| More than 450 spirits industry leaders and supply chain partners gathered last week in Washington, D.C., for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States’ (DISCUS) annual conference where they were able to network, share ideas and drive innovation. The conference, held March 26-28, also included a Capitol Hill fly-in where attendees met directly with members of Congress and their staff to discuss pressing issues facing the spirits industry.
“In terms of advocacy, there is nothing that compares to meeting with your Congressional representatives in-person on Capitol Hill,” said Alex Castle, master distiller at Augusta Distillery and DISCUS Craft Advisory Council chair. “The DISCUS conference gave distillers like me that opportunity, and we were effective in sharing our concerns about the ongoing trade disputes and other key issues.” Conference sessions covered topics such as the future of the spirits marketplace, tariffs, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, sustainability in the industry and more. Featured speakers included U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) and representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Mexican embassy, and the European Union. DISCUS also hosted a special reception on its office rooftop at 101 Constitution Ave. The reception was sponsored by Suntory Global Spirits and featured product tastings, specialty cocktails, music and incredible views of the Capitol. “This year’s conference was a huge success not only for the great cocktails and conversations shared by attendees, but for the effective advocacy we carried out on Capitol Hill,” said Chris Swonger, DISCUS president & CEO. “D.C. was the perfect place for our industry leaders to gather and build for the future by engaging top lawmakers.” Innovation Showcase Reservoir Distillery’s Virginia Heritage Grain Project was named the grand winner of DISCUS’ Innovation Showcase competition presented by The Spearhead Group. Modern Cooperage stainless-steel barrel took home second place, and Dapper Barons low-sugar liqueurs and zero-sugar cocktails took third. 2025 Conference Awards Additionally, a number of distinguished industry leaders were honored throughout the conference. Award winners included:
Images can be found here. Photo credits: Al Drago
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