At Press Time

Congratulations to the Brazilian spirit cachaça.  The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has amended the rules related to the standardization of identity for distilled spirits to recognize cachaça as an official spirit that is distinctively produced in Brazil.  The final rule published in the Federal Register will... Read More

Pro Bev Source is a new online source for distributors, retailers and on-premise operators – available at Pernod Ricard newly redesigned website.  It contains brand and product information, image assets, sales and promotional materials, and a link to the Pernod Ricard Drinks Database, which provides access to more than 1OOO... Read More

Horizon Beverage Group’s various operating divisions took home an avalanche of awards at Bacardi’s 3rd Annual Founders Awards Ceremony in Miami this February.  The New Hampshire division won Brand Awards for its performance on Dewar’s, Flavored Rums and Martini & Rossi, along with the President’s Award for best broker/wholesaler in... Read More

Well, at least in Minnesota it is.  The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled that hopping on your Segway after you’ve had a few drinks is not driving drunk under the state’s law – because a Segway is not a motor vehicle.  Last February, Mark Greenman was stopped by police... Read More

Beam Inc. has announced that it will shut down its Lewiston, Maine facility and shift production of Pinnacle Vodka and Calico Jack Rum to Kentucky. The 16O employees who work at the plant will lose their jobs, Paula Erickson, a spokeswoman for Beam, told the Bangor Daily News. The consolidation... Read More

Think you’re a good tipper? Your libation of choice may actually determine how you tip. Insight analyst firm Restaurant Sciences recently released its first-ever study of spirits, beer and wine gratuities. Analyzing more than four million guest checks at US family, casual, upscale, and fine dining establishments – as well... Read More

This one could easily fall into the “too much information” category. A new Smart Phone app says it shows the physical signs of aging caused by alcohol consumption.  The free app, called the “Drinking Mirror”, works on anyone but was actually designed to target women who drink heavily.  Rolled out... Read More

Ever woken up with a brutal hangover and wished that you’d had the presence of mind to stop after two instead of five cocktails?  Well, in the future your ice cubes could actually do that service for you.  After experiencing his own bad hangover, MIT Media Labs researcher Dhairya Dand... Read More

Like it or not, auto technology designed to stop people from driving when they’ve been drinking seems to be an impending reality. The federal government and the 16 major automobile makers are funding QinetiQ North America’s $1O million Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) project. And the technology is... Read More

For many, tequila is known as a good time party shot or the key ingredient in a margarita. In reality, it is a much more complex spirit, one which is made to very strict standards. In order to protect makers of tequila from unfair competition, the Mexican government recently announced... Read More