Pinterest on their phones, and every other commercial uses the word "craft" to describe their product, it becomes more and more difficult to understand. The word Craft is defined in the dictionary as follows, "Denoting or relating to food or drink made in a traditional or non-mechanized way by an individual or a small company." This definition can help us form our opinions when discussing craft liquor. While many trends come and go, and tend to help out the market and introduce new flavors or types of alcohol in the market, I firmly believe the overused word craft has hurt small, local craftsman and taken away from the value of their product in the consumers eye. An example I would like to use would be Tito's Vodka, this is labeled as a craft spirit, it can be bought in bulk, distributed across the united states and it represented by one of the largest distributing companies in America (please don't take this offensively to those of you who buy this product, I myself LOVE this vodka, just not the advertising!). On the other side of the spectrum you have a new corn whiskey, distilled in Baltimore, made from corn from the eastern shore by a father and daughter who have perfected this craft. As someone who is selling these products, although they are different spirits the prices are on two different scales, but when you explain to the consumer that they are both considered craft spirits its hard to explain the difference in price. I firmly also believe that since Tito's is now made in a high volume factory it should no longer be considered craft where as Louthan Distilling's whiskey comes from hand picked corn, and formulated by only two people and their fermenting equipment.
|