THE TRIPLE CROWN OF SPIRIT COMPETITIONS

Stand out locally, regionally and nationally with one competition.

From Local Heroes to National Icons

America’s Best Spirits is three competitions in one, allowing brands to leverage awards at the state, regional and national level. The first of its kind, America’s Best provides the widest range of value of any competition in the United States, supported by exclusive retail and trade partners. The competition’s triple-tiered approach allows brands to shine in multiple contexts, catering to consumers’ interest in homegrown products.

August 20-22, 2024, Charleston, SC
Early Bird Pricing $150 per competition

Early Bird Entries Now Open!

Early Bird Entries Now Open!

Why Enter?
Maximize the value of your entry by leveraging three layers of awards, allowing you to communicate your brand credentials locally, regionally and nationally.

  • National, regional and state bragging rights

  • 4o category winners in 50 states, 5 regions, and the United States

  • Full rights to all national and regional medal assets

  • In store displays at exclusive retail partners

  • Turnkey social media assets for gold and above winners

  • 100 point rating guaranteed for overall Best in Show

Enter Early, Enter More, Save More

3 COMPETITIONS, 1 ENTRY

Travis Hartong
Bottles Beverage Superstore

β€œAmerica’s Best has put together a fantastic and very professional spirits competition. I am honored to be a judge and retail partner.”

40 Categories, 50 States, 5 Regions, 1 Country

The issue with most spirit competitions is the awards mean little to the consumer. Starting with The South’s Best Spirits in 2023, we addressed this issue by creating a set of awards that would clearly communicate a brand’s credentials in a way that would resonate with local consumers and trade. Consumers want to support local and regional brands. America’s Best helps them do so by identifiying the best brands not just nationally, but also by state and region. For brand partners, the ROI on each entry is amplified by having assets that allow them to highlight their brand as locally or as broadly as they choose.

UNBIASED EVALUATION LED BY A DIVERSE PANEL OF EXPERT JUDGES

Working with leading industry experts specializing in various beverage functions, we have organized a team that understands the intricacies of blind evaluation. Our expert panel is arranged of bartenders, restaurateurs, retailers, beverage influencers and writers to fully capture the essence of each submission. Each spirit is tasted blindly without any influence or information that can skew decisions ensuring fairness and unbiased consideration and judged on an individual basis without comparison to other entries. Double Gold recipients meeting the highest standards of judging criteria will receive additional attention to determine Best in Show receiving a perfect 100 point score. 

Bartender

Retailer

Restauranteur

Writer

Influencer

2023 Competition Judges

  • Mike van Beyrer

    Bottles

    Mike is the Owner of Mount Pleasant’s Bottles Beverage Superstore. A cross between a superstore that boasts unbeatable price points and a neighborhood wine shop that offers boutique bottles and personalized services, his 15,000 sq. ft. establishment boasts a wide variety of wine, beer, bourbon and more. From working at wineries in California to a distributor in Atlanta, he’s been in the alcohol and beverage business for 18 years.

  • Jamie Bolt

    The Gin Joint

    Jamie is the owner and operator of The Gin Joint, a 1920s-inspired craft cocktails bar on East Bay St. With over a decade of experience working in bars and restaurants, he uses his culinary background to thoughtfully create seasonal cocktails with fresh ingredients, which have landed him in numerous award-winning publications.

  • Johnny Caldwell

    The Cocktail Bandits

    Johnny joins Taneka to create the dynamic duo known as the Cocktail Bandits. The curly ladies who talk cocktails daily, educate and entertain their growing audience by sharing original cocktail recipes, promoting the craftsmanship of other bar professionals and sharing their experiences at F+B events around the Holy City and beyond.

  • Austin Dain

    The Hive

    Austin has worked in a variety of different roles in the alcohol beverage industry since he was 21 years old. First as a distributor, then for a retail liquor store, he spent four years on a journey that led him from barback, to craft bartender and ultimately restaurant manager. He currently works for creative agency The Hive on behalf of a large wine and spirit supplier.

  • Nicholas Dowling

    Daps Beverage Co.

    Nicholas brings over 20 years of restaurant experience to his position as Owner of Daps Beverage Co., a beverage company producing the original canned mimosa. He previously served as Head Distiller for a local distillery, where he helped open and run production for over four years.

  • Travis Hartong

    Bottles

    With a bartending career extending all the way back to 2001, Travis transitioned to his current role as Mount Pleasant’s Bottles Beverage Superstore’s Spirits Consultant and Liquor Buyer Wholesale Manager in 2013. His primary focus is selling liquor to bars and restaurants throughout the state of South Carolina.

  • Emily Heintz

    SΓ©chey

    Emily serves as the Founder of Sèchey, an alternative spirits shop and lounge on King Street featuring functional and alcohol-free beer, wine, spirits and mixers. Since launching Sèchey in 2021, a nod to the French word for dry, she has curated a premium selection of alternatives to alcohol not only for Sèchey's assortment, but for a national retail partner, as well as cocktail menus at leading hospitality groups.

  • James Hewlette

    Brindiamo Group

    Joining Hopmayer from Brindiamo Group is their Vice President of Brand and Distillery Sales. James’ extensive background in the beverage and alcohol industry includes more than 15 years of managing all facets of the bulk whiskey sales cycle, as well as domestic and international customer relations.

  • Jeff Hopmayer

    Brindiamo Group

    Jeff Hopmayer boasts decades of experience in food and wine, spirits, bulk sourcing, mergers, acquisitions, branding, marketing, turnarounds and capital sourcing. Serving as its Founder, his company Brindiamo Group is one of the largest suppliers of bourbon, whiskey and other bulk spirits in the world.

  • Jim McCourt

    Prohibition

    Originally from Belfast, in Northern Ireland, Jim left school at age 15 to begin a career in the bar industry. He has held positions from dishwasher to bar manager, working in a variety of establishments including Irish bars, hotels, fine dining restaurants and cocktail bars. He brings this versatility and depth of experience to his position as Co-Owner and Bar Director at Prohibition on upper King Street.

  • Amanda Phelps

    Frannie & The Fox

    Amanda serves as Beverage Manager and lead bartender at Frannie & The Fox, located inside Hotel Emeline. With refreshing and intriguing cocktails such as the Gus & Mandy, featuring ramazzotti, red wine, lemon, cola and soda, she creates a one-of-a-kind experience for all guests who have the chance to visit the downtown restaurant.

  • Taneka Reaves

    The Cocktail Bandits

    Co-founder of The Cocktail Bandits, Taneka has been in the beverage industry for over 15 years, beginning her career in local dive bars and neighborhood restaurants. The Cocktail Bandits aims to educate, empower and entertain followers about beverages from a feminine urban perspective. In 2018, The Cocktail Bandits wrote the book β€œHoly Spirits: Charleston’s Culture Through Cocktails.”

  • Nathan Thurston

    Millers All Day

    Working as a professional chef in the South for over 25 years, Nathan went on to gain extensive experience as a restauranteur and restaurant consultant, working with the likes of Kiawah Island’s The Ocean Room, The Darling Oyster Bar and FΓ©lix Cocktails et Cuisine. He also serves as Chef and Owner of Millers All Day.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

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WE ARE MORE THAN A SPIRITS COMPETITION

America’s Best Spirits is a turnkey marketing solution delivering both digital and retail assets, enhancing PR capabilities to better communicate your brand's unique selling proposition to consumers and customers. It is not enough to rate your spirit and provide a medal. Our aim is to ensure that you stand out at point of purchase by clearly communicating your brand's functional benefits by leveraging local and regional relevance, credibility in expert judging, and diverse awards.