Distilled Spirits

A distilled spirits student standing in a hallway of barrels

Distilled Spirits

Distillers distill alcohol such as gin, rum, whiskey, bourbon, brandy, tequila, vodka, schnapps, and other spirits. Distillation involves purifying a liquid through evaporation and condensation to create alcohol. It’s a complex process that has been around for centuries, but it still takes years for a distiller to perfect the process.

For years, there were only a handful of distilleries in existence. They were world famous distilleries like Jack Daniels, Bacardi, Absolut, Jose Cuervo, or Tanqueray. In the past decade, craft distilleries have rapidly gained popularity. With only 50 micro-distilleries in 2005, in 2017, there are now over 2,000 in the US. These small batch distilleries create less than 100,000 gallons of spirits each year.

The Associate of Science (A.S.) degree Motlow prepares students to begin work or for transfer to Florida International University (FIU).

Detailed Information

Explore More Pathways

Find Your Future

Have you chosen a major? Is there a program of study that inspires you? Do you have your heart set on a particular degree? Motlow is here to help you find your future and craft a great career.

Start by choosing the credentials you want. Motlow offers:

Short-term certifications,
One-year diplomas,
2-year associates degrees,
Associates degrees with embedded micro-credentials, and
Pathways to numerous bachelor degrees with majors in hundreds of programs. We have many additional articulation agreements with universities that allow you to easily transfer or even enroll simultaneously at Motlow and another institution
We have articulation agreements with universities that allow you to easily transfer or even enroll simultaneously at Motlow and another institution.

Use our program finder to explore all of the possibilities. Visit our transfer & articulations page to learn more about our partnerships with other universities. Explore your interests and aptitudes with our free YouScience tool.

Meet with one of our admissions counselors. Enroll and get assigned your very own completion coach.

The time is right. Call us today. It’s never been easier to find a scholarship and apply for aid to help pay for college. Our mission is your success, and we want to make exploring Motlow simple & free.

The median salary for distilled spirits graduates is $56k per year

Two Distilled Spirits students working

Career Opportunities

Distiller ($25-49k/year)
Sommelier ($42-51k/year)
Bartender ($28-47k/year)
Mixologist ($31-37k/year)
Brand Ambassador ($34-48k/year)
Distillery Manager ($49-65k/year)

Entrepreneurial distillers have happily followed in the footsteps of trend-setting coffee roasters and craft beer brewers. Now there are more distiller opportunities than ever before. Boutique spirit companies are popping up all over the globe.

Distillers must also learn about the business of spirits. When working with alcohol, there are rules and regulations about marketing, production, distribution, zoning, and other factors. Once a distiller finds a job with a distillery or starts their own distillery.