Two James Spirits
Detroit, Michigan
Celebrating the Spirit of Detroit. Two James is located in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, and is the first licensed distillery in Detroit since Prohibition. Committed to producing environmentally conscious, handmade spirits, Two James focuses on utilizing locally sourced grains and produce with the aim of revitalizing the community and reinforcing the craft movement. Two James’ award-winning spirits include Catcher’s Rye Whiskey, Grass Widow Bourbon, Doctor Bird Rum, and Johnny Smoking Gun.
Don Ciccio & Figli
Washington, D.C.
Gioite tutti! Il Don è rinato! Rejoice all! The Don is born again! This is what the people of Amalfi said to Francesco “Ciccio” Amodeo when he returned to the old country, opened his suitcases and served them the best Italian liqueurs they’d ever tasted, distilled in Washington D.C.
Despite the histrionics, the locals were not entirely surprised. They remembered the life of Francesco’s great grandfather, Amodeo. They knew the story of the family’s craft and remembered how the business thrived from 1883 until The Great War, when the recipes were forced underground. In the new dawn: Don Ciccio SR. and Giovanni Porpora built a magnificent distillery from scratch that thrived and grew, until the earthquake of Irpina. The earth opening up, swallowing groves of lemon trees whole, reducing the distillery to rubble.
Yet, they could feel a third coming of the Don’s liqueurs. They knew the Amodeos had a taste for comebacks and so today, we raise our glasses at the shout of Salute, and sip to commemorate the bitter and the sweet of this epic tale. When the people of Amalfi tasted our liqueurs, they said “it has happened again.” Don Ciccio & Figli has traversed the oceans and is reborn in the USA.
Vena’s Fizz House
Portland, Maine
Founded by Johanna & Steve Corman, Vena’s Fizz House bitters are crafted by Steve, a native New Englander. Steve has traveled the world, been to thirty countries, has lived on two islands in Maine, and was a public school teacher for nineteen years (gifted resource for mathematics). He has recently found himself co-owner of Vena's Fizz House and is the lead "liquid alchemist." Steve is an avid IPA beer drinker who never used a bitter in his life before Vena's was born. He is known as "The Bitterest Man in the World" and loves ANYTHING BITTER. He brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge about bitters and a captivating presence to the liquid scene. He is engaging, informative, and loves to share new ways of approaching liquids not seen in mixology before.
Rockwell Vermouth
Sonoma County, California
Rockwell Vermouth offers a fresh American take on a classic European spirit. We’ve spent years on a quest to find the right ingredients, partners, and processes for the perfect American Vermouth. Along the way, we discovered golden cane sugar caramelized for the impeccable balance of bitter and sweet by experts in the Carolinas; California black mission figs sun-dried by a family with over ninety years’ experience; a UC Davis-developed grape clone to serve as our base; and supportive local ranchers who allowed us to forage Artemisia Californica herbs from their Carmel Valley hillsides.
We conducted more than three hundred herb extract trials across more than one hundred recipe batches. The result is an herbaceous and aromatic vermouth worthy of modern American cocktail culture. Handcrafted in California, each small-batch production of Rockwell Vermouth is a testament to what's possible when passionate artisans from around the country work together toward a shared vision.
Rockwell Vermouth
Sonoma County, California
Rockwell Vermouth offers a fresh American take on a classic European spirit. We’ve spent years on a quest to find the right ingredients, partners, and processes for the perfect American Vermouth. Along the way, we discovered golden cane sugar caramelized for the impeccable balance of bitter and sweet by experts in the Carolinas; California black mission figs sun-dried by a family with over ninety years’ experience; a UC Davis-developed grape clone to serve as our base; and supportive local ranchers who allowed us to forage Artemisia Californica herbs from their Carmel Valley hillsides.
We conducted more than three hundred herb extract trials across more than one hundred recipe batches. The result is an herbaceous and aromatic vermouth worthy of modern American cocktail culture. Handcrafted in California, each small-batch production of Rockwell Vermouth is a testament to what's possible when passionate artisans from around the country work together toward a shared vision.
