By Michael Waskewich, Co-Founder of The Bar Book and Vice-Chair, ADI Veterans Group (U.S. Army – Retired) and Allan Cogan, Crafted Conversations Podcast (U.S. Army)
Just beyond the ADI 2024 convention room floor a unique gathering took place bringing together veterans with a shared passion for military service and the craft of distilling. ADI’s Veterans Group, spearheaded by ADI Supplier Relations Manager Brandon Vinyard and renowned distiller Stephen Gould, reignited a sense of camaraderie and innovation among current and former military members in the distilling industry. The explosion of craft spirits in the past decade has produced numerous veteran-owned distilleries — of which Brandon and Stephen have taken note.
Gould, an award-winning distiller, expert spirits consultant, and chair of the ADI Veterans Group, took charge of the room. With over 30 years of service as a Marine and more than 16 years of experience running the celebrated Golden
Moon Distillery, his resume and contributions speak for themselves. Despite his impressive background, Gould downplayed his personal achievements, focusing instead on the significance of the group and emphasizing the long-standing historical connection between the military and distilled spirits.
Following Gould’s remarks, attendees introduced themselves, showcasing a diverse range of military and distillery experience across all branches of service. Yet, despite their varying backgrounds, one thing was clear: there exists a deep commitment to supporting one another and their shared craft. Conversations quickly turned to how the group could further collaborate, sharing ideas on mutual support and innovation in the distilling industry.
The ADI Veterans Group is poised to continue fostering a strong sense of community, innovation, and veteran-driven leadership within the spirits industry. Two key initiatives arose: promoting veteran-owned spirits in military exchanges and increasing participation in the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program.
Military exchanges, which provide retail services to over 31 million service members, veterans, and their families, were identified as a prime target for veteran-owned alcohol brands. With their reach across global military installations, the group sees these exchanges as a natural marketplace to highlight veteran-operated distilleries. Veteran-owned spirits represent the creativity, dedication, and entrepreneurial drive honed through military service, and the ADI Veteran’s Group aims to streamline access for these brands to be prominently featured on exchange shelves.
The group also highlighted the desire to support veterans transitioning back into civilian life through the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program. SkillBridge offers service members the chance to gain valuable civilian work experience during their final 180 days of active duty, and the ADI Veterans Group sees an opportunity for veterans in the distilling industry. The group hopes to increase the number of pathways for veterans to enter the alcohol industry, fostering the same sense of camaraderie many miss after leaving the military.
With a renewed focus on both supporting veteran-owned businesses and creating career opportunities for transitioning service members, the ADI Veterans Group is looking forward to expanding its role in the spirits industry and mentoring the next generation of veteran entrepreneurs.
The ADI Veterans Group is actively recruiting new members. Those interested in joining can contact Brandon Vinyard at brandon@distilling.com.
