State Guilds

ACSA is proud to support state guilds across the country. P.T. Wood, Wood’s High Mountain Distillery, and Gina Holman, J. Carver Distillery, are the State Guild co-chairs at ACSA. For highlights of state regulatory information, click here.

A Letter From the Guild Chairs

Dear Fellow Leader in Our Craft Spirits Industry:

As volunteer leaders in our respective groups, we completely understand competing priorities. There is never enough time to get things done, right? That is exactly the challenge we face and desperately need your help and that of each guild throughout the U.S.

In less than two months, the reduction of the Federal Excise Tax (FET) expires. That is, the FET reverts from $2.70 to $13.50 per proof gallon on ​December 31, 2019​. Please work with us to prevent that from happening.

If you haven’t contacted the local Congressional district office to invite the team to your distillery to show how your small business operates, do it now. Passage of legislation that will extend our FET reduction is NOT A GIVEN. It requires continual outreach to members of Congress with reminders that reinvestment of those dollars is key to running your operation.

We also want to make sure you know about the ACSA PAC and how it is vital to the needs of our industry, particularly at this time. Please contact me, P.T. Wood, (​pt@woodsdsitillery.com​ 719-239-0222) to find out how you can leverage some of your FET savings dollars into making sure the CBMTRA becomes permanent through this effort.

We cannot stress enough how we are at a critical juncture. We are running out of time and without every one of you taking responsibility – NOW – for the CBMTRA, our reduction will be yanked away.

Cheers!

P.T. Wood                                                                       Gina Holman
Wood’s High Mount Distillery, CO                               J. Carver Distillery, MN
Co-Chair, ACSA State Guild Committee                     Co-Chair, ACSA State Guild Committee

P.S. If easier for you, cut-and-paste this letter and send to your members today. Adapt it using your own words. Please just take action. Now!

P.S.S. If you would find value in having our leadership address your guild with updates from ACSA and what is happening in Washington, DC, please just ask. We want to work together to keep our industry strong as we continue to grow.

Cc: Chris Montana, Du Nord Craft Spirits, (MN) ACSA President

Margie A.S. Lehrman, ACSA CEO

  • Alabama Craft Distillers Association

    State Guild
    Alabama

    Dan Roberts
    Executive Director
    (256) 724-2191

  • 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
    (520) 369-3421

  • California Artisanal Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    California

    Sean Venus
    Venus Spirits
    (408) 373-6522

  • Southern California Distillers Association

    State Guild
    California

    Greg Stark
    Stark Spirits
    (818) 635-4729

  • San Diego Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    California

    Casey Miles
    California Spirit Co.

  • San Louis Obispo Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    California

    Lola Glossner
    Templeton Distillery
    (805) 286-7344

  • 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

    Scott Probert
    Bardenay

  • Illinois Craft Distillers Association

    State Guild
    Illinois

    Noelle DiPrizio
    Chicago Distilling
    (847) 924-6635

  • Kentucky Distillers’ Association

    State Guild
    Kentucky

    Adam Johnson
    (502) 875-9351

  • Louisiana Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    Louisiana

    Katie Darling
    Celebration Distilling

  • Maine Distiller’s Guild

    State Guild
    Maine

    Ned Wight
    New England Distilling
    (207) 878-9759

  • Maryland Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    Maryland

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

  • Massachusetts Distillers Alliance

    State Guild
    Massachusetts

    Andrew Cabot
    Privateer Rum

  • Michigan Craft Distillers Association

    State Guild
    Michigan

    Dianna Stampfler
    Executive Director
    (269) 330-4228

     

  • Minnesota Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    Minnesota

    Mark Schiller
    Loon Liquor Company
    (952) 905-8709

  • Missouri Craft Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    Missouri

    David Weglarz
    StilL 630 Distillery
    (314) 513-2275

  • Montana Distiller’s Guild

    State Guild
    Montana

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

  • New Jersey Distillers Guild

    State Guild
    New Jersey

    John Granata
    Jersey Spirits Distilling Co.

  • 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

    Greg Lehman
    Watershed Distillery
    (614) 905-6874

  • 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

    Mike Cameron
    Devils River Whiskey

  • 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

How to Start a Guild

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:
  4. Apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-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!

©2019 American Craft Spirits Association; All Rights Reserved. Member Owned, Industry Driven.

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