Lets get away from choosing spirits large manufacturers tell us are good and actually start choosing products that we like. Lets choose quality and an experience over fancy marketing and celebrity endorsements.  If your checking out this post more than likely you know that choosing poor quality vodka with a  fancy name isn't going to make you a rap star but lets share this link with those that may not have figured that out yet.  Lets all begin choosing hand crafted spirits that actually taste good, are high quality products, and come from real people in the community.  Here are 5 reasons to consider craft spirits next time you are in the market for a bottle of booze. 

1.  Quality:  Craft Spirits are generally much higher quality than commercial brands on the shelf.  Small batch distillers have the ability and more over the desire to create the best product they can every time they run a batch.  Commercial distilleries have the desire to pump out as much product as quickly and inexpensively as possible.  Craft spirits come from a local distiller who is the face of their brand, they want to make sure every bottle that goes out is a fantastic representation of their work and who they are as a distiller.  If you haven't had the opportunity to try craft spirits yet I encourage you to experience the quality difference.  Whether you are looking for your first craft distillery to visit or your next I encourage you to check out Valley Shine Distillery www.valleyshinedistillery.com they have 7 amazing products that will amaze your senses. Because all of their products receive exceptional reviews it will open your eyes to the possibilities craft distilleries provide.    

2.  Origin:  You know where craft sprits and their ingredients come from.  Most craft distilleries are open to the public, you can actually go into the distillery and see how your bottle of booze if made, and in many cases actually meet the person responsible for creating it. This traceability is incredibly rare and essentially non-existent in commercial brands.  There is a story behind each product a craft distillery makes, I encourage you to visit one and enjoy the experience of handcrafted small batch spirits. 

3.  Unique Products:  Craft Distilleries produce many of your traditional spirits but also many unique flavors.  I'm not talking bout bubble gum flavored vodka or whipped cream vodka both of which have so many artificial flavors in them who actually knows what their drinking, I'm talking about flavors like Bonfire Toffee and Spider Bite Black Licorice liqueur.  These both have all natural ingredients and extremely high flavor profiles.  There are also rosemary infused products and walnut liqueurs available from your local craft distiller as well many others.  Real products, with real flavors made for people who appreciate quality and uniqueness. 

4.  Community:  If we all bought a bottle of hand crafted local spirits next time we bought a bottle of liquor instead of a commercial brand we would be keeping all of that money in our community, not sending it overseas as most commercial distilleries have foreign investors now if not owners. Choosing craft spirits will help bring communities together and show support for local businesses.  Ask yourself this:  "If I could buy a bottle of Red X Gin from a local distillery (valley shine distillery in this case)  for $35 after tax and all of that money stayed in my community, supported a local business, tasted better than a commercial brand, was better quality than a commercial brand and cost the same as the commercial product would I do it?"  I hope your answer was yes! 

5.  Price:  If you were to compare the quality of most craft spirits to the quality of commercial spirits you would hands down find that craft spirits are far superior.  Fortunately for the consumer this has not been translated into the cost of most craft spirits.  If you are in the market for a 750ml bottle of spirits in the $20-$30 range (before taxes) you will find an enormous selection of craft spirits to choose from.  This is the same price range you will find most mid quality commercial brands.  If you are a bottom shelf shopper odds are you aren't reading this article and your options for quality on the bottom shelf are essentially non-existent. The bottom line is if you are looking for a quality craft product you have many options in the same price category as mid level, questionable quality commercial products. 

Now that I have provided you with 5 reasons craft sprits are a better choice than commercial brands I encourage you to take action and experience small batch, craft spirits as soon as possible.  You wont' be disappointed. 

***Red X Gin, Bonfire and Spider Bite are products of Valley Shine Distillery all rights reserved ***