A survey from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and the American Distilling Institute reports the craft distilling industry has taken a 63 …
A survey from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and the American Distilling Institute reports the craft distilling industry has taken a 63 percent blow in sales since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, more than 40 percent of employees have been furloughed or let go.
Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery in Spicewood, Texas, is normally a place for social gatherings in the hills outside Austin. The venue brings guests from all over to enjoy distilled spirits, food and live music.
But now, Iron Wolf is one of 2,000 craft distilleries fighting to stay afloat amid the pandemic. While the distillery has product in 120 different bars and restaurants across Texas and is sold in roughly 60 liquor stores, business is still down.
“It has been a substantial impact to us,” Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery CEO Jordan Watters said. “Bars and restaurants are shut down and they can’t do anything. so that whole piece of business is gone.… Our whole business out here, having people congregate and socialize for events is gone.”
The only thing left for the distillery is distribution sales — and a shift to making hand sanitizer — but revenue is still down.
“I would say two-thirds to three-quarters down, and that’s huge,” Watters said. “That is what has brought us to the hand sanitizer business. It allows us to recover some profit and help out.”
Like so many other distilleries across the country, Iron Wolf started making, bottling and distributing hand sanitizer in May.
