Virtual presentations open to public, winners announced at 2025 DISCUS Conference
For the fifth year in a row, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) is hosting its Innovation Showcase competition highlighting pioneers in the spirits industry and their innovations in packaging, technology, product development and much more.
Nine finalists were selected to compete in the Innovation Showcase sponsored by DISCUS partner member, Spearhead Global. The finalists were chosen from 38 submissions and will present their innovations virtually before a panel of judges who will score the innovation based on its originality, feasibility, market potential, sustainability, concept, value, scalability and demonstrated impact.
“The DISCUS Innovation Showcase attracts the best and brightest in our industry,” said Chris Swonger, president and CEO of DISCUS. “This year, spirits enthusiasts can join in the fun by watching the virtual competition and voting for their favorite creations. Each finalist excels in their area of expertise, and we’re excited to share their latest innovations.”
The innovations will be presented over three sessions. Members of the public are welcome to join and will have the opportunity to vote for their top innovation picks each week.
INNOVATION SHOWCASE SESSION 1
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024
Time: 1-2 p.m. EST
Register here.
Innovations:
- The Bar Book
- The Virginia Heritage Grain Project
- Crafted Pour
INNOVATION SHOWCASE SESSION 2
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024
Time: 1-2 p.m. EST
Register here.
Innovations:
- Nuvo Sparkling Liqueur
- Central Standard/Leinenkugels Canned Cocktails
- Dapper Barons Low-Sugar Liqueurs and Zero-Sugar Cocktails
INNOVATION SHOWCASE SESSION 3
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024
Time: 1-2 p.m. EST
Register here.
Innovations:
- SACRED Mijenta Tequila Maestra Seleccion No. 1 Tequila Blanco
- Clubby Cocktails
- Modern Cooperage Stainless Steel Barrel
Top innovators will be awarded prize packages at the 2025 DISCUS Conference in Washington, D.C. Prizes range in value from $5,000 to $20,000, with the top prize including $10,000 cash.
The judges are Brian Christensen, publisher and brand consultant at Artisan Spirit Magazine and Glencairn Crystal; Blair Woodall, strategic advisor and business development consultant; David Wojnar, senior vice president of industry affairs at Provi; and Kathy SucIch, vice president of marketing at Dimensional Insight.
FINALISTS INNOVATIONS
Below are summaries of the innovations submitted by the finalists
The Bar Book
The Bar Book is a veteran-owned mobile app that’s transforming how consumers discover and enjoy alcohol beverages. Combining the precision of data-driven insights with the artistry of drink curation, The Bar Book connects users with drinks tailored to their unique flavor preferences. From craft beers and artisanal spirits to mixers and hidden gems, the app offers personalized recommendations that take the guesswork out of finding the perfect drink.
Crafted Pour
Crafted Pour is a premier app connecting cocktail creators, brands and consumers. Cocktail creators share their recipes and build their fanbase. Brands can sell their products featured in the recipes and consumers can discover recipes and engage with the craft spirits community. In all, it uses content creation and syndication to magnify craft spirit producers’ reach and revenue.
The Virginia Heritage Grain Project
Reservoir Distillery’s Virginia Heritage Grain Project studies some of our country’s oldest grains used in relation to the spirits industry. Ultimately, the project is trying to answer the questions: Are these landmark historical flavors just waiting to be rediscovered, and are they worthy of being unearthed? This study is three-pronged – researching and procuring, planting and harvesting, and distilling these grains – all simultaneously. The Virginia Heritage Grain Project hopes to bring value to a wide swath of individuals and industries who are trying to be diligent stewards of our land and history, and ultimately, our futures.
Central Standard/Leinenkugels Canned Cocktails
In the evolving and growing ready-to-drink (RTD) market, Central Standard has found another way to fuse the best of both worlds. Using its spirits (North Brandy, Red Cabin Bourbon and Door County Cherry Vodka) to combine with the great flavors out of the beer world from Leinenkugels, they have fused the two for ideal cocktails. Central Standard distillers worked with its brewmasters using the flavors from its extremely popular shandy line. Using the expertise of award-winning distillers and brewmasters to learn each other’s techniques and processes has paid off in an excellent product for the consumer, which has helped extend Central Standard’s spirits products by using a collaboration that makes sense to consumers.
Dapper Barons Low-Sugar Liqueurs and Zero-Sugar Cocktails
Dapper Barons’ liqueurs are the first to offer a near-sugar-free profile — 90% less than traditional liqueurs — letting consumers enjoy all the flavor without all the sugar. Their spirits are designed to elevate your cocktails, not your sugar. Every other category of alcohol beverages have a low-sugar/low-carb alternative (beer, wine, vodka, whiskey, etc). Dapper Barons set out to address the need of low-sugar liqueurs so people can enjoy craft cocktails the way they were meant to taste, but without the high sugar load. Most importantly, their low-sugar design does not compromise quality.
NUVO Sparkling Liqueur
NUVO is the world’s first sparkling liqueur that is produced in France. NUVO was inspired by the fragrance industry’s attention to beauty in every detail. This visually female forward brand has the first multi angled bottle created that holds 5 bars of pressure, much like a bottle of champagne. This bottle design helps to preserve the crisp effervescence within the sparkling liqueur. NUVO is crafted with ultra-premium French vodka, a touch of delicate sparkling white wine and infused with a proprietary blend of fruit nectars. NUVO can be enjoyed like a sparkling wine or mixed in various cocktails, such as in a French 75. NUVO is part of the Lucas Bols portfolio.
Clubby Cocktails
In a world where convenience meets quality, Clubby Cocktails stands out as a pioneer in the beverage industry. Developed by celebrated European mixologists, these ready-to-serve cocktails bring the bar experience right to your home. With an emphasis on natural ingredients and an impressive shelf life of 24 months, Clubby Cocktails allows you to indulge in premium drinks without the hassle of mixing or specialized equipment. Each cocktail embodies a commitment to the craft, featuring recipes that harmonize flavors, aromas and textures as if made fresh behind the bar.
Modern Cooperage Stainless-Steel Barrel
Modern Cooperage’s unique stainless-steel barrels bring traditional barrel-aging techniques for whiskey, bourbon, rum and other spirits to the current era. Their patented barrel provides distilleries with a modern solution that overcomes many of the drawbacks and limitations of traditional oak barrels without sacrificing any of the qualities that made oak barrels the industry mainstay. Take control of oak integration, evaporation, temperature, micro-oxygenation, pressurization, agitation and more. With their patented stave carousel, distillers get precise control of their oak profile. Insert up to 20 staves with a total per-barrel rate of 5– 150% new oak equivalent depending on the number of staves used and their thickness. The Modern Cooperage barrel allows a tremendous amount of control for the distiller that is unparalleled in the industry.
Mijenta Tequila Maestra Selección No.1 Tequila Blanco
Agave farmers are under tremendous pressure to accelerate the 6- to 8-year natural growing cycle of agave. As a result, they never – never – grow agave from seed. They use “hijuelos” – clones that grow as offshoots of the roots. Mijenta Tequila Maestra Selección No.1 Tequila Blanco is the first Tequila in decades to be made exclusively from agave grown from seed. The agavero (agave farmer) who germinated and farmed those seedlings allows at least 15% of his fields to go to seed each year. In doing so, he is nurturing a stronger Blue Weber agave population – one that is genetically diverse.
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The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States is the leading voice for distilled spirits in the U.S., advocating on legislative, regulatory and public affairs issues impacting the distilled spirits sector at the local, state, federal and international levels. DISCUS members are committed to responsibility and encourage adults who drink to do so in moderation.
Spearhead Global revolutionizes the industry and redefines how packaging and brand work together to deliver a more memorable buyer experience. Through exclusive partnerships with expert pioneers in global Physical Brand Enhancements™, rethinking the manufacturing process, and refining automation operations, Spearhead delivers fast and efficient results. Spearhead is committed to supporting other women-owned businesses and offering sustainable Physical Brand Enhancements™ for clients while creating a better brand experience for consumers.