ACSA recently created a new class of membership, the Alumni tier, open to DSPs that had been ACSA members for at least a year but are no longer eligible to be Voting Members due to having outgrown the 750,000 proof gallon production limit, or having merged with or been acquired by an ineligible entity. The charter Alumni Member is West Virginia’s Smooth Ambler, known for Smooth Ambler Contradiction, Big Level Bourbon and Old Scout American Whiskey. In late 2016, Pernod Ricard bought a majority stake in the distillery. Smooth Ambler co-founder and master distiller John Little shared some insights on the role of the Alumni Member within the broader spirits landscape.
Tell us about what you see as the importance of being a part of ACSA?
John Little: It’s important to be a part of any industry in which you’re involved. ACSA has taken a leadership role in education and legislation, which in my opinion, are two of the most important categories in our segment of the industry. It’s time for Smooth Ambler, and for me, personally, to be involved.
What do you see as the biggest issues confronting craft spirits producers today?
JL: Education—safety, efficient/quality production, etc.—and legislative issues. I would hope that most folks are keen to get educated by themselves. But legislative issues require one collective voice, guided by the membership and its leadership, to be effective.
What do you see as the key spirits market trends over the next five years?
JL: Low proof—or no proof—is one that
I’m watching.
What’s your overall operational philosophy?
JL: Our goal has always been to be good, honest, hard working people, making a world-class product that’s available worldwide. That “good, honest” part means that we’re open and transparent when we source (and in everything we do) and that we strive to make a difference in our community and with every customer that touches the Smooth Ambler brand. And we’ve taken every facet of our business, tried to improve that area, and to continue to improve our production practices and the final product. That’s the focus, every day.
What have been the advantages for
you now being part of a much larger company? Are you still allowed the same level of autonomy?
JL: The advantages are huge: access and assistance from legal, financial and production experts in their field. They also have a huge sales and distribution footprint and they are able to provide access to capital while we grow. Do I have the same level of autonomy? Not exactly. While I still make the decisions around here, our business is a little different. There’s more oversight and decisions take a little more planning. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing—we shot from the hip quite often in the past.
What do you see as the benefits of
this new tier of ACSA membership,
Alumni Membership?
JL: For a few years, I’ve been so involved in our own business, that I haven’t done much to help the industry. It was important for me to get involved. I’ve known that for a while, but I didn’t know where I (Smooth Ambler) fit in, exactly, given our current structure.
What do you feel you bring to the table in that capacity and how would you encourage others that also fit the alumni criteria to become an ACSA alumni member?
JL: I would certainly hope that the many wins and failures in every aspect of our business—everything from production, regulations, sales and marketing, HR, finance, etc.—might help someone else in our industry.
In addition to the Alumni level, ACSA offers memberships at the Voting, Candidate, Affiliate and Junior Affiliate levels. Voting Member fees are tailored to a distillery’s size. To find out which ACSA membership level is right for you, visit americancraftspirits.org/signup.