Berlin – Thirty American distillers showcased their fine spirits products yesterday at a media briefing and American spirits tasting hosted by U.S. Ambassador John Emerson at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin.

The distillers are in Germany to participate in Bar Convent Berlin, October 7-8, where their products will be featured at the American Spirits Pavilion, sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).  Bar Convent Berlin, one of the fastest growing bar shows, is one of the top industry gatherings for industry executives, buyers, distributors, mixologists and other involved in the beverage alcohol trade throughout the region.

The Embassy media event, hosted by Ambassador Emerson and representatives of DISCUS featured a preview presentation on the factors contributing to the rapid growth of American Spirits exports, particularly whiskeys in Germany, the region and around the globe. The brief discussion highlighted the unique characteristics of American whiskeys and other spirits, and traced their roots back to their German and European origins.

Attendees previewed products from nearly 30 producers, including 24 small distillers, many of whom featured new brands for the first time in the German market. This wide variety of new distilled spirits products reflects the rapid rise in small distilling in the United States, which has grown ten-fold over the past decade. The tasting also included a pairing with American-style cuisine, reflecting the growing trend toward pairing food with cocktails in the United States.

Germany is the fourth largest market for U.S. distilled spirits exports at $140.1 million in 2013 suppliers’ sales, up 114 percent since 2002. In 2013, it was the top growth market by value, increasing $19.6 million in sales.

“Germany presents a great opportunity for U.S. distillers, large and small,” said Distilled Spirits Council Senior Vice President Frank Coleman. “It is already the fourth largest market for our exports and is the fastest growing in terms of value. But, it is also a gateway market and opinion leader in terms of taste and style for many of the emerging markets to the East, and therein lie the seeds of future growth.”

“Our participation in the Bar Convent Berlin for the second year is a recognition of the value and opportunity the show represents for distillers of all sizes, with its sharp focus on the beverage trade and the growing appreciation of global cocktail culture,” he added.

The participating distillers include: Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve), Beam (Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam), Diageo (Bulleit Bourbon) Campari USA (Wild Turkey), and Sidney Frank Importing (American Harvest), as well as many small distillers from across the U.S., including Agave Loco (IL), Bloomery Plantation (WV), Catoctin Creek Distillery (VA), Chatham Imports (KY), Cleveland Whiskey (OH), Corsair Distillery (TN), Deaths Door Distillery (WI), Few Spirits (IL), Georgetown Trading Co. (DC), Greenbar Distillery (CA), High Ridge Spirits (AL), House Spirits, (OR), Koval Distillery (IL), Middle West Spirits (OH), Mountain Laurel Spirits (PA), Osocalis Distillery (CA), Philadelphia Distilling (PA), Prichard’s Distillery (TN), Saxtons River Distilling, (VT), Smooth Ambler Spirits (WV), Top of the Hill Distillery (NC), Vermont Spirits (VT), Vodquila, (NY), and WhistlePig (VT).

“The U.S. distilled spirits industry is undergoing a huge renaissance, both in terms of the sheer numbers of producers and in the innovative products they are bringing to the marketplace. With one leg firmly grounded in the nation’s storied distilling heritage and the other leg leading the charge into the future, we are on the edge of an historic distilling revolution of enormous diversity and quality,” Coleman concluded.