No, it’s not your imagination … the number of brew pubs, tap rooms, vineyards, and distilleries have skyrocketed in the last decade or so.
In 2003, there were approximately 70 small distilleries across the country. Now there are more than 600! In 2006, there were 989 brew pubs in the US. As of 2017, that number popped up to 2217. In 2004, US citizens poured themselves 668 million gallons of wine a year. Now that number is more than 800 million gallons. As popularity of these wine and spirit producing businesses steadily increases, many of them have expanded their facilities to offer venues that are both unique and interesting places to hold events.
The Perfect Blend of Venue and Vine
These expanded venues offer customers more than just the opportunity to imbibe. In addition to serving up fine wines, beers, or spirits, many offer “experiences” such as game nights, cooking classes, painting classes, trivia nights, virtual reality, bocce ball, and more.
The Copperwing Distillery in St. Louis Park, Minnesota regularly offers distillery tours, tastings, and mixology classes, along with free music, and a cocktail room for private parties. Dangerous Man Brewing Company in Minneapolis invites guests to partake of gourmet food truck snacks, a growler shop for off-site beer purchases, and weekly cribbage tournaments. Azura Cellars + Gallery in Paonia, Colorado offers wine tastings, an art gallery with paintings and jewelry for sale, as well as an invitation for winery visitors to enjoy a sailing adventure at the Azura Yacht Club.
Many of these venues have private event space available that is often casual, giving guests an opportunity to participate in group activities or to simply mingle and network.
Mixology
Knowing what’s trending in beverages can help you pinpoint the perfect place to plan your event.
• Wine — More folks are popping the cork on sparkling wines. Sales in the US increased by 7% from last year and have more than doubled in the past five years.
• Spirits — They are up. Trending flavor infusions of cinnamon, ginger, honey, and mint combine to create some delicious new concoctions.
• Beer — “Session” beer — named because you can enjoy several in one session without becoming sloppy--is becoming more popular. Essentially, it’s a brew that emphasizes the craft-beer taste without all the alcohol content.
