The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, known as DISCUS, has named the six finalists for its 2027 Innovation Showcase. The group will compete live for prizes, industry attention and a share of a cash award. The competition is now in its seventh year. It is one of the signature events the trade group runs to recognize new thinking across the spirits business.
Organizers received more than 20 entries from across the industry. Six made the cut, and those six will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges in a live virtual session in early November.
Who Made the Final Round
The finalists are a mix of established names and newer ventures. Their entries cover marketing technology, product development, industry collaboration and digital retail. Each is listed below with the project it submitted.
BevAlc360°
BevAlc360° is a storytelling engine that turns product detail pages into digital shelf experiences built to convert shoppers into buyers. Online shopping has changed how people find and compare products, and this entry focuses on the web page where a buying decision often happens.
Dexter Bourbon Company
Dexter Bourbon Company advanced with its DEXTER Lawbreaker entry.
Fallow Collective
Fallow Collective submitted what it calls the Fallow Collective Ecosystem.
Galloway Company
Galloway Company is a finalist with a high protein, low sugar, cream-based ready-to-drink concept. The entry reflects the interest in products that fit a range of lifestyles and tastes.
Vicard Generation 7
Vicard Generation 7 advanced with its Distilium Project.
Pourly Done LLC
Pourly Done LLC submitted The Pourveyors Platform.
What the Showcase Is Meant to Do
The Innovation Showcase highlights work in several areas that shape the future of the distilled spirits industry. These include packaging, technology, supply chain, sustainability, marketing, social responsibility and product development. Entries can come from nearly any part of the business, from the factory floor to the checkout page.
The competition is sponsored by Spearhead Global. The company describes itself as a primary and secondary packaging partner "building the future of how brands connect." It works through a network of partners and what it calls its 100 Proof Process. Spearhead says it is rethinking the manufacturing process and refining automation operations. Its stated goal is to deliver packaging projects that are on brand, on time and on budget. The company also says it supports other women-owned businesses and offers sustainable and innovative solutions for clients.
A Word From the Top
DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger said the field reflects a changing industry.
"The level of talent and ingenuity represented by these finalists speaks to the exciting evolution happening across the spirits industry," said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger. "Through the Innovation Showcase, we are spotlighting the people, ideas and technologies that are helping businesses connect with consumers in new ways and build a stronger, more sustainable future."
How the Live Event Will Work
The finalists will present on Nov. 5, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. The session is virtual and follows a "Shark Tank"–style format. Each finalist will make its case to a panel of judges, who will weigh the ideas against one another.
Viewers also get a say. After the live showcase, public voting will open for one week. The combined audience vote will count as the equivalent of one judge's ballot. Anyone can watch the showcase live and vote for a favorite at the DISCUS Innovation Showcase page on the organization's website, distilledspirits.org.
Meet the Judges
Four people with backgrounds in publishing, brand consulting, entrepreneurship and business advisory work will judge this year's competition.
Sarah Barrett
Barrett is Executive Editor of Wine & Spirits Daily, a trade publication.
Brian Christensen
Christensen is Publisher of Artisan Spirit Magazine and a Brand Consultant for Glencairn Crystal.
Tiffany Hainesworth
Hainesworth is Founder and CEO of TCapri Tequila.
Derek Gray
Gray is Director of Blue & Co., LLC.
What the Winners Receive
Top innovators will receive prize packages valued from $5,000 to $20,000. The overall Innovation Showcase winner will also receive a $10,000 cash prize. Winners will be announced at the 2027 DISCUS Annual Conference, which takes place in Washington, D.C., March 15-17.
For a small company, a prize at that level can matter. Money, exposure to industry leaders and a spot on a national stage can help a young business get noticed. For larger firms, a win can confirm that a long-term investment in new technology or marketing is working.
Why It Matters Beyond the Trophy
Innovation in the spirits business is not only about what goes into a bottle. Several of this year's finalists focus on how products are presented, sold and supported. BevAlc360° concentrates on digital shelf pages. Pourly Done LLC offers a platform. Fallow Collective describes an ecosystem. Those entries suggest that the business side of the industry is changing as quickly as the product side.
The Galloway Company entry shows the product side of the picture. Its concept pairs a cream-based ready-to-drink format with high protein and low sugar, a combination aimed at changing tastes. Vicard Generation 7 brings in a long family lineage, as its name suggests, along with a project called Distilium.
Taken together, the field shows how wide the term "innovation" has become. It now covers storytelling, online retail, new product formats and collaboration among companies.
About the Organizations Behind the Event
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States describes itself as the leading voice for distilled spirits in the U.S. It advocates on legislative, regulatory and public affairs issues that affect the sector at the local, state, federal and international levels. The Innovation Showcase is one of the ways it highlights the work of people in the industry outside of policy debates.
The Bottom Line
Six finalists, four judges and one public vote will decide who takes home this year's Innovation Showcase prize. The live pitches begin Nov. 5, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. The public can weigh in during the week that follows, and the winners will be revealed in Washington in March. Anyone curious about where the spirits business is headed can watch the showcase and see the ideas for themselves.
