With the Conavid-19 pandemic changing our ways of life, the American Craft Spirits Association postponed its 2020 conference that was supposed to be happening now in Portland, Oregon. But they have decided that the awards show must go on. The American Craft Spirits Association is the only national organization of craft distillers governed by craft distillers and winning an award at its annual event is a big deal for distillers, equivalent to a brewer bringing home an award from the Great American Beer Fest held annually in Denver.
The ACSA will be announcing its 2020 award winners via a virtual awards show tonight, Monday, March 30th at 8 pm Eastern time. Sign up to reserve a spot or follow @Pennsy_Local on Twitter where we will be sharing live updates.
Pennsylvania has fared very well in the awards. Bringing home the most medals in 2017 and 2018, and coming in second only to host Minnesota last year. Even as the field gets more crowded and spirits age longer and startups start acting like veterans, there’s no reason not to expect a bushel of medals to be sent to Pennsylvania this year.
Here is just how well Pennsylvania has done over the past three years.
2019 Pennsylvania ACSA Winners (Minneapolis)
| 2019 | Medals Won by PA | Number of PA Distilleries that Won |
| 252 awards | 32 | 13% | 11 Pennsylvania distilleries won |
2019 PA Distilleries that won at ACSA:
- Boyd and Blair (3 medals)
- Bluebird Distilling (3 medals)
- Lang Beverage Co. (one medal)
- Lawrenceville Distilling Co. (one medal)
- Liberty Pole Spirits (2 medals)
- New Liberty Distillery (3 medals)
- Maggie’s Farm (5 medals)
- Quantum Spirits (one medal)
- Social Still (3 medals)
- Stoll & Wolfe Distillery (2 medals)
- Wigle Whiskey (8 medals)
2018 Pennsylvania ACSA Winners (Pittsburgh)
| 2018 | Medals Won by PA | Number of PA Distilleries that Won |
| 315 awards | 44 won | 14% | 11 Pennsylvania distilleries won |
2018 PA Distilleries that won at ACSA:
- Bluebird Distilling (4 medals)
- Boardroom Spirits (one medal)
- Dad’s Hat Rye (one medal)
- Liberty Pole Spirits (2 medals)
- Maggie’s Farm (6 medals)
- Manatawny Still Works (3 medals)
- Mason Dixon Distillery (one medal)
- New Liberty Distillery (2 medals)
- Reading Distilling Guild (one medal)
- Social Still (4 medals)
- Wigle Whiskey (19 medals)
2017 Pennsylvania ACSA Winners (Nashville)
| 2017 | Medals Won by PA | Number of PA Distilleries that Won |
| 303 awards | 35 won | 12% | 10 Pennsylvania distilleries won |
- Bluebird Distilling (2 medals)
- Brandywine Branch Distillers (2 medals)
- Disobedient Spirits (3 medals)
- Liberty Pole Spirits (2 medals)
- Maggie’s Farm (2 medals)
- Manatawny Still Works (4 medals)
- New Liberty Distillery (one medal)
- Red Pump Spirits (one medal)
- Social Still (2 medals)
- Wigle Whiskey (16 medals)