On & Off

Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz discuss an important nonprofit organization in the beverage alcohol industry, Children of Restaurant Employees, or (CORE). Our guest is CORE executive director Sheila Bennett. She delves into how CORE and its many partners helped on-premise employees and their families during the Covid-19 crisis. Also, she outlines how you, too, can help those in need.

What’s the difference between organic and sustainable wine? If you don’t know the answer, then you must listen to our latest podcast with Allison Jordan, Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Jordan explains the fine details of sustainably certified wine, along with the long history of the CSWA, how and where sustainable wine education happens, and why more consumers care about these kinds of products. And if you did know the answer to our question, well, tune in anyways for a deeper dive into an important topic. Cheers!

On the latest episode of On & Off, Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz dive into cordials and liqueurs. They discuss the history of this category, recent growth trends, why the pandemic likely buoyed the category, and what modern innovations have helped drive growth. Also, Melissa and Kyle show off their lack of movie trivia knowledge and critique their boss' homemade cookies.

Everybody knows that Covid-19 has sped up the evolution of alcohol ecommerce and technology by leaps and bounds. But what comes next? What follows this unprecedented push forward for alcohol tech? Will there be a pullback, dangers ahead, or greater implementation of these cutting-edge technologies. Editors Kyle Swartz and Melissa Dowling debate whether alcohol delivery is a "fourth tier" and rant about their frustrations with QR codes on-premise. Listen in for that and more about the future of alcohol technology.

In this episode, Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz celebrate the amazing work of women in the alcohol industry by interviewing two female rockstars at Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits: Bridget Albert, National Director of Education Beam Suntory, and Julie Milroy, VP of On-Premise. The discussion centers around the enormous role and success of women in the industry, and how the alcohol business can continue to improve the treatment of women.

Following Part 1 of this two-part episode, Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz dive into another set of trends currently affecting the beverage alcohol industry. These include celebrity-backed alcohol brands and their common pitfalls; the rise of CBD beverages and what comes next for the nascent category; and the continued shortages for all things needed in alcohol packaging. Also, the editors discuss what makes The Rock so damn likeable as an actor, and what is the proper way to consumer THC edibles.

What’s trendier in the alcohol industry than American whiskey? But can our brown spirits boom continue at such a rapid pace? In this episode, Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz sit down with industry veteran Maggie Kimberl, content editor of American Whiskey Magazine and president of the Bourbon Women Association. Kimberl leads our discussion about the future of American whiskey, growth prospects, American single malt, the secondary market, and her work in highlighting the amazing women who make this industry run. Fill your Glencairn glass and listen to this one!

What are the biggest trends right now across the entire alcohol industry? In part 1 of a mulit-part podcast, Editors Melissa Dowling (Cheers magazine) and Kyle Swartz (Beverage Dynamics magazine) discuss the hard seltzer boom, the rise of RTDs, the golden age of American whiskey, and the current shortage of glass and aluminum packaging. How long will all of these trends last? And what exactly is driving them? For answers, just click play!

Why aren't Millennials drinking wine? And why is wine consumption broadly declining? In this episode, Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz interview wine educator and author Marnie Old, who previously served as the director of wine studies for Manhattan’s French Culinary Institute. Marnie delves into the issues facing the wine industry, and what wine companies must do to win back consumers being lost to spirits and beer.

Make yourself a Moscow Mule and download this episode to learn about all things vodka in 2021. What are the hottest trends in clear spirits? What's the latest from craft vodka? What cocktails are helping drive the category? How much does Co-host Kyle Swartz actually know about "Sex in the City"? All this and more in our latest episode.