Field Notes

Depletion intelligence, in plain language.

Research and practical guidance for craft distilleries selling through wholesale — how distributor reporting actually works, what the category data shows, and what producers can measure between monthly reports.

A rickhouse aisle of stacked bourbon barrels, warm light from a high window
Company7 min read

Why DepletionIQ Exists: The Measurement Gap Between the Rickhouse and the Shelf

Craft distilleries move most of their volume through channels they cannot observe. A look at the structural reasons why, the market data behind it, and what closing the gap requires.

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Bourbon bottles on a backbar retail shelf, one facing slot empty
Operations8 min read

Reorder Velocity: Measuring Account Health Between Monthly Reports

Monthly depletion reporting introduces a structural lag between a change in account behavior and the producer's awareness of it. A look at the arithmetic, and at the days-to-empty metric that closes it.

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A printed distributor depletion spreadsheet on a desk beside a glass of bourbon
Education9 min read

How to Read a Distributor Depletion Report: A Craft Distiller's Guide

A field guide to the monthly distributor report — what each column measures, the interpretation errors that carry real cost, a repeatable review process, and the questions the format leaves open.

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