Legendary artist Bob Dylan is capitalizing on the Tennessee whiskey boom and investing in the city where he recorded four albums. Dylan, in partnership with spirits entrepreneur and Angel’s Envy Bourbon co-founder Marc Bushala, unveiled a line of craft American whiskeys this week under the name Heaven’s Door. (WBIR-10News)

On Monday May 14th through Wednesday May 16th, ACSA will be teaming up with the Distilled Spirits Council for our Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. We'll be building on the success of last summer's ACSA Fly-In to tackle our next big challenge: ensuring that Congress makes FET relief permanent. We're going to need all hands on deck for the effort and hope you can join us in D.C. in just under two weeks. The public policy conference will include meetings with key Members of Congress, including those from your home state, a briefing with the administrator and senior staff from the Tax and Trade Bureau, an economic briefing on the state of the industry and opportunities to network and feature your brands during receptions with Congressional staff and colleagues. The conference is free to attend (travel expenses are attendees' responsibility. If you need a room, please call ACSA directly as the hotel block has now closed).

Safety First! Join ACSA as we kick off our 2018 Regional Education Programs in Cincinnati! ACSA has partnered with Industrial Safety and Training Services to present "Distillery Safety Management 101." Learn about hazard recognition, requirements of written policies, regulatory training, general OSHA compliance and much more over this 2-day class on June 27-28, 2018. The registration fee is $399 for ACSA members and $699 for non-members .

A pasta shop in the Fan has launched a spinoff to help customers wash down their noodles. Bombolini Pasta recently opened Trial & Error, an in-house distillery that’s initially producing rum and plans to branch out into other spirits. (Richmond Biz Sense) 

ACSA, Park Street and the IWSR are again asking for your help. We are collecting, analyzing, and reporting on economic data for our craft spirits community, the media, and Congress. Reinvestment of the FET savings, job growth, in-state versus out-of-state sales, and bottom line contribution to the U.S. economy will be reported. This year, this data is all the more important as we attempt to educate your federal Representatives and Senators on how you are using your tax savings. Tell us! We cannot do this without your assistance. We will again collaborate with our industry partners to secure updates from the wholesale and retail tier.

As the brewery business in Pawtucket, Rhode Island continues to thrive, a local high school physics teacher is bringing handcrafted spirits to the scene. White Dog Distilling cut the ribbon on its approximately 400-square-foot Pawtucket facility in the Lorraine Mill last week, becoming Rhode Island’s third distillery, and the first to operate in the northern part of the state. (Valley Breeze) 

After four years of taking place at First Tennessee Pavilion, The Tennessee Whiskey Festival is adopting a new date and a new location. The event, which features more than 40 whiskey, bourbon and rye tasting booths, as well as the newly named Jim Brewer Wing Competition, live music and food tastings, will take place Sept. 15 in the Glenn Miller Gardens at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. (Times Free Press)

There are more distilleries across the USA than ever before, and that's no mere exaggeration or talking point. According to the Craft Spirits Data Project from the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), there are approximately 1,600 active craft distilleries as of fall, up more than 20% in a single year. For consumers, the growth offers endless variety, and for distillers, it's important to stand out from the crowd. One of the best ways to do so is to embrace the surrounding region and state by using local ingredients in spirits. (USA Today) 

To cap off a year of big changes and a week of 12th anniversary festivities, Uncle Billy’s Brewery & Smokehouse now offers two spirits—vodka and bourbon—available exclusively at the Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas restaurant, along with its beer. (Statesman)