Economic distress in the spirits industry, caused by a cultural change in attitudes toward alcohol consumption, resulted in several distilleries closing down operations last year.
Many distilleries blamed rising costs of labor and products, as well as inflation and changing consumers’ attitudes toward drinking spirits, for causing them financial distress.
The U.S. spirits industry suffered a 2.8% decline in sales and a 3.2% drop in volume in the first half of 2025, according to NeilsenIQ, Beverage Industry reported.
Adult alcohol consumption plummets
Even more alarming data for the spirits industry was analytics firm Gallup’s August 2025 report, which revealed that the percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol had fallen to 54%, the lowest level by 1 percentage point in nearly 90 years.
“This coincides with a growing belief among Americans that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, now the majority view for the first time,” the report said.
From 1997 to 2023, at least 60% of Americans reported drinking alcohol. The figure fell to 62% in 2023 and to 58% in 2024, before reaching 54%, Gallup reported.
Heritage Distilling closes distillery, tasting rooms
An economic downturn in the spirits industry last year led award-winning spirits distiller Heritage Distilling Company to close down its distillery and five tasting rooms in Oregon and Washington on New Year’s Eve 2025 as part of an out-of-court restructuring of its operations.
The Gig Harbor, Wash.-based distillery, which was founded in 2011, blamed changing consumer behaviors, increasing costs, and recently enacted and proposed state taxes for making future investments in its business operations unsustainable.
Wilderton Aperitivo closed down its distillery, tasting room, and business.
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Wilderton Aperitivo shuts down its distillery business
And now, award-winning, non-alcoholic spirits distillery Wilderton Aperitivo Co. announced on its website that it has closed down its business.
“Our website is now sold out for good,” the spirits distillery wrote in a message on its website. “Our doors are now closed.”
The distillery’s owners, Brad Whiting and Seth O’Malley, blamed a “historically difficult business funding/financing environment” as the cause of its closing, according to KOIN-TV in Portland, Ore.
“We had an incredible run starting in 2019, and will forever remain proud of the role we played in building awareness and quality expectations of the non-alcoholic spirits category,” Whiting and O’Malley wrote in an email to KOIN.
The company has not filed for bankruptcy protection, at last check.
Opened first non-alcoholic distillery in U.S.
“To this day, Wilderton built the first, and only, non-alcoholic distillery in the United States,” according to the owners.
“That facility is now closed, but not before welcoming thousands of visitors over recent years to see, smell and taste cocktails defined by flavor instead of alcohol,” the owners said.
Restaurants, retailers might still sell inventory
Wilderton Aperitivo‘s store locator lists 20 restaurants and retailers that might still have its products available for purchase.
The Hood River, Ore., craft spirits distiller was established in 2019, and opened America’s first non-alcoholic distillery and tasting room on July 1, 2023, according to its statement at the time.
The company followed the tasting room opening with a rebranding from Wilderton to Wilderton Aperitivo in December 2024.
More closings:
- Casual Mexican restaurant chain closes more locations
- 79-year-old national trucking company closes down, no bankruptcy
- 65-year-old Home Depot rival shutters business permanently
Wilderton distilled two non-alcoholic, craft spirits, Wilderton Aperitivo Co. Citrus and Wilderton Aperitivo Co. Bittersweet.
The company distilled its spirits using botanicals and avoiding flavor chemicals, synthetic preservatives, or colors.
Wilderton Aperitivo has won several awards from industry organizations, including The Spirits Business, L.A. Spirits Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and IWSC.
The company’s website included cocktail recipes for both its Citrus and Bittersweet aperitivos.
Wilderton Aperitivo awards:
- The Spirits Business Global Low & No Masters Gold 2025
- The Spirits Business Global Low & No Masters Master 2025
- The Spirits Business Global Low & No Masters Taste Master 2025
- 2023 L.A. Spirits Awards Platinum
- 2023 L.A. Spirits Awards Platinum Non-Alcoholic Sports Alternative
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold
- 2023IWSC 96 pts
- 2023 IWSC Gold
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