Everything You Need to Know About Next Week's Distill America XVII

Photo courtesy of Distill America

 

Oh my gosh, it is that time of the year again!

 

Distill America XVII is happening on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. The event runs from 1-6pm at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI, the same venue as the last several years.

 

Maybe you’re new to Wisconsin, or perhaps you’re just getting into distilled spirits. You may be curious about what Distill America is about. I’ve attended for the last nine years and am friends with the folks who make this event come to life. As such, I’ve got the rundown for everything you need to know.

 

First and foremost, this is an event for anyone over 21. If you’re getting along in years and wondering if this is something you’d enjoy, my 82-year-old mother attended last year and had a blast.

 

Distill America was founded 17 years ago by a small group of spirits enthusiasts in Madison known as the Madison Malt Society. They often traveled to Chicago for whiskey events. However, ever-increasing expenses damaged their enjoyment and took away from the excitement of attending year after year. Aside from travel costs, they contended with pricey entry fees for the distillers and attendees. They were struck with the notion that they could create an event locally that anyone could attend every year, whether they were an exhibitor or a fan of distilled spirits. The goal was to attract bartenders, retailers, and the general public to learn about what is on the market and available to enjoy.

 

The founders wanted to create something unique rather than simply recreating the typical whiskey event. Star Liquor on Williams (Willy) Street got involved. The group then decided they wanted this event to be unlike most others. They also wanted to introduce visitors to exclusively American-made spirits, not just Bourbon, Rye, and other American whiskeys. That opened the door for rum, brandy, gin, vodka, and other brown or clear spirits.

 

Behind the scenes, there was much volunteer work to get the process going. The crazy thing is nobody involved took a salary. All proceeds benefit the non-profit Wisconsin Distillers Guild. The Guild’s mission is to promote Wisconsin-made spirits, agriculture, tourism, small-batch distillation, and the safe enjoyment of alcoholic beverages. Distill America also creates scholarships for people to take coursework and learn about the distilling industry.

 

From the smallest craft distillery to the largest of the big boys, they all travel to Madison to entertain and educate true spirits enthusiasts and people new to everything. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

 

The Madison Malt Society's desire is and always has been for Distill America to grow and remain sustainable for the future without losing what makes Distill America unique. But that means change will happen. Distill America went further by offering educational seminars about eight years ago.

 

Now that you know the background of Distill America, I have a few tips and tricks for attending. Enjoy this event responsibly. Make arrangements in advance to get to and from the event safely. Bring a designated driver who can attend for a mere $23.00. Your DD will have access to any non-alcoholic beverages and food.

 

If this is your first time attending a spirits festival, please know that it is easy to get schnockered before you even realize it. While food will be available at the stadium's west end, you shouldn’t show up on an empty stomach. Also, it is perfectly acceptable not to finish what’s in your glass. Most people don’t. Dump the rest on the ground (grass) and mosey on to the next table.

 

Distiller’s Session (formerly VIP+) gets you on the floor at 1:00pm before anyone else can look around. There are special seminars to attend, and you’ll also get special glassware beyond the standard that everyone else receives.

 

VIP gets you through the door at 2:00pm, and you’ll visit booths an hour before General Admission. Exhibitors offer special VIP-only pours. Some big legacy distilleries served up their most sought-after limited-edition distilled spirits in previous years. I would expect the same this year.

 

If you don’t have your tickets yet, you should know that Distiller’s Session tickets are sold out. However, VIP, General Admission, and Designated Driver tickets are available on the venue’s website.

 

General Admission gains entry at 3:00pm, and there’s still plenty of opportunity to taste awesome things that American-only distilleries have to offer. There are over 90 vendors from across the United States.

 

No matter which ticket you possess, you’ll get a complimentary Glencairn nosing glass from the event’s sponsor, Bulleit Bourbon, and food throughout the evening.

 

Distill America is an outdoor event under tents. If you’ve never been to Madison at the end of May, you know we can have all four seasons on parade in a single day, so dress appropriately. The good news is that the forecast calls for about 70°F and mostly sunny skies.

 

Finally, I’ll be walking around doing meet-and-greets with various distillers. As always, Mrs. Whiskeyfellow will attend. If you see me, stop me and say hello. I’m always happy to chat and make new friends. Together, we will #DrinkCurious. Cheers!

 

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.