Cheers

FIRST SIP ® Y " A New Flavor for Brown Spirits September 2013 Vol. 24 No. 7 Executive Vice President, Group Publisher Charles Forman Tel (845) 262-1041 cforman@specialtyim.com Editor Melissa Dowling Tel (203) 855-8499 ext. 223 mdowling@specialtyim.com ou have to try this drink," said a friend from college who was visiting recently. She handed me a cocktail, which turned out to be a honey-flavored American Bourbon on the rocks. My friend had thrown a maraschino cherry in the glass, because she's festive like that, but that's all there was to the drink. The thing is, I've known this friend for decades, and I never remember her drinking Bourbon, scotch or any type of brown spirit. That a honey Bourbon is now her favorite drink speaks to the effect that flavored whiskeys are having on the category. Bars and restaurants say that the flavored varieties—honey, cherry, maple, and cinnamon, to name just a few—are attracting new converts, including women and Millennials. Then again, flavoring whiskey is seen as gilding the lily to purists. As our feature article "Whiskey Business," which starts on page 24, points out, some operators admit that they personally aren't fans of the flavors. The same goes for moonshine, or white whiskey—some strictly believe whiskey needs a little age and color on it. But clear, unaged whiskeys, which fit in with the current craft spirits movement, are showing up at bars and liquor stores nationwide. As with the flavored whiskeys, even skeptics have to acknowledge the popularity of these spirits among consumers and the need to stock them. Another factor driving the popularity of whiskey—among other spirits—is the trend of beer cocktails, many of which use whiskey as a key ingredient. The way that beer cocktails have taken off in the past year is phenomenal. Mixologists say that beer makes for a flavorful, carbonated mixer, while customers tend to be intrigued by the concept of combing beer and spirits. Speaking of beer cocktails, we have some great drink recipes that incorporate beer or wine as a mixer on page 42. Need to know what beer brands are popular? Our exclusive ranking and summary of the fastest-growing beer brands begins on page 18. On the wine front, we look at California's Sierra Foothills wine region on page 16, favorite South American wine values on page 28 and Chilean wine trends on page 31. Plus, our national wine panel offers their picks for cabernet sauvignon on page 37. And if you're shopping for a point-of-sale system, check out our roundup of them on page 33. There's plenty in this issue to get you prepared for a great fall. By the way, don't forget that September is National Bourbon Heritage Month. Whether you prefer flavored or plain, craft or big brand, there are plenty of delicious Bourbon options out there. Art Director Kathleen Sage ksage@specialtyim.com Production Director Mary Jo Tomei Tel (760) 318-7000 ext. 220 mtomei@specialtyim.com Editor-at-Large Liza B. Zimmerman Contributing Editors John Fischer Kelly A. Magyarics Melissa Niksic Thomas Henry Strenk Vice President of Sales, Associate Publisher Anthony Bongiovanni Tel (248) 253-0108 tbongiovanni@specialtyim.com Senior Regional Sales Managers Mark Marcon Tel (248) 761-6231 mmarcon@specialtyim.com Debbie Rittenberg Tel (215) 860-0306 drittenberg@specialtyim.com List Rental & Reprints Cheryl Naughton Tel (678) 292-6054 cnaughton@specialtyim.com Cheers® is published by Specialty Information Media Editorial offices at 17 High Street, 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 Cheers (ISSN 1051-564X—USP Number 007-239) is published nine times per year (January/February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, November/December) by Specialty Information Media, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Periodical Rate Postage paid at Norwalk, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823 SUBSCRIPTIONS: One-year subscription rates: USA $35.00; Canada $50.00; air mail to other countries $75.00. Melissa Dowling Editor 6 | SEPTEMBER 2013 ANDREA TOPALIAN Cheers! All subscriptions payable in U.S. dollars. Payment must accompany order. To subscribe write: Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823, or call the Cheers customer service line at 847-763-9565, Fax 847-763-9569, M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. Subscription customer service e-mail: cheers@halldata.com. Copyright 2013 by Specialty Information Media, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Reproduction without the express written consent of the publisher is prohibited. Specialty Information Media, publishes Cheers, Beverage Dynamics, StateWays, Wine & Spirits Industry Marketing, Handbook Advance, Liquor Handbook, Wine Handbook, Beer Handbook and Fact Book. www.cheersonline.com

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