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American Craft Spirits Assoc.

@craftspiritsus

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ACSA is the only nonprofit national trade association for craft spirits producers; ACSA's digital publication @craftspiritsmagazine
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I’m honored to return as a judge for this year’s ACSA Craft Spirits Competition! 🥃

One of the things I love most about this industry is discovering the craftsmanship, creativity, and thought behind each spirit. I’m looking forward to tasting this year’s entries and seeing which ones truly stand out!

Have a new release or a tried-and-true favorite you’re proud of? There’s still time to enter! Submissions close November 2. Visit @craftspiritsus for entry details.

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I’m excited to serve as a judge for this year’s ACSA Craft Spirits Competition!

I can’t wait to see what this year’s entrants bring to the table!

Salud🥃

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TICKETS LIVE

🥃 POV: You just found the most spirited way to spend a Saturday in the Rockies. ⛰️

The 2026 Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits (& Brews) Festival presented by @uncletimscocktails , is bringing Colorado’s craft beverage scene to Estes Park — with something for everyone in the family.

Join us Saturday, November 7 for an afternoon featuring:
🥃 40+ craft distilleries
🍺 10+ breweries
✨ Non-alcoholic beverage makers
🎓 Free distillery education & tastings
🥂 Commemorative sampling glasses
🎶 Live music @deborahstaffordmusic
🍔 Food & local bites
📸 FREE Tintype portrait experiences by @dylanburr_tintypes
🤠 Speakeasy lounges presented by @renewalbyandersenco @thewildflowerdenver
🎨 Kids zone + face painting
🏰 Bounce houses
…and so much more!

Whether you’re a craft spirits aficionado, a beer lover, looking to discover some incredible NA options, or just looking for a fun family-friendly day in the mountains, there’s something waiting for you.

Come sip, sample, learn, play, listen to live music, and experience the best of Colorado’s craft beverage community — all in one place.

🥃 Come for the spirits.
🍺 Stay for the brews.
🎨 Bring the kids.
⛰️ Make a day of it.
📍 Estes Park Events Center
📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
⏰ 12–5 PM
Gather your crew and make a day of it in Estes Park!

TICKETS HERE:https://eventsinestes.com/rocky-mountain-craft-spirits-festival/

#RockyMountainCraftSpirits #CraftSpirits #ColoradoDistilleries #ColoradoBreweries #EstesPark EstesParkEvents ColoradoEvents CraftBeverage ColoradoCraftBeverage FamilyFriendly VisitEstesPark Speakeasy ColoradoBeer

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@craftspiritsus invited me to judge this year’s spirits competition, and I’m so excited and honored!

American distilleries are making amazing spirits, and I can’t wait to see all of the talent and creativity.

Don’t miss the submission deadline of November 2nd!

Cheers🥃

#acsa #americancraftspirits #americancraftspiritscompetition #whiskeyblender #womeninwhiskey

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Find us @barrelhousedistillingco & soon in a Kentucky establishment near you!💙🚀We are @kentuckyproud @craftspiritsus @worldspiritscompetition 🥈🥈🥈#entrepreneur #kentuckyproud #startupstory #liquor

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🥃 DAY 3 AT KBF | WHISKEY THIEF DISTILLING CO.

Quick chat with Lisa Roper Wicker, Director of Distilling at Whiskey Thief, about the pour you need to stop by their booth and try today:

🔥 HAZMAT RYE.

Yes, there’s heat. Yes, there’s proof. But Lisa says don’t let that scare you — push through it, because underneath is a serious flavor bomb.

And yes… you can buy it. 👀🥃

If you’re at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival today or Sunday, make Whiskey Thief one of your stops. @whiskeythiefdistilling

#KentuckyBourbonFestival #WhiskeyThief #KentuckyBourbon #BourbonWomen #TheBourbonGoddess

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Join @liquorlawyer and @craftspiritsus this coming Monday, September 14 at 1:00PM EST for “Compliant Low-Cost Advertising for the Craft Distiller”.

You’ll learn:
- How to compliantly create online sweepstakes and contests
- How to pre-announce tastings and other events
- How to tell people where to buy your brands

Register Now in link in bio (Members only).

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🥃 2 DAYS TO KBF | BARDSTOWN IS GETTING READY

I’m standing right outside the Kentucky Bourbon Festival grounds in Bardstown, and in just TWO DAYS, everything behind this fence comes alive.

So what exactly can you expect at KBF?

🥃 70+ distilleries
🥃 200+ bourbon and whiskey brands
🥃 Premium tastings and experiences
🥃 Opportunities to meet the people behind the whiskey
🥃 Bourbon:30 live conversations covering what’s happening across the bourbon industry

And it all starts Thursday night with Bourbon in the Air before the festival gets underway Friday through Sunday.

For the past several days, I’ve been giving you a sneak peek at some of the distilleries, people and pours headed to Bardstown.

Now we’re almost here.

Two days and counting. 🥃

See you at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival!

#KentuckyBourbonFestival #KBF2026 #KentuckyBourbon #Bardstown #TheBourbonGoddess

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🥃 3 DAYS TO KBF | THE HOMECOMING POUR × KBF | PART 2

Part 2 of my conversation with Greg and Katie Keeley of Larrikin Bourbon Co. takes us into one of the most interesting pours in their Australian Series: Golden Wattle.

If Amburana has taught bourbon drinkers anything, it’s that some woods can make a BIG impact on whiskey.

So what happens when you take an 11-year bourbon and finish it with Golden Wattle — an Australian wood Greg and Katie had never seen used this way before?

You take a risk.

And according to them, this one paid off. 🥃

We talked about the decision to experiment with Golden Wattle, how powerful the wood can be, and why getting the finish right required a little bit of faith.

And yes — this is one of the pours headed to Bardstown for KBF.

📍 Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Lawrenceburg, KY
🥃 The Homecoming Pour
📅 Kentucky Bourbon Festival | September 10–13

Part 3 is coming.

#KyBourbonFest #TheHomecomingPour #LarrikinBourbon #KBF2026 #TheBourbonGoddess

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🥃 4 DAYS TO KBF | THE HOMECOMING POUR × KBF | PART 1

Today, The Homecoming Pour took me to Larrikin Bourbon Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where I sat down with founders Greg and Katie Keeley.

We talked about their military service, their journey into bourbon, and the distinctly Australian perspective they’re bringing to Kentucky whiskey.

And, of course, I asked the question:

What are you bringing to Bardstown? 👀🥃

Part of the answer is Larrikin’s Australian Series — including finishes inspired by flavors from Down Under — and I got an opportunity to taste what they’re bringing before KBF.

And let me tell you… there’s more to this conversation.

This is only Part 1.

📍 Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Lawrenceburg, KY
🥃 The Homecoming Pour
📅 Kentucky Bourbon Festival | September 10–13

Four days and counting.

#kyBourbonFest #TheHomecomingPour #LarrikinBourbon #KentuckyBourbon #TheBourbonGoddess

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Distilleries, what are you waiting for? It’s time to change the way you manage everything in your production! Let’s simplify for you! The Distillarc Growth OS is accepting 8-10 pilot distilleries to begin testing. Visit Distillarc.com today or message us to begin your next step!
#craftdistillery #distillarc #craftspirits

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DAY 6 • PART TWO | STOP 12: NEELY FAMILY DISTILLERY 🥃

I asked Rebecca Neely what Neely Family Distillery is bringing to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival… and she started with one you’ll definitely want to look for: the Banana Batch. 🍌🥃

A four-grain bourbon with oatmeal in the mash bill, Rebecca says the name will make perfect sense once you taste it — think banana, banana bread and that creamy texture.

But then she gave me a little something extra.

A sneak peek at Neely Family Distillery’s first 10-year-old bourbon: Papaw’s Legacy Blend.

This one is bigger than age statements and bottle counts. Rebecca shared that the release was created from some of their oldest and best barrels, including whiskey her Papaw helped distill, as a way of keeping his legacy alive.

And only about 750 bottles are planned.

That’s the part of The Homecoming Pour I keep coming back to. The bourbon is important — but so are the families, the history and the people behind what’s in the glass.

6 days until the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

And Stop 12 had a story worth remembering.

🥃 Who’s looking for the Banana Batch at KBF?

#TheBourbonGoddess #TheHomecomingPour #kybourbonfest #NeelyFamilyDistillery #KentuckyBourbon

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