VISIT ST. MARY’S MARYLAND TO LAUNCH NEW ST. MARY’S CRAFT BEVERAGE TRAIL AT CRAFT BEVERAGE FESTIVAL
From Visit St. Mary’s Maryland, Press Release
LEONARDTOWN, Maryland – Visit St. Mary’s Maryland (VSMMD) is launching the St. Mary’s Craft Beverage Trail, a celebration of the entrepreneurs, artisans, and collaborators that make up the local craft beverage community and the quality products and experiences they create.
VSMMD will officially launch the trail at the St. Mary’s Craft Beverage Festival, Saturday, August 19th to Sunday, August 20th, 2023. The festival begins with a Saturday Showcase at the St. Mary’s Regional Airport Terminal at Aeropark followed by Sunday on the Trail at tasting rooms and venues throughout the county.
The Saturday Showcase brings together local craft beverage producers to offer tastings, product launches, direct purchases, raffles, and behind-the-scenes info sessions. Ticketholders will also receive a festival-exclusive bottle bag and tasting glass. Attendees can choose from two timed-entry sessions, 12pm-2pm or 2:30pm-4:30pm. Tickets for the showcase are $30, and all ticketholders must be aged 21+.
On Sunday, tasting rooms and venues throughout the county will host music, activities, and vendors, welcoming the public to experience the St. Mary’s Craft Beverage Trail. Ticketholders from the Saturday Showcase can look forward to a VIP experience at each location.
Participating craft beverage producers include Corteau Vineyards, Southern Trail Distillery, Xella Winery, Tobacco Barn Distillery, Port of Leonardtown Winery, Jubilee Farm Fermentations, Free State Ciders, LAD Farms Brewing, and Everyday Saint Brewhouse.
For tickets and more details about the event visit: www.visitstmarysmd.com/craft-beverage-trail/
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“After anniversary celebration, Frederick’s Tenth Ward looks to the future” – The Frederick News-Post
July 23, 2023
Ryan Marshall
The Frederick News-Post
After seven years, Monica Pearce said she feels like she’s finally getting a chance to catch her breath.
Until now, Pearce, founder of Frederick’s Tenth Ward Distilling Company, said she’s been focused on just meeting demand for the growing company.
But as the East Patrick Street distillery wrapped up a week-long celebration of its seventh anniversary on Sunday, Pearce said she can begin to strategize around how she wants the company to grow.
Its gin, bourbon, Maryland rye, and absinthe are currently distributed in five states across the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Washington, D.C. And while Pearce said she doesn’t have any ambitions to be a national brand, she would like to continue to grow those regional sales.
To continue reading this Frederick News Post article, please click here.
ACSA ELECTION RESULTS MARK SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT A 100% WOMEN-LED BOARD WILL STEER A NATIONAL DRINKS INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATION
Gina Holman, Kelly Woodcock, and Jessica Lemmon Elected President, Vice President, & Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors, Along with New Board Appointments
WASHINGTON, DC (March 30, 2023) – The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) today announces the election of Gina Holman of J. Carver Distillery (MN) as the President of the Board of Directors. She has served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2020, and as Vice President since 2022. Kelly Woodcock of Westward Whiskey (OR) has also been elected as the organization’s Vice President and Jessica J. Lemmon of Cart/Horse Distilling (PA) has been re-elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Together, Holman, Woodcock, Lemmon and the current and newly-appointed Board of Directors will work with CEO Margie A.S. Lehrman to address the key issues facing the craft distilling industry, including the organization’s continued push for direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping. The elections will usher in the second consecutive year during which an all-women-identifying-led board will steer a national trade association. Additionally, women currently make up more than half of the elected Board members. ACSA is also proud to announce the results of its national election for Board of Director members, adding four new members with one returning.
“It is a tremendous honor to be leading the ACSA Board of Directors as president, and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly,” said Gina Holman, Founding Partner at J. Carver Distillery (MN) and President, ACSA. “As we usher in ACSA’s second decade as a leading industry trade association, I look forward to serving our growing craft spirits community and building on the organization’s remarkable accomplishments thus far. We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us, but I’m excited to be working alongside such an esteemed group of fellow Board members to make great things happen for our vibrant industry.”
Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO, ACSA, added, “As a woman in drinks, particularly at a trade association level, I’m thrilled to announce that for a second year, our women-led Board will steer our organization to support our growing community of craft distillers. Though ACSA remains focused on critical industry issues such as postal shipping reform, trade, fair competition, and direct-to-consumer shipping, we continue to pour our hearts and efforts into the STEPUP Foundation, the 501(c)3 non-profit immersive internship program we helped create two years ago. Through STEPUP, our work is narrowly focused on an important mission: to change the face of the drinks industry, one intern at a time. While we still have so much work to do—particularly within the communities that have been most marginalized historically—we are beginning to see a shift in drinks. Our 2023 Board of Directors is proof that our industry continues to move in the right direction.”
Following these elections, the ACSA Board of Directors will also be appointing leadership to its governing committees. Those committees include Membership, Ethics, Convention, Education, Elections, Safety, ACSA PAC, Mentorship, Judging, Government Affairs, State Guilds, Technology, Finance, DtC and Development.
The 2023 Board of Directors, representing the craft spirits industry nationwide, is comprised of the following individuals:
EAST
Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. (VA) *re-elected
Jessica J. Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)
Tom Potter, New York Distilling Co. (NY)
Colin Spoelman, Kings County Distillery (NY) *newly elected
Jaime Windon, Windon Distilling Co. (MD) *newly elected
CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN
Alex Castle, Old Dominick Distillery (TN) *newly elected
Gina Holman, J.Carver Distillery (MN)
Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits (NM)
Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Co. (WY)
Mark A. Vierthaler, Whiskey Del Bac (AZ)
Thomas Williams, Delta Dirt Distillery (AR) *newly elected
PACIFIC
Lucy Farber, St. George Spirits (CA)
Jake Holshue, Spirit Works Distillery (CA)
Jeff Kanof, Copperworks Distilling Co. (WA)
Kelly Woodcock, Westward Whiskey (OR)
EX OFFICIO
Thomas Jensen, New Liberty Distillery (PA)
The national digital election was administered over the past month with the help of the Election’s Chair, Renee Bemis, Driftless Glen Distillery (WI) and Jeff Wuslich, Cardinal Spirits (IN).
About ACSA
The American Craft Spirits Association is the only national registered nonprofit trade association representing the U.S. craft spirits industry. Its mission is to elevate and advocate for the community of craft spirits producers, and membership in ACSA is open to anyone.
ACSA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the eligible voting members of the Association. Voting members must be independent licensed distillers (DSPs) annually removing fewer than 750,000 proof gallons from bond (the amount on which a Federal Excise Tax is paid.) For information about ACSA, call 202-669-3661.
McClintock Distilling Champions Environmental Stewardship with Tree-Planting Initiative
McClintock Distilling promotes sustainability with their third-annual Gimlets for Green Month initiative
FREDERICK, MD. (PRWEB) MARCH 07, 2023
This April, McClintock Distilling begins its third-annual Gimlets for Green Month initiative to promote environmental stewardship and activism in Maryland.
In honor of National Earth Day, McClintock and their distribution partner, Bacchus Importers, will be donating money for every featured cocktail and bottle of McClintock spirits sold at participating restaurants, bars, and retail locations. Their fundraising efforts will support the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Tree-Mendous program, with the goal of planting trees on public lands and community spaces across the state.
Created by co-owners Tyler Hegamyer and Braeden Bumpers, “This event is an extension of the core mission of sustainability and environmental stewardship at McClintock,” said Bumpers. “We wanted to create a way to connect the dots for people, where they can see the result of what McClintock does, what they drink, and how it impacts their environment.” Since 2021, Gimlets for Green Month has raised money to plant 252 mature trees with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), thanks to the efforts of 118 participating locations.
The DNR’s Tree-Mendous Program selects native trees and shrubs that help clean the water and air, provide habitats for wildlife, and aid in restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed region. “We chose the DNR because their program directly impacts where we live and the greater surrounding region that flows into the Chesapeake. They are smart about carefully selecting the types of trees they plant, where they should be planted, and where those plantings will have the best impact on our environment,” says Bumpers. Their holistic approach to sustainable efforts aligns with McClintock’s company values, as the distillery looks for attainable, authentic, and creative ways to be environmentally friendly.
McClintock was the first organic-certified alcohol producer in the state of Maryland, and they incorporate other sustainable practices in their spirits production. Some of their efforts include sourcing 100% renewable electricity, recycling spent whiskey mash as organic hog and cow feed for local farmers, and working towards becoming a carbon neutral facility. Bumpers remarked, “We founded the company with sustainability as one of our main missions because it was something that was important and personal to both Tyler and myself. Our industry is getting better, but in the past, it has been incredibly wasteful, particularly with water.”
McClintock solved this problem by designing and building a cooling water recycling system that cools their manufacturing equipment, and has reduced McClintock’s waste water by half a million gallons every year. Looking to create meaningful change in the spirits industry, McClintock has made their design available through the American Distilling Institute to encourage other distillers to prioritize sustainability.
McClintock Distilling aims to positively impact what they can, and inspire others to do the same. By enjoying a craft cocktail or buying a bottle of gin, whiskey, vodka, or any of their other spirits during Gimlets for Green Month, being a good steward of the environment and directly supporting the health of the greater Chesapeake Bay Watershed region has never been simpler.
McClintock Distilling is an award-winning, craft distillery located in Frederick, Maryland. They have been named Best Craft Vodka Distillery and one of the Top 10 Best Gin Distilleries by USA Today, and have won over 75 awards and medals at international competitions, including best gin in show at NYISC. At their facility, they proudly produce organically-certified spirits using sustainable and environmentally-conscious practices, and source local, heirloom grains from family-owned, Maryland farms.
KEVIN ATTICKS TRANSITIONS TO ROLE AS MARYLAND’S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
KEVIN ATTICKS TRANSITIONS TO ROLE AS MARYLAND’S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kevin Atticks Transitions To Role As Maryland’s Secretary of Agriculture
(ANNAPOLIS, MD) – Grow & Fortify founder & CEO, Kevin Atticks, has announced his departure from the company to accept a new role as Maryland’s Secretary of Agriculture. Appointed by Governor-elect Wes Moore, Atticks joins an administration aiming to create a more competitive Maryland, cure child poverty, and accelerate our green economy and protect our environment.
“With a competitive agricultural industry, we can support every aspect of the new administration’s mission,” says Atticks, who believes the increasingly diverse industry plays an integral role in the Moore-Miller administration’s priorities. “We need to expand our agricultural base, provide farmers with new opportunities to grow profit, and educate our citizens about the incredible products grown and produced locally.”
For more than two decades, Atticks has worked on behalf of local wineries and grape growers while promoting and advocating for Maryland’s wine industry. In 2015, Atticks founded Grow & Fortify to strengthen the state’s broader craft alcohol industry and support burgeoning value-added agriculture businesses.
In his role as the Executive Director of the Brewers Association of Maryland, the Maryland Distillers Guild and the Maryland Wineries Association, Atticks successfully advocated for legislation that changed the business landscape of Maryland’s alcohol industry. Examples of these successes include wine sales at wineries, self-distribution and direct shipping at local wineries, the legalization of on-premise sale and consumption of beer at local breweries, and the ability for a local distillery to prepare and sell cocktails in their retail spaces. Additionally, in 2018, Atticks led the effort that modernized Maryland’s beer franchise laws and helped to balance the rights of local breweries committed to in-state wholesale agreements.
“Kevin has served the Brewers Association of Maryland effectively,” said Brett Snyder, president of the Brewers Association of Maryland and co-founder of Waredaca Brewing Co. “He oversaw tremendous growth in all aspects of the brewing scene in the state. We sincerely thank him for his commitment and offer our best wishes on joining the Governor’s cabinet.”
“Kevin saw the benefits distilleries could bring to Maryland through tourism and agriculture, long before anyone else. Since then, he has provided outstanding leadership and guidance to our distiller’s community through his dedication and voice of reason,” says Brian Treacy, president of Sagamore Spirit and the Maryland Distillers Guild.
Grow & Fortify published the first assessment of the state’s value-added agricultural industry, illustrating the expansive impact generated by this previously unheralded sector. Wineries, creameries, meat processing, agritourism, equine and dozens of other industry segments yield 74,000 jobs and bring a total economic impact of over $20.6 billion annually to the state’s economy. This level of economic activity, in turn, adds nearly $875 million to the State’s fiscal resources.
Originally from Bowie, Atticks graduated with a journalism degree from Loyola University Maryland. Shortly thereafter, Atticks received a master’s degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. Atticks later earned his doctorate in communications design from University of Baltimore. He holds a faculty position at Loyola University Maryland where he teaches book publishing.
Grow & Fortify will carry on managing the state’s three craft alcohol trade associations. Effective immediately, Janna Howley assumes the role of acting CEO at Grow & Fortify. The responsibilities of outreach and role of the Executive Director for the Brewers Association of Maryland, the Maryland Distillers Guild and the Maryland Wineries Association will be carried out by Kelly Dudeck.
“I am honored and humbled to step into this role,” says Howley. “My goal is to provide a solid bridge between the important work that Kevin has done to date and the many opportunities we see on the horizon for craft alcohol and value-added agriculture. It’s a bright future and I feel privileged to lead such a strong team.”
For more information about Grow & Fortify and the work it does in the craft alcohol and value-added agriculture industries, please visit the Grow & Fortify website.
ABOUT GROW & FORTIFY
Grow & Fortify is built to support value-added agricultural organizations and the businesses they represent. We’ve gathered a team of professionals to support agricultural startups and ensure the financial viability of our land, and ultimately, our community.
Grow & Fortify is retained to represent and manage the Brewers Association of Maryland, the Maryland Distillers Guild, and the Maryland Wineries Association.
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“Owners of Westminster distillery Covalent Spirits celebrate triumph over cancer battles with special bourbon release this weekend” – The Carroll County Times
Owners of Westminster distillery Covalent Spirits celebrate triumph over cancer battles with special bourbon release this weekend
January 7, 2023
Thomas Goodwin Smith
The Carroll County Times
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With the release of its Battle Bourbon on Saturday, Covalent Spirits’ co-owners pay tribute to a personal battle and celebrated the success so far of their new distillery, the only one in the City of Westminster.
The bourbon, aged for nearly 5 years and coming out of the barrel stronger than when it went in, reflects the idea of battling adversity, just as co-owner Drew Cockley did. As the whiskey matured over those five years, he survived two battles with cancer.
“It is a personal story,” Cockley said. “I am a two-time cancer survivor and the start and stop of Covalent Spirits hinged around my health.”
And so Covalent Spirits, at 118 E. Main St., Westminster, is more than the unique liquors, chemistry-themed cocktails and industrial-chic interior it offers patrons. The distillery has become a comfortable hangout spot for many since opening its doors in November 2022…
To continue reading this great story, visit the Carroll County Times.
“The New Wave of Weird, Wild American Brandy” – Wine Enthusiast
The New Wave of Weird, Wild American Brandy
December 28, 2022
Kara Newman
Wine Enthusiast
Once a year, Baltimore Spirits takes an attention-grabbing approach to dispatching an abundance of Maryland apples into apple brandy. Inspired by the harvest celebration of Mexico’s pechuga mezcal, raw apples are swept with smoke, then distilled with foraged pawpaw, persimmon and black walnut. For the final distillation, a 30-pound Maryland country ham is suspended in the still above the pot, for a distinct “prosciutto-y” salinity, explains cofounder Max Lents.
“It’s a completely insane thing to do— hanging hams in your still,” Lents acknowledges, “but the spirit wouldn’t be the same without it.”
Insane? Maybe. But it’s memorable—and that’s important.
Read the rest of this article at Wine Enthusiast.
“Bits & Bites: New whiskey distillery opens in Westminster, Texas brisket smokes Baltimore, and tacos with tequila in Anne Arundel” – The Baltimore Sun
Bits & Bites: New whiskey distillery opens in Westminster, Texas brisket smokes Baltimore, and tacos with tequila in Anne Arundel
December 07, 2022
Amanda Yeager
The Baltimore Sun
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…Jennifer Yang moved to Westminster for love and stayed for whiskey.
Yang, a Washington-area resident for nearly 20 years, relocated to Westminster to live with her now-husband, Drew Cockley. Last month, the couple opened the doors to Covalent Spirits, the town’s first new distillery in decades.
Though she’s an IT consultant by day, spirits have been a passion for Yang for the past decade and a half. She ran a whiskey tasting club and a tasting event side business before learning to distill her own liquor a few years ago. The MIT graduate and self-described geek at heart says she’s always been interested in figuring out how different flavors are created in the distilling process…
To continue reading this great article, please visit the Baltimore Sun.
NOVEMBER IS THE FIFTH-ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF MARYLAND SPIRITS MONTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER IS THE FIFTH-ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF MARYLAND SPIRITS MONTH
Celebrating local distilleries and their products all month long.
(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) – Shaken or stirred, every great cocktail starts with an exceptional spirit. Rums, gins and rye whiskeys are just a few examples of locally distilled spirits being produced by distilleries in Maryland. This November marks the fifth annual celebration of Maryland Spirits Month and recognizes the growth and impact of the state’s modern distilling industry.
“This year’s Maryland Spirits Month is a milestone – five years,” says Maryland Distillers Guild’s executive director, Kevin Atticks. “This industry is forging a new legacy for spirits produced in the state. There is a lot to acknowledge and celebrate.”
Residents and tourists are encouraged to take part in Maryland Spirits Month celebrations throughout the month. Distilleries and spirits retailers are hosting events and offering promotions focused on growing consumer engagement. From in-store tastings of local products to unique educational activities, this month features great opportunities to experience Maryland-made spirits.
“Recognizing November as Maryland Spirits Month provides Marylanders with an opportunity to support this great industry and the small business community responsible for the resurgence of crafting delicious spirits in the Free State,” said Jim Bauckman, director of communications at the Maryland Distillers Guild.
Distilling in Maryland has historically significant roots, dating back to the early days of America’s colonies. While the state’s distilleries were historically known for producing rye whiskey, Maryland’s modern distilleries craft dozens of varieties of spirits and liqueurs. Rye whiskey remains a popular offering and local producers are gaining attention for a growing number of award-winning products, including bourbons, gins, rums, and vodkas.
Today, more than 40 operating and in-planning distilleries represent an industry responsible for nearly $200 million in economic impact for the state. The Maryland Craft Beverages app includes an up-to-date directory and a passport that consumers can use to track their visits to these establishments. For the 2022 celebration of Maryland Spirits Month, app users will be able to collect a unique digital badge for visiting and stamping their passports at 10 locations.
A full list of distilleries, a calendar of Maryland Spirits Month activities, and details about the Spirits of Collaboration project can be found by visiting the details page located at marylandspirits.org. The Maryland Craft Beverages app is available for Android and iOS devices and includes a directory of the state’s distilleries.
About the Maryland Distillers Guild
Members of the Maryland Distillers Guild are a community of craft producers, dedicated to developing quality spirits and delivering a dynamic experience for visitors. We invite you to tour our distilleries, learn about our distilling processes, and sample locally-crafted spirits. Cheers to a rich heritage and spirited future!
The Maryland Distillers Guild can be followed on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Information about the Maryland Distillers Guild is updated at marylandspirits.org.
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