If you work in beverage alcohol long enough, the same question keeps coming up. A new hire asks what they should study. A distributor rep wants to level up. A retail manager wants a credential on the wall. A brand owner wants their team trained. And every time, the same alphabet soup gets thrown around. WSET. Cicerone. CMS. CSS. AFNA. Sommelier. Master this. Certified that.

There is a bottle on your back bar, or your retail shelf, or your restaurant's beverage list, that almost no one in your building knows how to talk about. It outsells most spirits categories in Japan, has a brewing process more complex than any beer on earth, reaches natural alcohol levels higher than any other brewed beverage on the planet, and arrives in your warehouse labeled in a language most of your staff doesn't read.

The world's largest spirit. The smallest section on most American back bars. Here's what bartenders, retailers, and curious drinkers need to know about baijiu in 2026, and why the next five years will look nothing like the last fifty.

Walk into any modern grocer, natural foods retailer, or beverage alcohol store and the cold case has changed. Coconut water sits next to kombucha. Mushroom coffee sits next to prebiotic soda. A CBD sparkling water sits next to a hemp-derived Delta-9 drink. Customers stand in front of the door, pick up two cans, and stare at the labels trying to figure out which one solves the problem they walked in with.

Today, we're proud to announce the launch of PKGD University, a professional credentialing platform built in partnership with PKGD Group, one of the leading importers of heritage, producer-owned agave spirits in the United States.

THC beverages are no longer a novelty. They are on the shelf, in the cooler, and in the conversation at every major trade show this year. If you attended WSWA Access or any regional distributor event in the last six months, you saw it firsthand: hemp-derived THC drinks are showing up in the same portfolios, the same pitch decks, and the same buyer meetings as craft spirits, RTDs, and functional beverages.

If your staff can't explain the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Grigio, they're not selling wine. They're stocking shelves.

If you run a liquor store, bottle shop, grocery alcohol department, or convenience store, you already know the math. You hire someone, spend a few weeks getting them up to speed, and then they leave. You start over. Repeat.

Running a business in New York means staying ahead of compliance requirements that protect your staff, your customers, and your license. Whether you operate a bar, restaurant, liquor store, or retail operation, state-approved training is one of the smartest investments you can make. Learn Brands offers a complete library of New York-specific, state-required and state-recognized training courses, all available online, on demand, and built for individuals or entire teams.

Learn Brands is proud to announce a new partnership with 360training, making Learn Brands a certified reseller of 360training’s industry-leading compliance and workforce training courses.

If you manage or work in alcohol retail, having a well-trained staff is essential. Whether you run a liquor store, grocery store, convenience shop, or bottle shop, your employees need to understand how alcohol works, how it is categorized, and how to serve it responsibly.

The alcoholic beverage industry is evolving quickly, and 2025 is set to be a defining year for key trends. Among the most impactful shifts are the rise of low/no-alcohol drinks, the explosion of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, and the continued premiumization of spirits and other beverages.

In today’s competitive alcohol market, the difference between an average sales pitch and a compelling one often comes down to tasting ability. Whether you’re introducing a new spirit to an on-premise account, hosting a beer sampling, or recommending a wine to a retail buyer, tasting skills build credibility and trust.

Discover the best learning techniques for retail training. Learn how spaced repetition, active recall, and contextual learning improve knowledge retention.

Whether you’re stocking shelves, serving cocktails, or answering guest questions, this course gives you the essential talking points you need to recommend whiskey with ease.

Spirits are the biggest, highest-margin, and most intimidating section in the store. They are also where your staff gets caught flat-footed the most.