Black Button: Bigger Distillery, Same Soul
When it comes to craft distilleries, it’s a difficult and rocky road. Many don’t survive the threshing that is running a small distillery business. Few make it past the early stages, and even fewer can claim to have done it on the back of their own grain-to-glass spirits. However, Black Button has done just that. How? By innovating through offerings (like their blending program or new tequila barrel finished whiskey), building a community, and on the back of some damn good spirits.
However, the success they have experienced has them at a crossroads. They have to grow to meet their overwhelming demand while not losing touch with what has gotten them this far, incredible spirits. It’s a problem that Black Button has spent time preparing to meet head-on.
Founder Jason Barrett spoke with us on not only the journey of Black Button so far, but also on their future post their move to their new $5-million dollar facility. This new location will quadruple the space available to them, moving them from a 5,000-square-foot structure to more than 28,000 and increasing barrel capacity from 1,000 to more than 4,500. This is no small feat and speaks to the support their distillery has fostered in the spirits community. However, Jason assured us that, while their capacity will be increasing, the soul of their spirits will remain intact.
Jason assured us that their focus is centered on maintaining the same quality of spirits that they have come to be known for. They are focusing on expanding their product as fast as maintaining their quality allows. And it’s refreshing to hear him say that. Rather than rest on the name they’ve built over the last decade, they’re focused on the same thing they always have been, getting good, quality spirits into the hands of those that want it. This, in our humble opinion, is the best approach for them to take. When Jason spoke, it wasn’t of how many new barrels would be filled or an increase in the bottling line; it was that more people would get to experience Black Button as maintaining their quality allowed.
This is one of the things that we’ve taken notice of with Black Button. They’re always focused on the future with respect to the past and the reputation they’ve built. They aren’t willing to do anything to compromise on that reputation or what it took to build it. They truly aren’t chasing dollar signs; they’re in it for the passion of what they’ve built and are still building. This is a winning focus that speaks to the devotion behind what they do every day, making good spirits.
We can’t wait to see what the new tasting room and distillery look like. We’re sure that it’ll be a great place for locals and visitors alike to go and enjoy a cocktail or straight pour of their spirits. To stay up to date on their expansion and offerings, don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter on their website. You can do so by clicking here.
