Dear Distiller,

In May, a handful of distillers and industry supporters were in Washington, DC for a joint fly-in with the American Craft Spirits Association and the Distilled Spirits Council in support of extending the FET reduction. I would say that the #1 takeaway is that getting the FET reduction extended is far from guaranteed. We have 18 months left to secure an extension and that should be each Guild and each distillers #1 priority over that time. To date a handful of extremely dedicated distillers have been carrying the load on this, they need you to get off the sidelines and get in the game, the cost of inaction is $10.80 per proof gallon, can you afford that?

The things you should be doing to continue to save $10.80 per proof gallon, join the ACSA and your Guild, tell your reinvestment story to your Senators and Representatives and invite them to your distillery. Next, find out how to become involved in the ACSA PAC by sending a request to:

acsapac@americancraftspirits.org

P.T. Wood
ACSA BOD, State Guild Committee Chair
Wood’s High Mountain Distillery
Salida, CO
pt@woodsdistillery.com

• 

  Alabama Craft Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Alabama

  John Sharp
  John Emerald Distilling Co.
  (334) 296-7564

• 

  Distillers Guild of Alaska

  State Guild
  Alaska

  Heather Shade
  Chilkoot Distillery
  (907) 766-4545

• 

  Arizona Craft Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Arizona

  Gary Ellam
  Arizona Craft Beverage

• 

  California Artisanal Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  California

  Cris Steller
  Dry Diggings Distillery
  (916) 235-4012

• 

  Colorado Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Colorado

  Sean Smiley
  State 38 Distilling
  303-895-1485

• 

  Florida Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Florida

  Philip McDaniel
  St. Augustine Distillery
  (904) 825-4963

• 

  Georgia Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Georgia

  Chris Sywassink
  Ghost Coast Distillery
  (912) 704-2707

• 

  Idaho Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Idaho

  Ken Wyatt
  44° North Vodka
  (208) 649-3598

• 

  Illinois Craft Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Illinois

  Matt Blaum
  Blaum Bros. Distilling Co
  (815) 777-1000

• 

  Kentucky Distillers’ Association

  State Guild
  Kentucky

  Adam Johnson
  (502) 875-9351

• 

  Louisiana Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Louisiana

  Ricci Hull
  Baton Rouge Distilling
  (225) 223-0382

• 

  Maine Distiller’s Guild

  State Guild
  Maine

  Ian Michaud
  Liquid Riot Bottling Company
  (207) 221-8889

• 

  Maryland Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Maryland

  Jaime Windon
  Lyon Distilling Co.
  (443) 333-9181

• 

  Michigan Craft Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Michigan

  Dianna Stampfler
  (269) 330-4228

   

• 

  Minnesota Guild

  State Guild
  Minnesota

  Mike Swanson
  Far North Spirits
  (763) 656-7611

• 

  Missouri Craft Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Missouri

  Gary Hinegardner
  Wood Hat Spirits
  (573) 216-3572

• 

  Montana Distiller’s Guild

  State Guild
  Montana

  Robin Blazer
  Willie’s Distillery
  (406) 360-0109

• 

  New Mexico Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  New Mexico

  Colin Keegan
  Santa Fe Spirits
  (505) 467-8892

• 

  New York State Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  New York

  Cory Muscato
  Lockhouse Distilling
  (716) 768-4898

• 

  Distillers Association of North Carolina

  State Guild
  North Carolina

  Pete Barger
  Southern Distilling Company
  (704) 880-5715

• 

  Ohio Distiller’s Guild

  State Guild
  Ohio

  Ryan Lang
  Middle West Spirits
  (704) 315-9164

• 

  Oregon Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Oregon

  Brad Irwin
  Oregon Spirit Distillers

• 

  Pennsylvania Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Pennsylvania

  Robert Cassell
  Millstone Spirits Group
  (484) 948-7686

• 

  South Carolina Craft Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  South Carolina

  Scott Blackwell
  High Wire Distilling

• 

  Tennessee Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Tennessee

  Kris Tatum
  Old Forge Distillery
  (865) 388-4503

• 

  Texas Distilled Spirits Association

  State Guild
  Texas

  Carrie Simmons
  (512) 473-2646

• 

  Distiller’s Guild of Utah

  State Guild
  Utah

  Ashley Cross
  New World Distillery
  (385) 244-0144

• 

  Distilled Spirits Council of Vermont

  State Guild
  Vermont

  Jeremy Elliot
  Smugglers’ Notch Distillery

• 

  Virginia Distillers Association

  State Guild
  Virginia

  Amy Ciarametaro
  (757) 535-5829

• 

  Washington Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Washington

  Mhairi Voelsgen
  BROVO Spirits
  (206) 496-2613

• 

  Wisconsin Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Wisconsin

  Brian Sammons
  Twisted Path Distillery
  (414) 405-8900

   

• 

  Wyoming Distillers Guild

  State Guild
  Wyoming

  David Defazio
  Wyoming Whiskey
  (307) 733-9759

These are for guidance and educational purposes only.

1. Review requirements for forming a nonprofit trade organization in your state
2. Review Articles of Incorporation (view sample) and file to form state nonprofit organization
3. Determine whether you will file for IRS 501(c)(6) status and file appropriate paperwork as necessary. Please review the following to help in your determination:
   • http://www.irs.gov/PUP/charities/charitable/QA%20to%20the%20%28c%29%286%29%20phone%20forum%20072014.pdf
   • http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopick03.pdf
4. Apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-%28EIN%29-Online)
5. Appoint interim Board to adopt Bylaws (view sample)
6. Hold first meeting and vote for board members and officers
7. Appoint committees
8. Open bank account
9. Inform ACSA!