Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Johnson.
Hi Charles, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
How do I begin to explain my journey to where I am today… I would have to say that early on my sense of adventure drove most of my decisions. It certainly impacted my desire to join the Air Force after high school and also to continue serving until I retired 22 years later.
I have had many “careers” in my adult life but the logistics field is where I hang my hat today. Still, though, my longing for exploration continues to fuel me to this day.
Maybe it’s that boyhood needs to find the pirate’s treasure that led me to seek out a different kind of prize. Of course, my passions have evolved with time and without dragging this out too much longer, I became a craft spirit enthusiast. Having traveled to many of our wonderful states and a few countries, I’ve made it a priority to visit distilleries wherever I go. Living in Utah for 26 plus years, I have enjoyed so many of the activities there is to be had, e.g. hiking, snowboarding, mountain biking, rock and ice climbing, camping, fishing, hunting, along with visiting the many museums, aquariums, and parks.
All of this before visiting even one of our amazing distilleries. Why? I’m not entirely sure to be perfectly honest. Is it because the state controls the sale of spirits in Utah and they have chosen to not carry the “Utah First” torch? Maybe it’s a kind of social conditioning that cultivates assumptions that Utah wouldn’t allow more than one distillery within its borders. I mean, the High West distillery was a fluke, right? It just rose like a phoenix from the ashes of a theological shift back in 1870 right? At the end of the day, we all own our personal education so my lack of knowledge rests squarely on my shoulders.
About 5 years ago my incessant need to further my education in the spirit world led me to create a Facebook group of fellow enthusiasts called the Utah Bourbon Enthusiasts. One of my intentions was to visit any distillery Utah had to offer with the group; I just had to find them first. Again, Utah doesn’t make it easy in that regard. After visiting the first 3 distilleries a common thread started to become abundantly clear, the battle for awareness in their community was reminiscent of Sisyphus pushing his boulder. Since the door between success and failure hinged on being able to sell their products to a market that has no idea they exist, an idea was born.
JFK was credited for saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats”, so I needed to create a way to tie the success and notoriety of a few large distilleries to the, at the time, 11 small mom and pop distilleries. Relying on my background in logistics and program management, Utah’s Spirit Trail was born in December of 2018 and became a licensed business in 2019.
Using the quote and my passion for the distilling industry as a springboard I launched the Trail with one simple mission, to raise the level of awareness of Utah consumers of our local homegrown distilleries so they know that there are far superior spirits being crafted right here on Utah soil.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Early on all but one distillery was very excited at the idea that there was someone willing to build and manage a trail for them. Most of them are one or two-person operations so managing a social media footprint or coordinating with other distillers to build a mapping system and guide was more than they could handle.
Since I was offering that and much more, they were eager to become a part of the community of distillers I had put together. We had huge plans for that last year with events, and distillery tours using my package-based sprinter van tour program but then COVID struck. Having our top 3 strategies for increasing awareness (tours, events, and an incentivized trail guide system) taken from us, we had to make a dramatic shift.
My passion for the industry and the amazing people behind it had not waned. They were not going to give up so neither could I. It was time to innovate. This is when I really began to focus on product placement photography and cocktail videos aimed at educating consumers on which brands are from Utah and taking some of the mystery out of cocktail creation.
Our biggest struggle now is raising capital to continue to offer everything we do for our community’s small businesses while moving forward with more impactful strategies.
We’ve been impressed with Utah’s Spirit Trail LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Utah’s Spirit Trail (UST) provides a platform for local distillers to discuss Utah’s distilling history, present-day processes as well as an ideological look into the future of distilling. The published guide is just one of the tools that are meant to be the start of a conversation between the distiller and the consumer aimed at informing them on a very personal level utilizing hands-on methodology as an educational base.
Further support for the UST is provided through 3 forms of social media, a YouTube channel, and a website under the same name, www.utahspirittrail.com. The first of the 3 forms of social media would be a Facebook page that is meant to be a continually updated commentary on the distilling culture in Utah. It is a post-approved, semi-open blog providing inspiration and motivation to a community that does not fully realize the size and scope of the current distilling footprint here in Utah. The second and third on the list of social media platforms utilized by the UST are our Instagram and Twitter pages.
Here too we utilize these pages to be a motivator that encourages prospective trail goers out and into the distilling community. Our YouTube channel focuses on taking some of the mystery out of cocktail creation. I use only local spirits to further encourage brand recognition. My hope for the channel is that we drive a larger audience to our website which has not only information about all of the participating distilleries but also our online store. My website is meant to be the heart of the trial. Each of the participating distilleries has a section devoted to them, their spirits, and ways to contact them directly. I have even created a link that provides turn-by-turn directions for our adventurers on mobile devices.
Our online store contains many items, mostly hand-made by me using whiskey barrel staves, with sales going to help fund the trails many activities and future products. The website is also where our customers can find and book our Sprinter Van Tours which we are very excited about. They have been very well received and are so much fun! These types of “trails” are a well-known way for prospective customers to find and visit local distilleries. Distillers/owners in cities like Portland Oregon and those of Colorado, Kentucky, etc. have benefitted greatly from the foot traffic that a “passport” or “guide” has generated. With some of the current changes in the DABC program, this trail guide may be more important to Utah’s distilleries moving into the next few years.
The trail is more than just gaining a basic understanding of how distilleries function, it’s about supporting your local distilleries. The “Locals First” initiative is sweeping across Utah and rightfully so. Supporting them means many things, employment opportunities not only at the distillery, but also at a Utah farm, a Utah granary, a Utah mill, a Utah malting facility, and even Utah fruit producers. Utah money is in Utah pockets. Moreover, Utah distilleries pay local taxes, their employees pay local taxes, they purchase local products, they are our friends, family, and neighbors. Why shouldn’t we support them?
At the end of the day, I created the trail, wrote a guide, built a website, and maintain each of the social media platforms and YouTube channels because I’ve truly fallen in love with the people that own and operate these Utah distilleries. Devoting my time and money to them is the best part of who I am, outside of my family of course. I wear my UST logo with the same pride that I had when I wore a uniform because I know it represents my passion for them and further their success.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Did COVID teach me anything? Yes, when life gives you lemons you make a Lemon Drop cocktail using one of the amazing Utah distilled vodkas.
Contact Info:
- Email: charles@utahspirittrail.com
- Website: www.utahspirittrail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=1jtxp7eycw92i&utm_content=87mb6e2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/utahspirittrail/
- Twitter: @Utahspirittrail
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCMooZHBPLbEraQ7cPCj1D_Q
- Other: gf.me/u/zh4d9m
