Providing integrated business services for distilleries to pave the way to profitable growth.
Meet Big Thirst Consulting
We’re obsessed with helping distilleries achieve success. Our industry experience and expertise facilitates your sales growth, market expansion, and profitability.
Big Thirst Consulting has extensive experience with start up, operations, compliance, sales, marketing, and distribution, and is adept at leading major brands and craft distilleries to market growth.
Meet the Team
Joseph Castillo
Sales & Distribution
Joseph brings extensive sales, distribution, and pricing experience to the consultancy. During his 16-year career in the spirits industry, he helped launch Angels Envy, Fireball, Buffalo Trace, Treaty Oak Distilling, and KimoSabe Mezcal National. He is adept at developing annual unit and gross-profit plans by implementing marketing strategies; analyzing trends and results, as well as achieving sales objectives. Joe has a strong track record of bringing brands to market with strategic and successful launches to ensure positive and repetitive growth.
Matt McGinnis
Marketing
Armed with 30+ years of global marketing experience in both corporate and agency roles, Matt followed his passion for the beverage industry to found Big Thirst Marketing in 2014. Striking the balance between the strategic approach of the Fortune 500 marketing world with credible and passionate understanding of the beverage industry, he has a unique ability to navigate the specific nuances of the alcohol world. Matt has achieved marketing results for start-ups and world leading brands alike in the U.S. and Europe.
Mark Shilling
Operations & Compliance
Mark specializes in distillery start-up operations, permitting, compliance and project management. As the founder of Revolution Spirits Distilling Company in 2013, he quickly establishing the distillery as a popular stop along the Central Texas beer, wine, and spirits trail. He is a tireless advocate for the industry, helping establish the Texas Distilled Spirits Association in 2012, and serving as president of the American Craft Spirits Association. He uses his 20 years of experience as a lobbyist to navigate regulatory bodies and assist with compliance and government affairs.
Jake Holshue
Production & Operations
Jake Holshue is nationally recognized leader in the craft spirits industry. An expert in all aspects of the distilling process, Jake specializes in:
- General Spirits Production and Efficiency Optimization
- Whiskey Blending
- SOP Review and Creation
- Production Scheduling
- Recipe Formulation
- Help Desk Distilling
- Safety Program Development/ Training
Jake is serving his second term on the board of directors for the American Craft Spirits Association where he chairs and serves on several committees. He also serves on the Selection Committee for the STEPUP Foundation.
What We Can Do for You
You got into this business to be a maker. Let us help you streamline your business so you can focus on your passion. We bring years of experience to help you see the big picture so you can get the most out of programs to optimize your profits.
Big Thirst Consulting provides complete, integrated business services for distilleries including production and operations, regulatory compliance, distribution, pricing, sales, and marketing to help you grow to the next level, faster, with better margins.
Distillery Start-up & Brand Development
Bring your vision to life with the best spirit in the bottle, the killer brand on the bottle, and genius strategy to get your bottles off shelves.
Sales Growth & Market Expansion for Start-Ups to Established Brands
Grow distillery market footprint and expand in new markets throughout the United States with the right distributors, prices, and promotions.
Marketing to Convert Prospects to Customers
Access the power of a full-service marketing agency including graphic design, public relations, advertising, digital media, and web design to connect distilleries with consumers.
Brands We Have Helped
Affiliations
From Our Clients
“Mark Shilling’s consult was a tremendous asset as we began to think about scaling and growing or company into a national brand, which we are now. His broad scope and deep understanding of the whole distilled spirit arena put us on some seriously solid footing. His insight was instrumental in designing overall market strategies to help drive volume and value. He also introduced us to Big Thirst Marketing which has done an incredible job with our public relations and digital media strategies for more than a year. It’s great to see them in a formal partnership and expanding services even more.”