California’s quest to develop a viable agave industry — whether for booze, biofuel, or a surprisingly wide array of other products — is in full swing. With multiple ranches from Montecito and Carpinteria to Goleta and Cuyama now growing various agave species, Santa Barbara is a strong hub of that movement, which is why the California Agave Symposium will be held here at the Hilton Beachfront Resort on Monday, March 23.
To get a sense of what attendees can expect, I reached out to a number of people involved in the agave industry who will be here for the symposium, which is open to the general public. Here’s what they had to say, and you can learn more about the event and buy tickets at californiaagave.org.
Chris Stephenson and Davide Berruto, Madre Mezcal
The symposium’s keynote speakers are this duo from Madre Mezcal, which is currently the fastest-selling mezcal in the United States. Pulling from their background in successfully cracking the code for a newer category of spirits, they will address the challenges for building new brands and distribution networks while commenting on the state of the industry and pointing out opportunities for growth…