According to the Craft Spirits Data Project, active craft distilleries in the United States increased by almost 11% in 2020. That means consumers continue to have plenty of options when it comes to selecting premium, American-made spirits.
We’re looking for the best craft and small-batch spirits producers – family-owned distilleries, grain-to-glass operations and distillers using only the best local ingredients in their products. We invited a panel of industry experts, as well as food and drink writers, to help us nominate 20 companies in each category.
Now we need your help selecting the best whiskey, rum, vodka, gin, brandy, specialty spirits, new distilleries, craft mixers and canned cocktails in our Readers’ Choice Awards. Vote for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, September 13 at noon ET. The winners will be announced on 10Best.com on Friday, September 24.
Click on each category below to vote:
Best Canned Cocktail
[PHOTO_390292]
Canned cocktails (also known as ready-to-drink beverages) have exploded onto the scene in recent years, and the trend looks like it’s here to stay. These bartender-quality options run the gamut from classics, like a vodka soda or gin and tonic, to creative concoctions.
The best part? They’re a convenient way to sip your favorite drink at the beach, a backyard barbecue or wherever you want to relax. Which can gets your vote?
Best Craft Brandy Distillery
[PHOTO_390293]
Brandy is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part to renewed interest in classic cocktail recipes. The term “brandy” refers primarily to spirits distilled from wine, and more broadly to spirits distilled from fruits (also called “eau de vie”). We asked a panel of American spirits experts to nominate their favorite American craft brandy distilleries, and now we need you to pick a winner.
Many of these distilleries work in small batches using locally-sourced ingredients, including apples, pears and other fruits grown on nearby orchards or in partnership with local wineries.
Help us crown the best by voting daily for your favorite.
Vote: Best Craft Brandy Distillery »
Best Craft Gin Distillery
[PHOTO_390294]
Gin gets its name from “genievre,” the French word for juniper. This globally popular liquor begins with a neutral base spirit distilled with an array of botanicals – not just juniper berries these days – to impart distinct aromas and flavor profiles.
We asked a panel of experts to nominate 20 of the best craft gin distilleries in the United States. All take pride in crafting unique gins worthy of sipping, as well as mixing into a classic gin and tonic.
Vote: Best Craft Gin Distillery »
Best Craft Mixer Brand
[PHOTO_390298]
A killer cocktail calls for killer ingredients, and that applies to more than just the booze. The craft distilling movement has buoyed a similar wave of companies hand-crafting their own lines of cocktail bitters, tonics, mixers, syrups and sipping vinegars, all with an eye toward elevating the cocktail experience.
We asked a panel of American spirits experts to nominate their favorite craft mixers, and we need your help crowning a winner from our pool of 20 nominees.
Vote: Best Craft Mixer Brand »
Best Craft Rum Distillery
[PHOTO_390300]
Sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean began distilling rum during the 17th century from molasses, an inexpensive byproduct of the sugar refining process. The spirit came to the U.S. in 1664 with the opening of the first rum distillery on Staten Island and continued to grow in popularity through the Revolutionary War. Rum has come a long way since those early days, and distilleries across the nation are experimenting with how to craft the finest variations.
We asked a panel of American spirits experts to nominate 20 of the best craft rum distilleries in the United States. Which is your favorite?
Vote: Best Craft Rum Distillery »
Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery
[PHOTO_390301]
Gin, vodka, rum and whiskey are great and all, but the American thirst for craft spirits has grown beyond the bounds of the traditional to embrace specialty spirits from around the globe. Modern-day distilleries now craft liqueurs, absinthe, aquavit, amaro and a host of other interesting libations alongside their flagship spirits.
Which one gets your vote?
Vote: Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery »
Best Craft Vodka Distillery
[PHOTO_390304]
Russia and Poland were distilling vodka as early as the 8th or 9th centuries. Since those early days, it has become one of the world’s most popular spirits, thanks in large part to its versatility in mixing. But vodka doesn’t just belong in cocktails.
While some distilleries compete to create the smoothest, clearest and sometimes most flavorless variation, others are embracing vodka by making it with local, high-quality ingredients (including potatoes, wheat, corn and even grapes) with minimal distillation to allow the natural flavors to shine.
Which is your go-to vodka?
Vote: Best Craft Vodka Distillery »
Best Craft Whiskey Distillery
[PHOTO_390306]
The American craft whiskey scene has really come into its own over the past few years, expanding beyond the traditional Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons to include ryes, single malts, blends and white whiskeys – all made with a combination of old-world and new-school techniques.
Vote for your favorite nominee once per day until voting ends on Monday, September 13 at noon ET.
Vote: Best Craft Whiskey Distillery »
Best New Craft Distillery
[PHOTO_390307]
The country has more than 2,000 craft distilleries. With so many distilleries opening up each year, we decided to highlight some of the best on the scene. Which of the 20 nominees is your new favorite?
Vote: Best New Craft Distillery »
Remember, you can vote once per day in each category. The 10 nominees with the most votes in each category will be announced on 10Best.com on Friday, September 24.
10Best is a part of the USA TODAY Network, providing an authentically local point of view on destinations around the world, in addition to travel and lifestyle advice.