Local Event

2019 Chicago Indie Spirits Expo General Admission

Wed, September 25, 2019 (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)

Cost: $65

he annual gathering of independently produced spirits from around the world - vodka, gin, rum, tequila, pisco, cachaca, brandy/cognac/Armagnac, whisk(e)y (American/Scotch/Irish/Japanese/Canadian/World), liqueurs, mixers, etc.!

Join us and meet the fascinating people who are changing the landscape of backbars around the world! Last year we had over 600 spirits poured by 130 distillers, brand ambassadors, importers & distributors!!

Keep an eye on this page as we list the innovative small brands sampling at the best underground spirits event in North America.

Date: Wednesday September 25, 2019
Press/Trade Tasting: 4:30-9:00PM
VIP Tasting: 5-6:30PM
General Admission: 6:30-9:00PM

Venue: The Chicago Hilton Hotel & Tower, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
Room: The Continental Ballroom

GA/VIP Tickets are now on sale ~
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-chicago-indie-spirits-expo-tickets-tickets-60710011278

The Spirits Industry Afternoon Events
Wednesday September 25th
The Chicago Hilton Hotel & Towers, 720 s. Michigan Ave

12:00-2:00pm ~
The 2018 CISE Industry Round Table Discussion Panel
Join some of the top names within the drink industry as they discuss the state of independently owned spirit brands and the various levels of the drinks community.

Panelists will include such libation luminaries as:
~ Special Guest Moderator: Monique Huston
Brett Pontoni - Binnys Spirits Buyer
Ari Klafter - Head Distiller at Thornton Distilling Company
Aman Singh - owner of Aman's Beer and Wine
Scott Schiller - Director of Thoroughbred Consulting Company
Carley Gaskin - Owner of Hospitality 201 and award winning Mixologist
Mary Rose Braun -Trade Development Specialist at Southern Wine and Spirits

2:15-3:15pm ~ Go-to- Market Strategy for Craft Brands
Jenica Knight, Sales and Marketing manager for the Beverage Tasting Institute will give a detailed got to market strategy for craft brands in the oversaturated market of 2019.

3:30-4:30pm-BS’in with Bryson
a longtime editor of Whisky Advocate and author of the definitive guide Tasting Whiskey Lew Bryson will guide us through an array of whisky topics not often talked through.


4:pm Tastings.com Awards Presentation in the Main FoyerThe good folks at Chicago's very own Beverage Testing Institute will be presenting the winners of their year long tastings.
www.tastings.com



LIST OF BRANDS SAMPLING!
18th Street Distillery
1990
99 Wayne Gretzky Distillery
Athenee Importers
Baltimore Spirits Company
Beppe & the Architect
Bitter Ex Bitters
Bittercube Bitters
Black Dog Distillery
Blaum Bros. Distilling Co.
Blue Ridge Spirits
Bluecoat
Bond and Royal
Breckenridge Distillery
Brenne
Caballeros inc
Catan Pisco
Catan Pisco & Co.
CH Distillery
Chicago Distilling Company
Cihuatan Rum
Collective Arts Distilling
Copper Fox Distillery
Dancing Goat Distillery
Dashfire Spirits/ Vision Wine & Spirits
DeHart Spirits
Deutsch Family Wine and spirits
Distillerie Tessendier & Fils
Drifter, LLC
Driftless Glen Distillery
Eau Claire Distillery Ltd
FEW
Frederick Wildman
Glass Revolution Imports
GLEN MORAY
Grand Traverse Distillery
Halewood Wines & Spirits
Haus Alpenz
Heavenly Spirits LLC
Heaven's Door
Henry Farms Prairie Spirits, LLC
High road Spirits
High Road Spirits
ImpEx Beverages
J. Henry and Sons
Judging of Craft Spirits / American Distilling Institute
KOVAL Distillery
Kyrö Distillery Company
Letherbee
M.S. Walker
Macchu Pisco LLC
Make & Muddle, LLC
Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Mezcal Vago
Ming River, Inc.
Mississippi River Distilling Company
Mizu Shochu
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
New Holland Spirits
Noble Coyote
Norden Spirits/Norden Aquavit
Nordic Distillers
North Shore Distillery
Old George Town Spirits, LLC
Preiss Imports
Quincy Street Distillery
Resilient
RHINE HALL DISTILLERY
Ritual Zero Proof
Rush Creek Distilling
Sagamore Spirit
Seven Three Distilling Company
Social Lyfe Spirits LLC
Sonoma Distilling Company
Spice Note Tequila
SPIRIBAM
st. george spirits
Standard Spoon Barware.
Star Union Spirits
Starward
STK Importing
Stolen Spirits
Sweet Amber Distilling
Tattersall Distilling
The Beer Syrup Co.
The Compass Box Whisky Company
The London Essence Company
The Old Pogue Distillery
Tom's Town Distilling Co.
Two James Spirits
TWO JAMES SPIRITS
Union Horse Distlling
Victoria Distillers
Virginia Distillery Company
Vision Wine & Spirits
Vision Wine & Spirits
VSOP Management Consulting LLC
Whiskey Resources, LLC
Widow Jane
Wiggly Bridge Distillery

GA/VIP Tickets are now on sale ~ 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-chicago-indie-spirits-expo-tickets-tickets-44835969592

For VIP Ticket Holders, you have access to our seminars in The Buckingham Room: 
12pm-2pm ~ THE INDUSTRY ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION, an open discussion by industry professionals that addresses the topics of the day that small spirits deal with on a daily basis. 
IRTD event page - https://www.facebook.com/events/1941925525818171/

Behind The Curtain of Drink Media (The Buckingham Room)
2:15pm-3:15pm ~ Writers give you the inside scoop on how to promote your distillery & brand thru the media.
BTCODM event page - https://www.facebook.com/events/362613120933323/

Steppin' Up To The Bar (The Buckingham Room)
3:30pm-4:30pm ~ Aaron Zacharias, owner of Bar On Buena & Fountainhead Taverns, will moderate a panel of bar owners as they give brands advice on how to approach bartenders, F&B managers & bar owners and what they expect from a brand.
SUTTB event page - https://www.facebook.com/events/217220868955369/?active_tab=about

Tastings.com Award Presentation (The Main Foyer)
4:00pm-4:45pm ~ Presenting the awards to the top spirits in every category of spirits from the folks at the Beverage Testing Institute.
TAP - https://www.facebook.com/events/1908154679486485/

Additional related events:
5pm-8pm, Monday, Oct. 8th - The CISE Smokin' Garden Party at Up Down Cigar
Link for details - www.updowncigar.com

LIST OF BRANDS SAMPLING AT THIS YEAR'S SHOW:
11th Orchard Bitters
123 Tequila
A.D. Laws Whiskey
Amaro Montenegro
Angels' Share Glass
Aroma Academy US
Azunia
Back Bar Project
BC Merchants
Beach Whiskey Company
Beppe & the Architect, LLC
Black Dog Distillery L.L.C.
Balcones Distilling
Blaum Bros. Distilling Co.
Blue Star Potables LLC
Bond and Royal
Botran Rum
Breckenridge Distillery
BroVo Spirits
Cardinal Spirits
Catan Pisco & Co.
CH Distillery
Chicago Distilling Company
Clyde May's
Connacht Whiskey Company
Copper Fiddle Distillery
Copper Fox Distillery
Corsair Distillery
Cutwater Spirits
Davos Brands
Death's Door Distillery
DeHart Spirits / Grander Rum
Deutch Family Wine and Spirits
Dictador Rum
Domaine Select Wine & Spirits
More information:
http://www.facebook.com/events/310349679634013/