Exclusively Craft | Selling the Story, Not Just the Bottle

Exclusively Craft | Selling the Story, Not Just the Bottle

Author: Allan Cogan April 9, 2026 Duration: 28:31

Beth Hurwitz spent 15 years selling bottles to distillers. She knew the product, she knew the people, and she knew the problem — the three-tier system was leaving incredible craft spirits with nowhere to go and no one to champion them at the retail level.

Her answer was Craft Spirits Social in Bonita Springs, Florida — a one-of-a-kind venue with over 400 curated craft spirits, a cocktail bar, regular tastings, distiller-in-residence weekends, and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. Exclusively craft. No compromises.

In this conversation, Beth tells the story behind the concept, what it took to build it, and why she thinks the industry's biggest problem is also its biggest opportunity.

Thank you to our sponsors! The Bar Book — https://thebarbook.app Bridgetown Brew Systems — https://www.bridgetownbrew.com

Support Crafted Conversations Everything you see and hear on this show — including travel — is funded out of pocket. If you believe in our mission of spotlighting the people and stories behind small businesses, support the show at: buymeacoffee.com/craftedconvos

One-time or monthly — every dollar goes directly into creating more episodes and giving breweries, distilleries, and makers the spotlight they deserve.

Stay Connected Website: www.craftedconvos.com Follow: @craftedconvospod YouTube: @craftedconvospod Questions: coganconvo@gmail.com

Produced by Allan Cogan, Grant Brown, Nick Post, and Andrew Sindall Crafted Conversations Media LLC

Full video available on YouTube and Spotify. Music provided by Artlist.io. This episode features conversations about alcohol.

Please drink responsibly.


There's a story in every bottle, a history in every glass, and a person behind every label. Crafted Conversations is a journey into the world of whiskey that goes far beyond tasting notes. Host Allan Cogan travels from historic Scottish distilleries to innovative urban bars, sitting down with the individuals whose lives are intertwined with this craft. You'll hear directly from Master Distillers about the alchemy of aging, from distillery owners about the risks and rewards of a family legacy, and from mixologists who treat whiskey as a living ingredient. This podcast digs into the personal journals of its guests, uncovering the passion, tradition, and sometimes sheer stubbornness that defines their work. It’s less about the technical specs and more about the human spirit-the late nights, the failed experiments, and the moments of triumph. Each episode feels like pulling up a stool for a deep, meandering talk with someone who has dedicated their life to their art. Through these genuine dialogues, the culture and society surrounding whiskey come into sharp focus, revealing how a simple spirit can connect people across continents. Tune in for a series of intimate portraits that just happen to be set against a backdrop of oak barrels and copper stills.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 77

Crafted Conversations
Podcast Episodes
#5 - Sampling Single Malts w/ Philip Dannelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:02
Philip Dannelly, an old friend from Army Basic Training joins Allan to sample 3 single malt whiskies, each with a unique flavor profile. Featured is the Door County Distillery's American Single Malt, Edradour 10yr old Sc…
#4 - Legends of Peat w/ Bradley Lake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:57
Brad Lake joins Allan to enjoy some of the most well known peated scotches including Laphroaig 10, Talisker Storm, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Lagavulin 16, and Bruichladdich Octomore 13.3. Brad is a longtime friend and former co-…
#3 - Balvenie Scotch w/ Grant Brown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:35
Recorded back in the beginning of the year as a proof of concept for the new iteration of The Cogan Conversation, Grant Brown sits down with Allan to sample 3 offerings from The Balvenie Distillery in Scotland. While lea…
#2 - Mythbusting Whiskey w/ Allan Cogan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:16
In this episode, I debunk some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding whiskey as well as defining certain terms and buzzwords often found on the bottle. Understanding what is what can help you confidently purchase a…
#1 - An Introduction: What Whiskey is What? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:40
Episode 1 is here! The question I hear most often is “How do I know what to buy, and if I’ll like it?” - It’s a fair question, and if I’m being honest, I learned by buying bottles of whiskey that looked interesting and t…
Welcome to Crafted Conversations! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:59
Crafted Conversations is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the craft of small businesses within the alcohol industry!In 2024, we plan to visit distilleries, breweries, wineries, and more and discuss their awesome product…