Best of Class awards from the 2019 American Craft Spirits Awards Show // Photo via American Craft Spirits Association’s Instagram
Medalists for the 2019 American Craft Spirits Awards were announced Monday, February 11, at the annual ACSA Distillers’ Convention & Vendor Trade Show, hosted this year at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis.
The awards are divided into seven categories—Brandy, Gin, Rum, Specialty Spirits, Vodka & Grain, Whiskey, and Innovation (a new category in 2019, recognizing “spirits whose flavor profiles may stray from their category’s signature notes”). Additionally, awards are also given for Best in Show and Best of Class.
Top honors went to Helena, Montana–based Gulch Distillers, who were awarded Best in Show for their Burrone Fernet. Two Minnesota distilleries were named Best of Class: Waconia’s J. Carver Distillery won for Brandy, while Tattersall Distilling’s Barreled Rum won for Rum.
Additionally, of the more than 100 distilleries from around the United States whose spirits received awards, eight were Minnesota distilleries. Those distilleries, and the awards they received, in alphabetical order:
11 Wells Spirits Company
- Barrel Aged Boiler Room Rum – Silver
- Cocktail Collection: Allspice Liqueur – Silver
Bent Brewstillery
- Gunner Ghost Reserve – Bronze
Far North Spirits
- Roknar Minnesota Rye Whiskey – Silver
J. Carver Distillery
- Hunt Club Double Barrel Rye – Bronze
- J. Carver Apple Brandy – Silver
- J. Carver Lake House Vodka – Bronze
- J. Carver Straight Rye Whiskey – Bronze
- J. Carver Vodka – Bronze
- Runestone Straight Rye – Bronze
Loon Liquor Co.
- Lac Coeur Blueberry Liqueur – Bronze
- Lac Coeur Coffee Liqueur – Bronze
- Lac Coeur Ginger Liqueur – Bronze
- Loonshine – Bronze
- Wheaton Barley – Bronze
RockFilter Distillery
- Dessa’s Time & Distance Organic Bourbon Whiskey – Bronze
- Organic Barrel Roll Rye Whiskey – Silver
Tattersall Distilling
- Amaro – Bronze
- Aquavit – Bronze
- Barreled Rum – Gold
- Bitter Orange Liqueur – Gold
- Blackstrap Rum – Bronze
- Crème De Fleur – Bronze
- Fernet – Bronze
- Freewheeler Pommeau – Bronze
- Grapefruit Crema – Bronze
- Lime Crema – Bronze
- Orange Crema – Bronze
- Straight Rye Whiskey – Bronze
- Tattersall Barreled Gin – Bronze
- Tattersall Gin – Bronze
- Vodka – Bronze
Vikre Distillery
- Bent Paddle Black Malt Whiskey – Bronze
- Honor Brand, Hay & Sunshine Whiskey – Bronze
- Lake Superior Vodka – Bronze
View the full list of awards at American Craft Spirits Association’s website.
