By Amy LaHue, Oak Solutions Specialist with guest contributor Andrew Wiehebrink, R&D Spirits Division Distillers have mastered their craft, but even the most refined spirit can sometimes fall short of the rich color they envisioned. When that happens, I am here to work alongside them to determine the best path forward. During a recent collaboration, we explored one of the most natural methods for enhancing color— exposure to new oak.  This process imparts color primarily through two key factors: toast profile and tannin content. But I began to wonder which of these has the greater impact? There are many things to consider.  For instance, French oak contains roughly ten times more tannin than American oak. It’s only natural to assume a dark-toast French oak would be ideal, as it offers the best of both worlds— high tannin content and a deep toast profile. But there’s a catch… toasting degrades tannins, especially in French oak. Knowing that r

One of the larger industry trends reflected here at LibDib is the proliferation of craft tequila and mezcal brands. These brands have amazing stories behind them and we love supporting small importers and distilleries. So do our retail, bar and restaurant customers throughout our 15 states.   Here’s a sample of a few of the most amazing craft tequila and mezcal brands: Black Sheep Tequila: For spirits connoisseurs craving a taste for something new, yet extraordinarily steeped in tradition, Black Sheep Tequila provides a line of tequilas produced entirely from the labor-intensive, centuries-old, hands-on process. This tequila is sourced from only the highest-quality 100 percent Weber Blue Agave and is traditionally handcrafted to create the perfect balance of flavors. Additive free, Black Sheep shares clean unique styles of tequila, including the famous Still Strength Aged 15 Year Extra Añejo, Barrel Strength Extra Añejo, Extra Añejo, Añejo, Reposa

It’s Saturday, and I’m reading an article about the launch of Pepsi Co.’s new “Bubly Burst” product this week. The soft drink powerhouse is trying to shake up a previously vague market between sparkling water and sweetened soda with this new line of sweetened, 1% fruit juice, low-calorie, carbonic hydration with flavors. I take note, but it’s not the flavoring that piqued my interest. It’s the packaging. The Triple Threat It is not new that carbonated, flavored, adult beverages are fueling the “any-alcohol-is-bad-for-your-health” declaration by creating flavors like Bellini Bliss and offering recipes that are meant to encourage consumers to enjoy the flavors and creativity of craft cocktails without the alcohol. If we look at other adult beverages, we can see they are also leading the conversation around sustainability and innovation in packaging. In Pepsi’s case, they chose 16.9-ounce single-serve bottles of recycled pla

During a recent fining trial of a problematic wine that was fermented with a problematic yeast, the conversation briefly touched on protein stability and I started reminiscing about the very first blog that I wrote for Laffort South Africa. Said blog post (click here to read it) was about bentonite and its affinity for various proteins or the lack thereof. Bentonite – Jack of all trades, master of some Whether you love it or hate it, this bentonite stuff really is a very versatile oenological additive. For those that are a bit hazy (see what I did there) on the subject, here is a quick recap on what bentonite is and what it does. Bentonite, which is essentially a very useful negatively charged clay, is mainly composed of plates of silicon and aluminium oxide, along with calcium and sodium ions. Upon rehydration, the above-mentioned plates separate, thereby creating a huge surface area that allows the sodium and calcium ions to interact with positively charged heat unstable prote

Afternoon Brief, March 14th

Wine Blogger from New Jersey Disappeared in Italy 5 Years Ago—FBI Seeks Help Trying to Find Him: The FBI is asking for the public’s help as they continue to search for a New Jersey native and self-described wine blogger who was last seen nearly five years ago in northern Italy...

The Australian ‘Black Summer’ of 2019/20, which saw bushfires destroy swathes of vineyard land across the country was a dramatic reminder of the growing challenges facing winemakers around the world. We spoke to leading Australian winemakers and lab technicians to find out how agile decision-making is helping to deal with the consequences of global warming. Offering alarming proof of the escalating effects of climate change, in November 2019 bushfires blazed through New South Wales, scorching more than five million hectares of land following Australia’s hottest and driest year on record. In December 2019, the fires swept through the Adelaide Hills, destroying 650 ha of vines in the region, and wiping out entire vineyards. Making matters worse, the smoke from the fires was far-reaching, rendering vineyard plots from Canberra to the Hunter Valley useless. Ravaging an estimated 24.3 million hectares of land in total and destroying over 3,000 buildings, the September 2019

Afternoon Brief, February 29th

TTB Listens to Wine Industry: The TTB wants to hear what the industry thinks about label regulations, so Wine-Searcher's US editor had his say...

7 Ways to Share Your Sustainable Story Once we learned that storytelling helps customers understand your sustainable practices and can increase your sales, we’ve been dedicated to helping you: Write your Sustainable Story. Teach your team about it. Share it with your audience. Throughout the year, we’ve shared tips on how to integrate your sustainable message into every level of your branding and marketing. As the year comes to an end, we’ve put them all together for you below!   1. Does your staff know about sustainability? Did you know that of the 48% of employees in the food and beverage industry who receive regular training, only 4.5% receive training about their company’s mission and values? If you aren't regularly talking to your staff about your company's mission and values, you're missing out on opportunities to create a more informed and dedicated team! Click here to learn about the latest SIP Certified training tool to teach your staf