The Whole Earth Catalog of Small Distillers (for North America)
Title : Craft and Micro Distilleries in the U.S. and Canada (Fourth Edition)
Subtitle :The Definitive Guide to Small batch,Artisanal Spirits
Author : David J. Riemer, Sr.
Publisher: Crave Press
Type: Reference
Binding: Softcover, Illustrated, 700 pages
Cost: $34.95
REVIEWED BY: Chris Carlsson, Spirits Review.com
Notes: Roughly 350pages longer than the first edition ( published 2011), effectively doubling it in size, A full 250 pages than the second edition ( published 2012). The page count itself on each subsequent edition of this book graphically shows the exponential growth of small distilleries in the U.S. and Canada. The best reference book on micro distilleries in North America, this the fourth edition, adds to the older editions roster of distilleries with a wealth of detail on the distilleries themselves, people, products, tasting notes, drinks, contact information, tours and hours, to name but a few of the details for each distillery.
Easy to read with high contrast black on white printing and good color reproductions (admittedly not on glossy stock) of labels, stills, buildings, people, along with a host of information on each one.
While we thought the earlier editions fairly exhaustive, this one continues in the quest to document every distillery out there at the time of printing, along with the other pages on spirit festivals, events, museums, as part of the guide along with an index by spirit type (quite useful for those searching for particular types of micro distilled spirits and only list we know of ) along with distilling associations, guilds and resources – in short almost anything you might want to know about a distillery, the industry itself or how to contact or source people and information from all over North America involved in distilling.
A must have reference for anyone, distributor, liquor store or restaurant owner or ultimate consumer, who is at all interested in the new spirits revolution sweeping the United States and Canada.
A further benefit is it allows anyone who wishes to start a distillery to see what is out there, the labels, and packaging, both to get ideas and also to avoid possibly infringing on someone else’s products and look ( and increasing problem in the market these days)
Well written, a great read, and a massive amount of interesting details on every distillery. Micro Distilleries in the U.S. and Canada is a must for any student or enthusiast of drink as the reference standard for the industry. Nowhere will you find a more comprehensive yet accessible reference on this subject in one well laid out book – and after our years in the industry searching for just such a reference we should know.
We have spent years researching and gathering our own information and are continued to be humbled by reading this book.
Final Thoughts: Unlike electronic references this does not need batteries and will not crash leaving you marooned somewhere.
Also get the color edition, it is definitely worth the extra money as it shows of the labels much better
Website: www.microdistillerybooks.com