Advanced Spirits launches Barrel Hub, the first e-commerce platform for the wholesale bulk whiskey market

The Business-to-Business (B2B) website aims to modernize the whiskey wholesale trade

HOUSTON, Texas (May 2024) — Following a successful soft launch in 2023, Advanced Spirits is pleased to formally introduce Barrel Hub, the first e-commerce platform for the bulk whiskey market.

Barrel Hub’s functionality mirrors that of other popular e-commerce platforms. Registered users can search available resources using familiar filtering and sorting functions. Email notifications can be set up so that users are notified when interesting barrels are listed for sale. Each user has their own account portal where they can register personal information, view a list of inventory for sale, track active transactions/offers, and view sales/purchase history.

“Since our soft launch, we know that one of the most pressing questions buyers and sellers are asking is about purchase price,” said Dr. Rob Arnold, president of Advanced Spirits and Barrel Hub. “What is the current value of this barrel of whiskey? The lack of transparency in the wholesale bulk whiskey market makes this question difficult to answer. That’s why Barrel Hub introduced a bidding feature that allows buyers and sellers to work together to determine fair market values.

Each barrel entry has a list price set by the seller – the “Buy Now” price. However, buyers can also choose to “bid” on the price and quantity to purchase the barrel. Sellers can then accept, reject or respond to the buyer. This process takes place on the website smoothly and anonymously.

Transaction security is also a key initiative of Barrel Hub. Each transaction includes a Barrel Purchase Agreement distributed to the buyer and seller by the Barrel Hub legal team. Additionally, Barrel Hub serves as a clearing house. Buyers only send money to Barrel Hub, and sellers only receive payment from Barrel Hub.

Barrel Hub also recently introduced a barrel verification feature. Sellers can send Barrel Hub an inventory report (for aging barrels) or a supplier’s distillation forecast (for new fills) for the barrels they list. If the specifications in the report/forecast match the entries in Barrel Hub, the entries will be verified in green and automatically moved to the top of the Inventory page.

“While our team verifies the details of each transaction before sending payments to sellers, we hope this verification process will give buyers an even greater sense of security and confidence when shopping on tap,” Arnold said.

The Barrel Hub team also provides many back-office solutions to facilitate transactions, such as bond transfers, warehouse contracts, title transfers, barrel insurance, and barrel transportation.

Beyond transaction efficiency, transparency and security, Barrel Hub has a long-term goal of decommodifying the wholesale bulk whiskey market.

“As a distiller and scientist, I was surprised to realize that barrels on the wholesale market are often sold with relatively few details known to the buyer,” Arnold said. “The still, the mash bill, the type of whiskey and the date the barrel was filled – these may be the only specifications known to the buyer. But there are many other factors that influence taste and ultimately the stories we tell our consumers.

To introduce more flavor-based data, Barrel Hub entries include details such as proof of entry into the barrel, cooperage, wood type, storage location, and toast/char level. In addition, samples can be purchased on site, so buyers can directly evaluate the quality and taste.

About Barrel Hub

Barrel Hub is the first e-commerce platform for the wholesale bulk whiskey market. It is a B2B site whose users are typically distillers, brands, cask investors and brokers. The platform serves as a marketplace, clearing house and back-office support for all transactions. Barrel Hub is a sister company to Advanced Spirits and is run by the same team. For more information and to register, visit www.barrel-hub.com.

About advanced spirits

Advanced Spirits is an innovative industry development partner that specializes in sourcing, financing and aging whiskey for its brand partners. They also have extensive experience in operations, sensory sciences and flavor chemistry that their brand partners can leverage to ensure quality and drive innovation. Advanced Spirits is led by Dr. Rob Arnold, former Master Distiller of Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. More information can be found at www.advanced-spirits.com.