
The Heartland Whiskey Competition is a biennial, blind-tasting judging event that is sanctioned and supervised by the American Craft Spirits Association. The competition is sponsored by the promotion arms of participating state corn associations. Competition in several whiskey categories is open to craft distillers from all 50 U.S. states and territories. In addition to category competition (e.g., bourbon, moonshine, etc.), “Best of State” awards are given to those states with corn association sponsorship and a “Best of Show” award is given to the highest-scoring whiskey from the “Best of State” awardees.
ACSA delineates specific entry criteria consistent with its stewardship of this and other spirits competitions. The one criterion unique to this competition is that all whiskey submissions must be made from some amount of corn grain. Also in sponsored states, the 2023 competition introduces the Top Farmer Distiller Award which will be chosen from all categories.
Craft Distilleries Will Compete for Title Of Best State Whiskey at 2023 Heartland
Whiskey Competition
Participating state corn associations today announced that the 2023 Heartland Whiskey Competition will take place August 1-2 in St. Louis, Missouri. This is the
fourth biennial Heartland Whiskey Competition that state corn marketing associations have sponsored. The judged competition is sanctioned by the American Craft Spirits Association and strictly limited to craft whiskeys that contain some amount of corn as an ingredient. Any craft distiller in the U.S. is eligible to enter product for judging in multiple whiskey categories (e.g., bourbon, bottled in bond, rye, etc.). The most coveted awards are “Best of State” which are limited to only those states sponsored by their respective corn associations. “Best of Show” which represents the top scoring whiskey across all categories is also limited to sponsored states.
New for the 2023 competition is a national, “cross-category” award: Top Farmer-Distiller. This award will go to the top-scoring whisky across all categories that is produced by a distillery whose owner(s) operates a working farm. The first three competitions saw farmer-distillers walk away with scores of medals and trophies including several “Best-of-State”. The new farmer-distiller award recognizes the heritage of craft distilling and farming, and offers the opportunity for one accomplished distiller to earn bragging rights.
“We are pleased that as our craft spirits industry expands and grows, corn growers across the heartland have stood behind us and sponsored this important competition,” said Margie A.S. Lehrman, Chief Executive Officer of ACSA. “Most craft distilleries source corn for their mash that is grown nearby and that amount has grown considerable in recent years. It’s exciting to add a new award for best farmer-distiller which recognizes the critical relationship of our two, overlapping industries.”
Competition awards (medals and trophies) are important to craft distillers because they recognized great product with positively influences consumer retail purchases. ACSA will select judges from accomplished industry professionals and mixologists who have demonstrated experience with craft spirits. The actual judging will occur on August 2nd and winners will be announced by early September.
Sponsoring State Corn Associations
The following state corn marketing associations collectively sponsor the 2023 Heartland
Whiskey Competition and state-level competitions in 21 states representing more than 76% of all U.S. craft distillers:
Colorado Corn Council
Illinois Corn Marketing Board
Indiana Corn Growers Association
Iowa Corn Promotion Board
Kansas Corn Growers Association
Kentucky Corn Growers Association
Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board
Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council
Missouri Corn Merchandising Council
Nebraska Corn Board
New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association
Corn Growers Association of North Carolina
Ohio Corn Marketing Program
Pennsylvania Corn Growers Association
Texas Corn Producers
Tennessee Corn Promotion Board
Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board
About American Craft Spirits Association
The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) is the only registered non-profit 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.)
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