RICHMOND, Va. — Six Virginia distilleries will exhibit at the Bar Convent trade show in Berlin from Oct. 8 through 10. The six distilleries — Belmont Farm Distillery, Catoctin Creek Distilling, Davis Valley Distillery, Dr. Stoner’s Herb Flavored Spirits, MurLarkey Distilled Spirits and Reservoir Distillery — will offer samples of their products in the “Virginia is for Spirits Lovers” themed booth.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of International Marketing and its European trade representative are supporting the distilleries in their participation in this international event:
- Belmont Farm Distillery takes its Culpeper-grown grains to glass in a 1930s copper pot still, making a range of farm-raised products, including moonshine, whiskey, spiced rum and bourbon.
- Catoctin Creek Distilling Company opened its doors in Purcellville in 2009. Its flagship product, Roundstone Rye, has won gold medals across the globe and is a fantastic rye whisky replicating old-world production methods.
- Davis Valley Distillery sits in Rural Retreat, Virginia atop a bounty of pure mountain water that is the canvas for the distiller’s art of crafting its whiskies, bourbons and moonshines.
- Dr. Stoner’s Herb Infused Spirits are produced at Chesapeake Bay Distillery in Virginia Beach using a special stash of the finest quality herbs and grains to create distinctive flavors and a unique drinking experience.
- MurLarkey Distilled Spirits in Bristow, Virginia, started with just a 23-gallon copper still. The distillery has developed a gold medal winning product line of small batch spirits that is second to none.
- Reservoir Distillery, located in Richmond, crafts its award-winning whiskeys with only the finest Virginia grains. Its flagship Wheat, Rye and Bourbon Whiskeys are 100 percent single-grain and bottled at 100 proof.
Virginia is home to 70 licensed distilleries. A recent economic analysis by the Virginia Distillers Association showed that Virginia distilleries support 1,477 full-time equivalent jobs and contribute $163 million in economic activity. In addition, Virginia distilleries provide a growing market for Virginia agriculture products, with 70 percent of their grain and fruit inputs coming from Virginia farms.
“This is a growing segment of our agriculture economy and we are thrilled that these distilleries are utilizing VDACS international marketing resources, including our representatives in Europe, to support their export efforts,” said VDACS Commissioner Jewel Bronaugh. “This is an important trade event for this industry and we look forward to the new business partnerships they will forge from the connections they make with importers, buyers and industry influencers in Germany and throughout Europe.”
VDACS Office of International Marketing assists agricultural and forestry products producers, including distilleries, to find profitable export opportunities around the world.
Europe is the largest export market for U.S. distilled spirits and Germany alone ranks fourth among export destinations, behind Canada, the UK and Australia. Bar Convent is Europe’s largest bar and beverage trade show, making it an annual destination for bar and spirits industry professionals from across the continent.
For more information on Bar Convent 2018, visit the show’s website and follow the show’s social media hashtags #bcb #bcb18 #barconvent.
— Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services