Happy Friday spirited readers! This week we have a lot of food for thought for you. Who do you like to get your news from and why? What could a trade dispute revolving around booze mean for the economy of not only Canada but the US as well? We will dive into this and more. As always we welcome input from our readers on everything that we cover so reach out via email or on our Discord.
Anyway, onto this weeks newsletter!
Who Owns Your Spirits News?
The Ever-Shrinking Sphere of News Media Ownership
As you know we are a very small, independent newsletter that works to deliver the latest industry news in a concise and meaningful way. We filter through the big headlines and try to grab what carries the biggest impact or the most immediate value to those of you that subscribe. We also rely on other news sources in order to deliver the most pertinent news to our readers. Sometimes this is an easy task, other times it takes a good amount of sorting and digging through more of the ‘major’ outlet reporting in order to get to sources that more accurately represent those at the heart of the news itself. We care deeply about the people and the community that the bar and spirits industry represents and so we work with that in mind. This is why it is important to talk about how small the circle of news is getting in this industry.
From @kristianewestray on Instagram
A number of other independent spirits writers are talking about the latest acquisition in news media in which Penske Media bought out Punch (punchdrinks.com). It brings into question what the quality of reporting will be from such outlets in the future. While these big mega-corporations tend to project neutrality they also slowly reshape what does and doesn’t get reported on. We end up with more and more of the same and less and less of the stories that were once seen as important to smaller, more boots-on-the-ground reporters.
Thirsty, an independent publication also had a great report on social media regarding who owns the media we consume:
The conversation behind this post is important: who can we trust to report on this industry? If trust is being eroded with big media and more people are turning to small publications like Thirsty, Savour, and even smaller potatoes like us there is a real and immanent threat: funding. According to Thirsty’s reporting only 7.5% of digital dollars (from ads and otherwise) goes to small reporting outlets such as them. A whopping 84.1% goes to only 10 tech platforms, leaving little for even the middle tier of reporting.
There is no way to fix this imbalance overnight but it is important to remember to support small when it comes to these things: like, share, repost, and if you can help fund these reporters. We try to show love to the little guys as much as possible, especially being that we ourselves are one of them.
Trump Plans Ban on Canadian Spirits
Spirits Continue to Suffer In Trade War
The tug-of-war between the US and Canada has escalated yet again, this time with a direct import ban as opposed to a tariff. The White House issued a proclamation on September 8th outlining a ban on certain Canadian products including spirits, wine and beer. This ban is set to go into effect as of September 29th. After trade negotiations dissolved between the US and Canada last month Trump enacted his plans to impose a 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods. In response, Canada imposed levies on $20 billion of US goods.
*For our sake we will only be referencing spirits, wine, and beer but other products are included in these tariffs and bans.
Quick Stats:
93% of Canadian spirits exports are destined for the US
the spirits industry supports 48,000+ fulltime jobs
this ban has the potential to trigger a recession in Canada
Should Canada choose to escalate further, energy cuts could send the East Coast of the US into blackouts
These levies from Canada are what triggered the latest escalation which has the potential to devastate the Canadian industry in a number of sectors. The most direct impact is to the producers of Canadian spirits which in 2025 saw 93% of exports go to the United States. In an article by W. Blake Gray for Wine-Searcher they outline just how much Canada stands to suffer from these bans.
Because Canada relies so heavily on the American market for its spirits exports this ban could directly trigger a recession in Canada. Moreover, since Canada seems to take this entire trade dispute as a point of pride it is unlikely they will fold quickly to the pressures put upon them by the Trump administration. If Canada decided to continue on with the escalation of these bans and tariffs it’s likely that energy would be the next sector impacted which would have a huge impact on the US East Coast. Although it seems to be at this point unlikely, Canada could tax energy exports, heavily restrict them, or cut them entirely, sending parts of the US into blackout.
Canadian experts know that this cycle of escalation is dangerous for both parties and seems to be taking on the role of martyr for the time being.
The direct ban on alcohol seems to be one of the most strategically sound moves thus far by Trump because there is a more solid framework to draw from than previously.
Section 338 specifically allows a US President to "exclude from importation into the United States" products of a country that has "discriminated against the commerce of the United States". Unlike in some of his earlier tariff adventures, Trump is using this act exactly as it was intended.
That said, whether the law itself was a good idea is a great question. No US president had invoked section 338 in the 96 years since the Tariff Act of 1930, which is also called the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act and is widely regarded by historians as having worsened the worldwide Great Depression.
We will continue to follow this as it continues to develop with an eye on how different countries choose to report on the news from different outlets.
Cocktail Recipe of the Week
A Booze Free Base For Your Spirited Creations
Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients:
4 corn ears, plus more for corn ribs (optional)
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, plus more for garnish
1 (14 oz)can condensed milk
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
1 tsp fine sea salt
Lime wedges, for garnish
Charred corn, for garnish
Pineapple slices, for garnish
Rum or tequila, to make it alcoholic
Method:
Remove the husks and silk from the corn, reserving the husks. Simmer the corn in water with a little turmeric, if using, until tender and bright yellow, 10 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs and set aside. Return the husks to the cooking water and let it steep for 10 minutes to infuse the water with more corn flavor. Strain and reserve 1 ½ cups of corn-infused water.
Add the corn kernels, pineapple, condensed milk, coconut milk, lime juice, salt, and the reserved corn-infused water to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, gently pressing with a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the remaining solids. You should be left with a luscious, creamy, golden, milk-like liquid.
Add ice to a pitcher and pour in the Sweet Corn Colada. Serve immediately, topped with charred corn or fresh pineapple, if desired. For an alcoholic version, add rum or tequila and stir to combine. Serve with a charred corn garnish that doubles as a snack.
To see the drink in action and to see the original source click here.
Best Video We Saw This Week
If there’s one thing you can count on with me it’s that I’m going to find the nerdiest videos to deliver to you weekly. This one is coming to you straight from the experts entrusted with presenting at Tales of the Cocktail. It is always great to see experts creating resources in order to make cocktail and food science more accessible to the masses.
Compressed Intelligence:
Rawnica Dillingham, a bourbon industry veteran, is hoping to create more support for start-ups in the spirits industry. She has started a new business collective aimed at helping emerging spirits makers grow and thrive.
If you’re a bourbon fan or an avid collector, the Pappy line-up has dropped and it’s pricier than ever. The line offers six bourbons made from the coveted Pappy Van Winkle recipe. The bourbon range includes age statements from 10-23 years and there is one 13 year rye offering.
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits has agreed to pay $12.5 billion to resolve an investigation into bribery and false invoicing practices. The resolution was made with the US Department of Justice and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). With this agreement Southern Glazer’s accepted responsibility for the conduct and lapses acknowledged in the NPA (non-prosecution agreement).
