by Kirby Laney, posted 2 July 2018
On July 7th, the Washington Distillers Guild returns to Fremont, and Fremont Studios, with their massive industry showcase, PROOF, from 5:30p – 9p. For the last six years (basically, since it became possible for independent companies to distill spirits in our state,) PROOF has brought the best of these crafters together, for us to meet, learn from and enjoy!
In a short time, PROOF has become a standard bearer event, by an industry still wet behind the ears. Here crafters meet and mingle, sharing experiences and checking out innovations made over the last year. Best of all, PROOF provides the rest of us, from novice drinkers to spirits scholars, an opportunity to sip and sample from nearly 50 local, independent distilleries, while meeting the makers.
Ultimately, PROOF “is the best thing the consumer can get,” acknowledged Dick Stephens. “It’s the complete spectrum of our state,” he said, “This is our Woodstock of Washington distilleries.” Stephens is CEO of Varsity Communications, which produces PROOF for the Distillers Guild, offering the industry a flagship event around which they can rally and rejoice in what they’ve created – and share it with the consumers.
‘A Snapshot of the Market’
About 15 years ago, the Varsity team worked with NW Folklife, selling sponsorships – and while doing that, they got to know the Washington State Wine Commission. From there, “we did Taste of Washington,” Stephens explained. The showcase brings wine (and food) lovers together, to celebrate and sample. Since it began, Stephens observed, they’ve seen how the number of wineries across the state has soared, from 300 to 1,000.
“This state is all about ‘local’,” Stephens observed. Consumers here like to buy and support local products, and their producers. For this reason, Stephens approached the Washington Distillers Guild, when it very first began, to suggest a showcase event. From this, PROOF came to be.
As a result, Stephens has seen, first-hand, the Guild grow from a very few to well over 100 members. He’s also been pleased to see PROOF grow into a standard-setting event, and each year have Distillers other states visit to see what might be possible for aiding and promoting their industry.
In organizing PROOF, the team at Varsity, “flex all our muscles,” Stephens observed, “We need this to mirror the industry.” Each year, they want PROOF to give attendees a glimpse of where the Distillers have been, and where they can go. “It’s a snapshot of the market, at this time,” he explained.
For 2018, PROOF can showcase strides made by many of the manufacturers in improving and perfecting their craft products. When some distilleries launched, they brought out products as fast as possible, to be able to sell something, and see some return on investment. Yet, many fine spirits require time, as part of the basic recipe. “This year, the industry got lots of awards,” Stephens observed, as those products that required time to refine and finish were finally presented to the public. “We don’t want to serve raw chicken,” he explained, but in the first few years, that is very nearly what some distilleries had to do to survive. Now the wait is over, patience is rewarded and the seasoned, quality meats can be served.
The Makers, Audience & Advertisers
Begun in Ravenna (near the Varsity Restaurant,) Varsity Communications is now based in Lynnwood, although they publish magazines and produce events all over the country.
“We started being a publisher,” Stephens explained, “way, way back.” Today they still publish, putting out the Cascade Golfer, Destination Golfer, Dawgs Digest, etc. About 35% of the business is in creating and publishing magazines and catalogues, to educate consumers and provide a platform for advertisers.
It was while talking with advertisers that Varsity found its way into event production. “Our advertisers asked us, ‘can you do things in the physical world?’”, Stephens explained. Today, about 65% of the work done by the Varsity team is in bringing together the makers, their audience and the advertisers at an event where they all share what they have to say.
“A lot of publishers have to do events to make ends meet,” Stephens said, “We’ve only recently made this move into food.” Varsity has produced the Seattle Golf Show, the Seattle Bike Show, the Outdoor Gear & Adventure Expo, the Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show, and the Rusty Relics Vintage Market. While the company has worked a lot in sports, the Washington Distillers’ PROOF, like Taste of Washington and the James Beard Foundation Taste America, gives them a chance to work with food and beverage vendors.
PROOF is a great example of what Varsity does well – bringing members of an industry together to showcase what they can deliver. “It’s still the basic bones,” Stephens explained, about producing PROOF, “sellers, exhibitors, marketing, finding ticket buyers… Every event is just a bunch of squares that need to be filled.”
Meet the Makers
Stephens recommends PROOF to consumers as an opportunity to ‘meet the makers’, and buy products directly from the hands of those who crafted them. Representatives from the nearly 50 featured distillers featured at PROOF can explain what sets their spirits apart from others, and makes theirs unique. “When you buy local,” Stephens observed, “you may pay more, but you get something special.”
This year, at PROOF, they’ve expanded the number of custom crafted cocktails stations. Here attendees can see how Washington State products can be used to make special, creative mixed drinks. And sample the same. “People can drink [the spirits] neat all over the floor,” Stephens observed, but this year, “we’ve also got genuine mixologists in to create these amazing cocktails.”
PROOF is all about fine spirits, distilled by independent manufacturers, but this event also features an amazing selection of food. “Very few events have the food that we do,” Stephens acknowledged. This year they’ve brought in 16 different restaurants, from Russell’s Restaurant to Theo Chocolate, serving up selections from them all. “We wanted protein food,” Stephens said, “something to fill you up.” Attendees can sip plenty of spectacular spirits, but Stephens also recommended, “come in starving to death,” and make a plan to eat your way through the Fremont Studios.
Something New & Exciting
From the astute consumer to the total knucklehead, the Washington Distillers Guild’s PROOF has something new and exciting to offer everyone, 21+. “PROOF sold out last year,” Stephens said, so it behooves even the basic beginner to buy tickets in advance. General admission is $55, and includes 10 tasting tokens, plus access to the food – and four ‘booze topics’ sessions, for learning more about aspects of accessing these fine spirits.
Find out all about PROOF, including a link to tickets, on the PROOFWashington.org website.
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©2018 Kirby S. Laney. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.