ADI Conference Awards! Checkout the list and drink local!

The American Distilling Institute just finished hosting their annual conference for craft distillers in Louisville, KY. I have reposted the winners of the 6th Annual Judging of Artisan American Spirits for your convenience, complete with links leading you to each distillery's website and their city or state of residence to the far right. Like so:


Distillery - Winning Beverage - Location


I hope that this serves as a tool for folks to locate budding craft distilleries in your part of the country. These artisan craft distillers are bringing quality, creativity, and classiness that American spirits have not seen since before prohibition. Now it's our duty to drink responsibly by drinking local!


I have added photos with captions for distilleries that I plan on paying extra special attention to in the coming months. Please email drinkinggoat (at) gmail (dot) com or comment on this post if you discover any bad links or egregious errors. Before you get started you should know that ADI judges, "reserve the right to not award medals, when in their opinion, no spirits in a category merit an award."


BEST OF CLASS

Artisan Distilled Whiskey

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Grainiac 9 Grain Bourbon – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

nine grains!

Brandy

• Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery - Jepson Old Stock Brandy – Hopland, CA

Rum

• Turkey Shore Distilleries - Old Ipswich Tavern Style Rum – Ipswich, MA

Artisan Merchant Bottled

• Smooth Ambler Spirits Co - Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Maxwelton, WV

Bubble Cup Award - Distillery of the Year

• Peach Street Distillers – Palisade, CO

Excellence in Packaging

• Huber's Starlight Distillery – Brandy – Borden, IN

WHISKEY

Clear Whiskey

Silver Medal

• Copper Fox Distillery - Wasmund's Rye Spirit – Sperryville, VA
• Deerhammer Distilling Company - Whitewater Whiskey – Buena Vista, CO
• Tennessee Distilling Company - Collier and McKeel Charcoal Mellowed White Dog – Nashville, TN
• Dark Horse Distillery - Long Shot White Whiskey – Lenexa, KS

Bronze Medal

• High West Distillery - High West Silver Whiskey - OMG Pure Rye – Park City, UT
• Finger Lakes Distillery - White Pike Whiskey – Burdett, NY

i love the bottle design on this one, but also be sure to check out
Finger Lakes Distillery's "McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey" made from
70% heirloom corn and finished in used Chardonnay casks!

Corn Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Limestone Branch Distillery - T.J. Pottinger Moon*Shine – Lebanon, KY

Silver Medal

• Asheville Distilling Company - Troy & Sons Moonshine – Asheville, NC
• Colorado Gold Distillery - Colorado's Own Corn Whiskey – Cedaredge, CO
• Dark Corner Distillery - Moonshine Corn Whiskey – Lenexa, KS

Bronze Medal

• Balcones Distillery - Kings County Moonshine – Waco, TX
• Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery - Corn Whiskey - Gatlinburg, TN
• Pinchgut Hollow Distillery - Corn Shine - Fairmont, WV

Bourbon

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Grainiac 9 Grain Bourbon - Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Silver Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Nashville Bourbon - Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Tuthilltown Spirits - Hudson Whiskey Four Grain Bourbon - Gardiner, NY

Bronze Medal
• Tuthilltown Spirits - Hudson Baby Bourbon - Gardiner, NY

• Kings County Distillery - Kings County Bourbon - Brooklyn, NY

made by the smallest distillery in the united states

Straight Bourbon

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Colorado Gold Distillery - Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Cedaredge, CO

Silver Medal

• Ballast Point Spirits - Devil's Share Whiskey - San Diego, CA

Bronze Medal

• Peach Street Distillers - Colorado Straight Bourbon - Palisade, CO

Malt Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Golden Distillery - Samish Bay Single Malt Whiskey - Bow, WA

Silver Medal

• Golden Distillery - Samish Bay Whiskey Reserve - Bow, WA
• Rogue Ales & Spirits - Oregon Single Malt Whiskey - Portland, OR

Bronze Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Pils American Malt Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• New Holland Artisan Spirits - Double Down Barley - Holland, MI
• Rogue Ales & Spirits - Dead Guy Whiskey - Portland, OR

Straight Malt Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Ballast Point Spirits - Devil's Share Whiskey - San Diego, CA

Silver Medal

• Edgefield Distillery - Hogshead Whiskey - Troutdale, OR
• New Holland Artisan Spirits - Zeppelin Bend - Holland, MI

Rye Whiskey

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Breuckelen Distilling - 77 Whiskey - Brooklyn, NY

Silver Medal

• 1512 Spirits - Aged Rye Whiskey - San Francisco, CA
• Corsair Artisan Distillery - 100% Rye – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Ryemageddon – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Non-Typical Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Balcones Distillery - '1' Texas Single Malt - Waco, TX

Gold Medal

• 1512 Spirits - Signature Poitin - San Francisco, CA

Silver Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Oatmeal Stout Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Corsair Artisan Distillery - PreProhibition American Malt Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Florida Farm Distillers - Palm Ridge Reserve - Umatilla, FL
• Koval Distillery - Lion’s Pride, 47th Ward Whiskey - Chicago, IL

unfiltered organic single barrel spelt, millet, wheat, oat, and rye whiskeys

• Old Sugar Distillery - Queen Jennie Sorghum Whiskey - Madison, WI
• Glacier Distilling Company - Wheatfish Whiskey - West Glacier, MT

Bronze Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Quinoa & Barley Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Triticale & Barley Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Koval Distillery - Lion's Pride Millet Whiskey - Chicago, IL
• Middle West Spirits - OYO Whiskey - Columbus, OH

Smoked Whiskey

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Balcones Distillery - Brimstone - Waco, TX

Silver Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Oak Smoked Wheat Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Cherrywood Smoke – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Bronze Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Triple Smoke - Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN
• Square One Brewery & Distillery - JJ Neukomm Malt whiskey - St. Louis, MO

Hopped Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Citra Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Silver Medal

• Spirits of St. Louis - Hopskey - St. Louis, MO

Bronze Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Elderflower Bohemian Whiskey – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Flavored Whiskey

Bronze Medal

• Corsair Artisan Distillery - Old Punk – Bowling Green, KY & Nashville, TN

Artisan Merchant Bottled Whiskey

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Smooth Ambler Spirits Co - Old Scout Bourbon Whiskey - Maxwelton, WV

good news from west virginia?!?!

Gold Medal

• Bull Run Distillery - Temperance Trader Bourbon - Portland, OR

Bronze Medal

• Great Lakes Distillery, LLC - Kinnickinnic Whiskey - Milwaukee, WI

BRANDY

Eaux de Vie

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Clear Creek Distillery - Eau de Vie of Blue Plum (Slivovitz) - Portland, OR

Bronze Medal

• Westford Hill Distillers, LLC - Kirsch Eau de Vie - Ashford, CT
• Peach Street Distillers - Jack and Jenny Peach Eau de Vie - Palisade, CO

Aged Fruit Brandies

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Peach Street Distillers - Peach Brandy - Palisade, CO

among being named ADI's distillery of the year,
peach street distillery also offers a "goat vodka"!

Silver Medal

• Peach Street Distillers - Pear Brandy - Palisade, CO

Bronze Medal

• Harvest Spirits LLC - Rare Pear Brandy - Valatie, NY

Apple Brandy

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Westford Hill Distillers, LLC - New World Aged Apple Brandy - Ashford, CT

Silver Medal

• Clear Creek Distillery - 8 year. Eau de Vie de Pomme (apple) - Portland, OR
• Colorado Gold Distillery - Colorado Gold Brandy - Cedaredge, CO

Bronze Medal

• Carolina Distillery LLC - Carriage House Apple Brandy - Lenoir, NC
• Huber's Starlight Distillery - Apple Brandy - Borden, IN
• Huber's Starlight Distillery - Apple Jack - Borden, IN

Grappa

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Clear Creek Distillery - Grappa Muscat - Portland, OR

Gold Medal

• Clear Creek Distillery - Grappa Nebbiolo - Portland, OR

Bronze Medal

• Flag Hill Distillery - Graham's Grappa - Lee, NH

Brandy from Grapes

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery - Jepson Old Stock Brandy – Hopland, CA

Silver Medal

• Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery - Jepson Signature Reserve Brandy – Hopland, CA
• Dakota Spirits Distillery - Bickering Brothers Neutral Brandy - Pierre, SD

Fruit Infusion

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Sidetrack Distillery - Raspberry Liqueur - Kent, WA

Gold Medal

• Clear Creek Distillery - Liqueur of Oregon Cranberries - Portland, OR

Silver Medal

• Huber's Starlight Distillery - Black Raspberry Infusion – Borden, IN
• Huber's Starlight Distillery - Raspberry Infusion – Borden, IN
• Clear Creek Distillery - Eau de Vie of Douglas Fir - Portland, OR
• Bloomery Plantation Distillery - Cello Cremma Lemma - Charles Town, WV

Bronze Medal

• Clear Creek Distillery - Liqueur of Oregon Cassis (Creme de Cassis) - Portland, OR
• Harvest Spirits LLC - Core Black Raspberry - Valatie, NY
• Apollo Fine Spirits - Queen Esther Sweet Fire Liqueur - West Hempstead, NY

RUM

Clear Rum

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Ballast Point Spirits - Three Sheets White Rum - San Diego, CA

Silver Medal

• New Deal Distillery - Distiller's Workshop Rum - Portland, OR

Bronze Medal

• Dancing Pines Distillery, LLC. - Dancing Pines Rum - Loveland, CO

dancing pines distillery is a father-son team who also offer award winning
chai, espresso, and brulee liqueurs, as well as an 88 proof bourbon

• Bull Run Distillery - Pacific Rum - Portland, OR
• Turkey Shore Distilleries - Old Ipswich White Cap Rum - Ipswich, MA

Amber Rum

Gold Medal, Best of Category

• Turkey Shore Distilleries - Old Ipswich Tavern Style Rum - Ipswich, MA

Silver Medal

• Desert Diamond Distillery - Gold Miner Spirits Barrel Reserve Rum - Kingman, AZ
• Ryan and Wood Distillery - Folly Cove Rum - Gloucester, MA

Bronze Medal

• Dancing Pines Distillery, LLC. - Cask Barrel Aged Rum - Loveland, CO
• Rogue Ales & Spirits - Dark Rum - Portland, OR
• New Deal Distillery - Distiller's Workshop Rum, Amber - Portland, OR
• Old Sugar Distillery - Cane and Abe Freshwater Rum - Madison, WI

Overproof Rum

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Barrel House Distilling Co. - Oak Rum - Lexington, KY

Silver Medal

• Privateer Rum - Privateer True American Rum - Ipswich, MA

boston friends take notice of the ipswich and gloucester rum offerings

Flavored Rum

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Dogfish Head - Brown Honey Rum - Milton, DE

Silver Medal

• Duncan's Idea Mill, LLC - Dunc's Mill - Elderflower Rum - Vermont

Spiced Rum

Silver Medal, Best of Category

• Dancing Pines Distillery, LLC - Spice Flavored Rum - Loveland, CO

Artisan Merchant Bottled Rum

Silver Medal

• New Holland Artisan Spirits - Huron Rum - Holland, MI

Bronze Medal

• Firefly Distillery - Sea Island, Java - Wadmalaw Island, SC
• Firefly Distillery - Sea Island, Spice - Wadmalaw Island, SC
• Spirit of Texas - Pecan Street Rum - Pflugerville, TX

aged with oak + pecan!