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SEPTEMBER 2026 / ISSUE 5

Where heritage, craft and a pursuit of excellence meet. CHRISTINE & EDMUND STOECKLEIN

A Washington winery, built from the ground up.

spirits. wine. potions and libations. beverage industry news.

THE TEAM:

MICHAEL POLITZ Publisher Michael.Politz@fbmagazine.com MICHELE TELL Founder, Executive Director/Publisher Michele@proofawards.com COLLEEN BANKS Director of Business Development Director of PR%F and CPG Competitions Colleen@proofawards.com MARGIT BOWN Director of Graphics JACK FINN Senior Correspondent LARA STONE Trade Show Editor BRIDGET SLEAZAK Competition Coordinator

CONTRIBUTORS: George Manska Matthew-Lorèn Lindsey Mia Lavana Brittney Agoncillo Devin Woodrow

Contact the Team: news@proofawards.com PR%F the Magazine is owned and published electronically by The Original Brand, LLC. Copyright 2019 PR%F Awards and distinctive logo are trademarks and owned by The Original Brand, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this electronic magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of PR%F the Magazine. Requests for permission should be directed to: ProofMagazineInfo@gmail.com. The information contained has been provided by such individual, even organizers or organizations. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author, organization or public relation firm.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AISHA TYLER IS BRINGING THE MOJITO BACK

DAOU VINEYARDS CELEBRATES CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH

THE GEORGE F. MANSKA COLUMN: BECOMING A BETTER SPIRITS EVALUATOR

FOUR ROSES BOURBON

BOTTLE NEXUS: Direct-To-Consumer Alcohol Compliance and Checkout Platform

GAMEDAY SPIKED CANNED COCKTAILS

RENEGADE LEMONADE

COVER STORY: Öömrang Winery

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LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Readers, Letter from the Editor Dear Beverage Innovator, As Executive Director of PR%F Awards, I’m excited to invite you to participate in the 2026 PR%F Awards—one of the beverage industry’s most dynamic opportunities to put your brand directly in front of the people who can help move it forward: professional buyers. PR%F Awards was created to do more than hand out medals. We give exceptional brands a meaningful platform for visibility, validation, and commercial opportunity. Every entry is evaluated by industry buyers from retail, hospitality, distribution, restaurant groups, and other influential beverage channels—professionals who actively discover, taste, rate, and consider products for shelves, beverage programs, venues, and menus nationwide. This is your opportunity to have your spirits, wines, RTDs, ready-to-serve beverages, alcohol-free products, waters, infused beverages, and more assessed within a comprehensive competition spanning more than 300 categories. Whether you represent an established label with a growing portfolio or an emerging brand ready for its breakout moment, PR%F Awards is designed to spotlight innovation, quality, packaging, flavor, and marketplace potential. The deadline to register—and for products to arrive—is October 26, 2026, by 5 p.m. Competition week takes place November 9–13 in Las Vegas, where your products will be tasted by the buyers who matter. And there is more. PR%F Awards participants receive far more than a score: • Buyer-driven judging by professionals with real purchasing influence • Prestigious PR%F Awards medal recognition to enhance your sales materials, packaging, social media, website, distributor presentations, and retailer outreach • National exposure through PR%F the Magazine and PR%F Awards marketing channels and our title sponsor, Food & Beverage Magazine. • Winner graphics and promotional assets designed to help you celebrate and leverage your achievement

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• A full-page ad insertion in PR%F the Magazine, a $3,500 value, when four SKUs are entered • Volume discounts for brands entering 10 or more SKUs • An exclusive Meet the Judges opportunity on November 10 for a limited number of registered brands to make direct connections with participating buyers. Reach out to me at Michele@ proofawards.com for more information. At $495 per SKU or flavor, an entry is an investment in recognition, credibility, content,and the kind of industry visibility that helps brands stand apart in an increasingly competitive beverage landscape. We would be honored to taste your product, celebrate what makes your brand distinctive, and help share it with the buyers and beverage professionals looking for what’s next. Register today at proofawards.com and make sure your entry and samples arrive by October 26 at 5 p.m. Enter here…. www.proofawards.com

Cheers & Namaste!

Michele Tell Executive Director, PR%F Awards

michele@proofawards.com | 702-233-6996 That is why PR%F Awards continues to matter after all these years. It is a place where brands are not only seen — they are truly introduced to the people who can help them grow. Enter here. www.proofawards.com

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AISHA TYLER Is Bringing the Mojito Back The mojito was never the problem. Making one was. Aisha Tyler solved that with losophē’s The New Mojito, an organic, clarified, ultra-premium ready-to-drink in 750 ml bottles, and coming soon, brand new 3-Liter dispensers for high-volume service.

Remember when every bar had a mojito? In the 1990s, the Cuban classic was everywhere. Fresh mint, rum, lime, sugar, a splash of soda—the mojito was refreshing, approachable and just exotic enough to feel special. It became one of the era’s defining cocktails. Then bar culture exploded, and bartenders got busy. The mojito has gradually disappeared from cocktail menus, not because consumers fell out of love, but because making one behind a slammed bar is a pain. Mint has to be muddled. Ingredients have to be measured. The drink has to be built and balanced. And when one mojito is served, the demand for more inevitably follows, the labor becoming painfully obvious. And then there’s the other problem: consistency. Ask five bartenders to make a mojito and you might get five different drinks. Too much mint. Not enough lime.Too much sugar. Not enough rum. A cocktail that should be crisp, bright and refreshing can quickly become something else entirely. At home, consumers face their own version of the problem. Who keeps fresh mint, good rum, simple syrup and limes on hand? And who actually wants to spend the evening muddling when they could be drinking? Aisha Tyler does. Or, more accurately, she wants to make sure you don’t have to. Tyler and her losophē co-founder James Kim are betting the way to bring the mojito back isn’t to convince bartenders to work harder. It’s to make the drink dramatically easier to serve.

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Enter losophē’s The New Mojito: a ready-to-drink, organic, clarified cocktail released in Spring 2026 and designed to deliver a consistent, premium mojito without all the prep work. The 750 ml bottles ship nationwide from www.losophe.com, and are available in-store at Total Wine and other retailers in California, Florida, New York and New Jersey. The New Mojito is made with organic California rum distilled in Sonoma County, a bespoke organic mint liqueur and organic mint. Tyler personally created the flavor profile, developing the balance she wanted from the classic, while translating it into a clarified, ready-to-pour delicious format. For consumers, it’s a simple proposition: open, pour over ice and enjoy. For bars, it could be considerably more interesting. Imagine a mojito that takes as much effort to serve as a vodka soda. That’s the opportunity losophē is chasing. A bartender doesn’t need to reach for a muddler, measure multiple ingredients or stop production to build a labor-intensive classic. The drink is ready to pour, which means an operator can potentially put a mojito back on the menu without putting additional strain on the bar. And it’s clarified, offering an elegant, premium, crystal-clear experience without clarification’s customary labor. Here’s where the math gets particularly compelling.. A serving from the 750 ml bottle costs $3-4. With the 3-liter “Upside Down” Mojito dispenser, the cost is under $2 per serving. For bar programs, it’s an absolute game-changer.

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A bar can pour a premium cocktail built with premium ingredients, charge the price of a specialty cocktail—and do it with a fraction of the labor and cost traditionally associated with the drink. In an industry where labor, speed and consistency can make or break a beverage program, that’s not just convenient. It’s profitable. Consumer demand is already there. The mojito remains one of America’s bestknown classic cocktails, nearly as popular as the country’s reigning favorite, the margarita. Unlike obscure cocktail revivals that require consumer education, the mojito needs no introduction. People know what they want. losophē’s The New Mojito lets bars give it to them quickly, consistently and most of all, deliciously. The Upside Down Mojito’s 3-liter format is designed for bar service, but also has an obvious role at home: parties, and any occasion where a host wants to serve a crowd without becoming the bartender. It’s a fundamentally different way to think about a classic cocktail. Instead of asking how to make the bartender’s job more interesting, losophē asks how to make the bartender’s job easier, while preserving what consumers love about the drink. The New Mojito won Gold at the New York International Spirits Competition in June 2026, and on the heels of their double gold win for the New Margarita at the 2024 Pr%f Awards will compete in this year’s competition. The cocktail industry has spent years rediscovering classics, putting modern spins on old recipes and searching for the next big thing. But sometimes the next big thing isn’t a new cocktail at all. Sometimes it’s an old favorite that has been waiting for someone to fix the operational problem. The mojito doesn’t need a comeback tour. It needs a faster, better, delicious way onto the bar. Aisha Tyler offers it with losophēs The New Mojito.

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Served effortlessly with losophē’s new 3L “Upside Down” dispenser

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DAOU Vineyards Celebrates California Wine Month with Winery-Exclusive Cabernet Experiences – The Paso Robles estate invites guests to experience the limited 2022 Three Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon and a rare Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon vertical this harvest season.–

California Wine Month at DAOU Mountain: • Produced for one vintage only, the 2022 Three Sisters Limited Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is available exclusively at DAOU Mountain and will be featured as the centerpiece of the Discover DAOU Flight throughout September and October. • DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon vintages 2011 through 2015 will be offered together in a rare vertical tasting at DAOU Mountain from September 20 through October. • 2026 marks DAOU’s fi rst harvest since all three estate vineyards became California Certifi ed Organic Farmers (CCOF) certifi ed, marking a new chapter in the winery’s stewardship

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PASO ROBLES (DAOU MOUNTAIN), Calif., [September 8, 2026] DAOU Vineyards, one of the world’s leading wine estates in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, is celebrating California Wine Month this September with two distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon experiences available exclusively atop DAOU Mountain. During harvest season, guests are invited to discover limited and library wines that showcase DAOU’s longstanding commitment to Cabernet Sauvignon. 2022 Three Sisters Limited Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon will be featured as the centerpiece of the Discover DAOU Flight for the months of September and October, offering winery guests the opportunity to experience this special limited-release in the place it was born. Affectionately known as “The Three Sisters” for the three angels on its

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label, the wine was crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on DAOU Mountain and aged for 22 months in 80% new French oak. Bold, precise and built to age, the single-vintage release cannot be purchased online or found on retail shelves and is available only at the DAOU Mountain Tasting Room while supplies last. Guests purchasing one or more bottles of Three Sisters will also receive a gift, limited to one per purchase. DAOU will present a rare vertical of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon featuring the 2011 through 2015 vintages; this special experience will be available from September 20 through the month of October. As the fi rst wine produced by DAOU, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon established the foundation for the winery’s pursuit of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. Tasted together, the fi ve vintages reveal the evolution of the wine across growing seasons while showcasing its depth, nuance and age-worthy character. The vertical tasting will be offered at DAOU Mountain throughout September and October, while select library vintages will also be available for purchase through the DAOU website. DAOU Mountain has become a sought-after destination for wine lovers, pairing world-class wines and generous hospitality with breathtaking 360-degree views. This harvest carries added significance as the first since all three DAOU estate vineyards earned California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certification. The winery and all estate vineyards are also Certifi ed California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) certified. Together, these certifi cations reinforce DAOU’s broader commitment to responsible land stewardship and to preserving the beauty and vitality of DAOU Mountain for generations to come.

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DAOU Mountain Tasting Room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. by reservation only. To explore tasting experiences and make a reservation, visit DAOUVineyards.com/visit. DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon vertical collections and select library vintages are available for purchase at DAOUVineyards.com/library. Media Contacts: Elizabeth Stout | elizabeth@gregoryvine.com Katherine Dolecki Payton | katherine@gregoryvine.com Additional Assets: Photos for editorial use are available for download here (photo credit: DAOU Vineyards). About DAOU Vineyards DAOU Vineyards is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival the most respected appellations in the world. Situated on a 212-acre hilltop estate in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, DAOU was founded by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou in 2007 to develop the potential of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties in the region. The estate at DAOU Mountain combines remarkable geology, favorable microclimate, and high elevation, once described by renowned California winemaker André Tchelistcheff as “a jewel of ecological elements.” DAOU crafts a range of high-quality wines that are both complex and accessible, designed to be a true pleasure to drink. With sweeping vineyard views showcasing the region’s natural beauty, guests visiting the DAOU Mountain estate experience world-class hospitality in one of California’s most stunning country settings. For more information, please visit www. daouvineyards.com.

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George F Manska Column

George F Manska

CSO, CR&D, Arsilica, Inc., Sensory Researcher, Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Author

Becoming a Better Spirits Evaluator We travel through our world every day of our lives, seeing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. Our senses are our only contact with the world outside. Therefore, our sensory abilities become extremely important to us, yet we take them for granted. Being a competent spirits evaluator depends on understanding and applying some rudimentary knowledge to the process of evaluation. An evaluation should be a complete, descriptive profile which can be used by others as a guideline for purchasing or collecting. It must be dependable, accurate, and consistently repeatable from various sources to validate it as a relevant description of the spirit. Here are a few things to consider.

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Separate Observations from Emotions Sensory evaluation is quite a bit more complicated than the brand tasting at the liquor store. Opinions freely given at random group tastings are often emotional impressions and therefore are not part of a usable, communicable description. Bob thinks this whiskey is too harsh and it tastes “mean.” Jill loves the soothing caramel taste that she describes as “inner warmth and sublime.” These are emotional opinions, not truth in evaluation. One may purchase, the other may not. Both, in all probability, will cement their personal opinions based on their emotional perceptions, not on the attributes or true flaws. In spirits evaluation, we seldom recognize the sensory connection to our emotions. Few ever discuss how important the connection is, yet we experience it every time we taste and smell. Emotions are individual, unquantifiable, and certainly not consistently repeatable. Competent evaluators must learn to separate their emotions from the analysis of flavors and quality. Particularly in spirits, most drinkers have a misconception of how much of the spirit is actually a flavor.

Apply a Sensory Weighting Model There may be other models; however, consider our applied sensory model as explained in Distilled Spirits Sensory Science: Flavor = 90% smell + 5% taste + 5% mouthfeel. It’s not exact, and can’t be applied to all spirits, particularly those with added flavorings or syrups. However, the order of magnitude of the olfactory contribution should be noted. An evaluator should see this model equation as a generalized perspective for weighting

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sensory flavor components on unflavored spirits. This weighting changes for neutral or intentionally flavored spirits such as vodka, high-proof neutral spirit, and aquavit.

Recognize how Tiny Congeners Create Large Character

In this table, we note that more than 99.5 % is water and ethanol. In the case of our sense of smell, air and water (humidity) are with us from day one, so our sensory system, for the most part, considers them as background. Therefore, our brains do not register a notable taste or smell. On the other hand, we smell ethanol (not a background aroma) and congeners (the tastes and smells of the alcoholic beverage). Although congeners may constitute less than 0.5% of many straight spirits, their low odor thresholds contribute much of the character we identify as whiskey, rum, brandy, or another spirit. We tend to think that congener concentrations are much larger. The fact that we consider small amounts of character in our spirits to be more plentiful than they are in actuality is a tribute to the effectiveness of our senses and the ability of our brains to discount background sensory “noise.”

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George F Manska Column

What is the Composition of the Congener Portion of the Spirit? Note that quantity alone does not determine sensory importance. An aroma compound contributes when its concentration approaches or exceeds its odor threshold. Odor-activity value compares a compound’s concentration with that threshold, helping explain why a trace compound can strongly influence a spirit’s aroma. Congener perception depends on concentration relative to odor threshold. We know how different rum can taste from a whiskey because our sensory library has associated their “category” names with our sensations of taste or smell. The similarities of different types of spirits are surprising. Different spirit categories contain many of the same broad chemical families, but differences in individual compounds, concentrations, and interactions produce the distinct character we identify as rum, whiskey, brandy, or another spirit.

The different chemical concentrations do not make sense until we associate which chemical group names go with their smell and taste descriptors. To understand the beauty of this, we can consult the olfactory/taste definitions of each compound as they appear in spirits. Here are a few of the most prominent smells of compounds found in spirits. Terpenes/Lactones: nutty, maple, caramel, balsamic, pine, floral, coconut, peach, fruity, woody, spicy. Sulfur Compounds: rotten eggs, skunk, cooked cabbage, onion, garlic, burnt rubber, putrid. Phenols: smoky, medicine, tar, barnyard, clove, spicy, woody, vanilla. Acids: Sourness, texture, pungency, tartness, vinegar, cheesy, waxy, green apple, goat-like, soapy, fatty, grassy. Common Aldehydes: green apple, burnt fat, sweet nuts, grassy, almond, cherry, baked sugar, caramel, vanilla. Uncommon Aldehydes: Anise, lemon, warm spice, cinnamon, floral, citrus, orange, cooked potato, malty. Higher Alcohols: banana, fusel. Esters: solventy, fruity, nail polish, pineapple, apple, pear, banana, candy, floral, honey, coconut, cinnamon, jasmine, sweet, balsamic, raspberry, strawberry.

Control Ethanol Before it Controls Evaluation In their 2024 peer-reviewed study, Wang and Cadwallader found that ethanol vapor raised the odor-detection thresholds of every odorant tested, with suppression increasing as ethanol concentration rose; alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, and phenols were among the more strongly affected groups.

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Their results support reducing the ethanol vapor reaching the nose through dilution or appropriately shaped glassware, because an evaluator cannot accurately identify or judge aromas that ethanol has made more difficult to detect. Note the ethanol composition in spirits. Already high at a base level of 40%, the amount of ethanol in the evaporation is a substantially larger portion of detectable compounds due to its high volatility. When evaluating a spirit in a tulip glass, recognize that its narrow rim concentrates ethanol-rich vapor at the nose. Ethanol’s pungency activates the trigeminal system, while its pharmacodynamic effect raises the detection thresholds of character odorants. Together, these effects allow ethanol to dominate the initial impression and obstruct accurate aroma identification.

Use Common Sensory Language A good spirits evaluator needs a shared, standardized vocabulary for aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and finish. Without agreed descriptors, terms such as smooth, rich, balanced, and complex remain personal impressions that others cannot reliably interpret or compare. A common lexicon enables evaluators to identify sensory attributes precisely, communicate observations consistently, and separate what they perceive from what they personally prefer. Quality also requires explicit, categoryappropriate standards rather than personal preference alone. Evaluators should judge a spirit against defined criteria—including balance, intensity, integration, identifiable defects, and fitness for its intended style— while recognizing that standardized language does not make human perception identical. It provides a common framework that

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makes evaluations teachable, repeatable, comparable, and open to verification.

Build Your Sensory Library Examining the descriptors within the chemical compound categories closely, one might become suspicious that several different chemical groups can have similar smells. This occurs because the descriptor is not a one-to-one chemical label. A single compound can evoke several descriptors. Several compounds may evoke the same descriptor, and mixtures of compounds can produce qualities that are not obvious from their individual components. It can be daunting to one who wants simple one-word definitions. Understanding the complexity of translating good descriptors to aromas and flavors is key to becoming a proficient evaluator of spirits. For this reason, it is necessary to establish a lexicon consisting of a descriptive vocabulary for spirits. One does not necessarily need to know chemical group names; however, they help when relating the production processes of fermentation, distillation, and maturation to flavor. Chemists name the compounds; evaluators must connect those names with sensory experience. The evaluator who wants to understand aroma sources must also understand the transition from chemical compound names to their specific aromas. However, the first and most important step is to build a deep impression in the sensoryaroma library using universal, common terminology for character descriptors. That is a subject for another day.

Summary: The complexity of sensory evaluation goes much deeper than we can define in a short PR%F the Magazine

George F Manska Column

article. At least with this basic framework, we hope you can define a few things more clearly. • Through training and adopting a global descriptive language, we should be able to communicate more clearly when describing the flavors of spirits, or any alcoholic beverages. • Our senses still detect small concentrations of aromas, and we form all our opinions of our favorite alcoholic beverages largely from our sense of smell. • Almost anyone can develop a better sense of aroma identification through practice and adopting a methodical approach to tasting and evaluating spirits. Building solid universal descriptors into your memory of aromas is key. • Ethanol can be the enemy of accurate evaluation. Use a diagnostic vessel that diffuses ethanol odor away from the nose. No ethanolconcentrating tulips.

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The objective is to rise above the common conversational evaluations of spirits and sharpen your senses to become a better evaluator, purchaser, collector, and appreciator of spirits. Keep evaluations in perspective. Vocal or written, a good evaluator uses a universal vocabulary and accurate descriptors. Tradition is not proof of diagnostic fitness. Tulip vapor behavior cannot withstand measurement against glassware designed to reduce ethanol at the nose. Until then, evaluators should question any vessel that concentrates the compound shown to suppress detection of the aromas they are attempting to judge. In this corner, we will continue to add increasing value to your tasting experience. Distilled Spirits Sensory Science, available at IngramSpark and Amazon, provides a complete course to understanding spirits.

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FOUR ROSES DISTILLERY CONTINUES EXPERIMENTAL SERIES WITH HONEY CASK FINISHED RELEASE The brand’s latest limited-edition release celebrates the unexpected journey of a bourbon barrel through its next chapter

LAWRENCEBURG, KY (August 25, 2026) Today, Four Roses Distillery announces Experimental Series No. 002 Honey Cask Finish, the second release in its Experimental Series. Following the successful debut of the series with Experimental Series No. 001 Mizunara Cask Finish, the latest release explores the remarkable life cycle of a barrel beyond its fi rst fi ll. Inspired by Four Roses’ partnership with local honey producer Bohman Bee Company, the release gives new purpose to the barrels used to create the Distillery’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey. Once the honey was removed, the barrels returned to Four Roses for a second fi ll of bourbon, imparting subtle notes of natural honey while preserving the signature balance and spice of Four Roses.

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“One of the things I love most about this release is how naturally it came together,” said Master Distiller Brent Elliott. “It simply started with barrels that had already taken on a unique character. The honey is there from the moment you bring the glass to your nose, but it’s never artifi cial or overpowering. If you have the chance to taste it alongside our Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey, you can really appreciate the journey those barrels have taken and the role they’ve played in both products.” Experimental Series No. 002 blends six-, seven-, and eight-year-old bourbons from the OESQ and OBSK recipes before fi nishing in the honey-seasoned barrels for three to nine months. The selected barrels were blended and bottled at 104 proof to preserve the balance between classic Four Roses character and the subtle infl uence of the honey casks. The result offers notes of natural honey, fl oral undertones, warm baking spice, and a rich, lingering fi nish.

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The Experimental Series is a limited-edition collection that pushes the boundaries of the brand’s traditional 10-recipe framework. Long celebrated for its consistency, craftsmanship, and signature ten recipe system, the new series marks one of the most ambitious and innovative periods in the brand’s 138-year history, while remaining grounded in the DNA that defi nes Four Roses Bourbon. Bottled in a 375ml format, Experimental Series No. 002 will be available exclusively at the Four Roses Distillery and Cox’s Creek Visitor Centers starting September 18 at a suggested retail price of $55 plus applicable tax, while supplies last. For more information on Four Roses Distillery and the Experimental Series, please visit www.fourrosesbourbon. com or follow

strains to distill and age 10 distinct bourbon recipes, each with its own unique fl avor profi le. With distilling and warehousing operations in Lawrenceburg and Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, respectively, Four Roses is available nationally. Four Roses has a long tradition of earning widespread recognition across respected spirits competitions, receiving numerous top‑tier honors that underscore the quality and craftsmanship of its superpremium bourbon portfolio. Among these accolades, Four Roses was also named World’s Best Single Barrel at the World Whiskies Awards, further cementing its place among the world’s most celebrated bourbon producers. For more information, visit www.fourrosesbourbon.com or fi nd us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Be mellow. Be responsible.

@fourrosesbourbon on Instagram.

About Four Roses Distillery

Media Contact:

Established in 1888, Four Roses combines two mashbills with fi ve proprietary yeast

The Brand Guild

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fourroses@thebrandguild.com

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Bottle Nexus The Leading Direct-To-Consumer Alcohol Compliance and Checkout Platform, Sees Tremendous Company Growth Across Organization; Growing at a YOY growth of over 25%, Securement of Over 500 Active Partners on Platform to Ongoing Successful Brand Partnership Efforts Including Brother’s Bond Bourbon

rother’s Bond Bourbon, founded by famous on-screen brothers, whiskey makers, and real-life friends Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, is an ultrapremium bourbon brand celebrated for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship, has seen notable positive impact since having begun partnering with Bottle Nexus. “Bottle Nexus has been an important partner in helping Brother’s Bond create a seamless and responsible way for today’s modern consumers to access our portfolio online,” states Vincent Hanna, CEO of Brother’s Bond Distilling Co. Hanna continues, “Bottle Nexus’ technology brings together the compliance, fulfillment and e-commerce capabilities required in the beverage alcohol industry, while giving us the flexibility to continue improving the customer experience as our brand grows. We value their collaborative approach and their commitment to building solutions that support both our business and our consumers.”

understatement,” states Firas Soro Founder & CEO at Vista Fulfillment Group. “We believe in the power of e-commerce as it pertains to the overall growth and scalability of the beverage alcohol industry and are proud to be fueling hundreds of brands worldwide to help them continue moving forward.” The above news comes on the heels of the successful execution of Sassenach Spirits and actor Sam Heughan’s exclusive Outlander “Jamie Fraser Collection” release — one of the platform’s best-performing niche alcohol e-commerce launches to date.

About Bottle Nexus:

Bottle Nexus is a leading alcohol buy button and direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform for wine, spirits, and beverage alcohol brands, combining compliant checkout, payments, tax, retailer fulfillment, and nationwide alcohol commerce infrastructure in one solution. Learn more about Bottle Nexus at bottlenexus.com.

Bottle Nexus has quickly become the leading e-commerce solution for many of the leading high potential brands in beverage alcohol - resulting in monumental growth for the company with the securement of over 500 active partners on the platform in less than 3 years. “To say we’re pleased with the traction we’ve been able to generate on the platform over the last quarter alone is a bit of an

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About Brother’s Bond

Brother’s Bond Bourbon, founded by famous on-screen brothers, whiskey makers, and real-life friends Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, is an ultra-premium bourbon brand celebrated for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted with the finest all-natural ingredients and aged to perfection, Brother’s Bond honors the rich heritage of American whiskeymaking. The hand-selected, award-winning small batch whiskey portfolio includes Straight Bourbon, Original Cask Strength Straight Bourbon, American Blended Rye, Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon, and Bottledin-Bond Straight Bourbon, which has been recognized as one of the Top 5 Bourbons in the world.

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Beyond exceptional taste, Brother’s Bond is committed to sustainability, giving back a portion of proceeds to regenerative agriculture and responsible sourcing with every bottle sold. Brother’s Bond is redefining what it means to enjoy an ultrapremium whiskey – one sip, one story, one bond at a time. Time to Bond.

For more information, visit www.brothersbondbourbon. com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @ brothersbondbourbon and X @ brothersbond. Media Contact:

Taylor Foxman 609-432-2237 421946@email4pr.com

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GAMEDAY SPIKED CANNED COCKTAILS Kicks Off Football Season with Landmark Partnership with University of Georgia Athletics CANNED COCKTAIL LINEUP AVAILABLE IN FOUR FLAVORS: FRUIT PUNCH (THE GOAT), LEMON-LIME (CLEAT CHASER), STRAWBERRY-LEMONADE (CINDERELLA STORY) AND GRAPE (THE CLOSER) The GameDay brand is back, and it’s bringing a whole new level of energy to football season with GameDay Spiked premium canned vodka cocktails. A spirits brand built specifically for the 200 million+ sports fans in the U.S., GameDay is now part of the TAG Reserve Spirits portfolio. Plus, GameDay Spiked is now the official canned cocktail of the Georgia Bulldogs through a partnership with University of Georgia Athletics. The GameDay brand first made its name with GameDay Vodka, an award-winning, six-times-distilled, gluten-free, American-made vodka, which now serves as the foundation for GameDay Spiked. The canned cocktails come in four game day-inspired flavors: fruit punch, dubbed The GOAT; lemon-lime, named Cleat Chaser; strawberry-lemonade, called Cinderella Story; and grape, aka The Closer. Each 12-ounce can is lightly carbonated and made with real fruit juice. GameDay Spiked is 5% ABV, has 99 calories, is gluten-free and contains no added sugar. The Georgia partnership carries personal weight for the brand. It’s a full-circle moment for Alex Wood, a former Bulldogs baseball standout, 12-year major league pitcher and 2020 World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wood is co-founder and strategic advisor to TAG Reserve Spirits, which added the GameDay brand to its portfolio in January 2026. “UGA is where I became who I am, on and off the field,” Wood said. “Having GameDay Spiked stand alongside the Bulldogs means something personal to me, and I can’t wait for fans in Athens to see it for themselves. Dawg Nation, here’s to you.”

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“TAG Reserve Spirits builds around brands that already mean something to people, and GameDay has meant something to sports fans since day one,” said Ryan Tripp, chief executive officer of TAG Reserve Spirits. “GameDay Spiked is the brand at its best, a premium canned cocktail made for the way fans actually celebrate, and standing alongside Georgia Athletics is exactly where it belongs.” GameDay creator Zach David oversees brand development and operations for GameDay Spiked within the TAG Reserve Spirits organization. The partnership gives GameDay a prominent presence throughout the Georgia football season. The brand’s standard eight-pack includes two cans of each flavor, while a Georgia Bulldogs-branded variety pack gives Dawg Nation another way to bring GameDay Spiked to the tailgate. GameDay also offers 16-ounce cans in every flavor, ideal for grab-and-go occasions. Two flavors, The GOAT and The Closer, will be available at University of Georgia football games throughout the season, with GameDay on-site at every home game at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, offering merchandise and connecting with fans 21 and over. GameDay Spiked is now available at major retailers throughout Georgia and South Carolina, with additional states rolling out in the coming months. In Georgia, the brand is distributed by Savannah Distributing Company, which brings a statewide sales operation and strong relationships in Athens. In South Carolina, distribution is handled by Morales Beverage Group of South Carolina. For more information, visit GameDaySpirits.com and follow GameDay Spirits on Instagram at @GameDayVodka and @GameDaySpirits

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About GameDay Spiked

About TAG Reserve Spirits

GameDay Spiked is a premium lineup of ready-to-drink vodka cocktails from GameDay Spirits, a spirits brand built for the more than 200 million+ sports fans in the U.S. Originally launched in 2020 with GameDay Vodka, the brand’s award-winning, six-times-distilled, gluten-free, American-made vodka serves as the foundation for GameDay Spiked. Available in four flavors: fruit punch (The GOAT), lemon-lime (Cleat Chaser), strawberry-lemonade (Cinderella Story) and grape (The Closer), GameDay Spiked is lightly carbonated and made with real fruit juice. Each 12-ounce can is 5% ABV, has 99 calories, is gluten-free and contains no added sugar. GameDay Spiked is part of the TAG Reserve Spirits portfolio, which added the GameDay brand in January 2026.

TAG Reserve Spirits is an Atlanta-based spirits company that acquires, rebuilds, and grows craft beverage brands. Its portfolio includes Bradshaw Bourbon, Campesino Rum, GameDay, Tribini, and Saint Cloud Bourbon. The company operates its own sales, marketing, and compliance infrastructure and is backed by The Acceleration Group, a specialty finance firm focused on the craft spirits industry. TAG Reserve Spirits is a member of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

For more information, visit GameDaySpirits.com and follow GameDay Spirits on Instagram at @GameDayVodka and @GameDaySpirits

Bridget Calcagno | Stephanie Wilson

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Learn more at tagreservespirits.com. Media Contacts TAGSpirits@WickedCreative.com | 702-868-4545

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A WINE CATEGORY ALL ITS OWN

enegade Lemonade Wine is not grape wine flavored with lemon, and it is not limoncello. It is true lemon wine, fermented entirely from lemons.

Renegade Lemonade Original is a 12% ABV still wine with a crisp, refreshing balance of sweetness and bright acidity. Renegade Sparkling Lemon Wine brings that distinctive lemon character to life with bubbles and a celebratory 14% ABV finish. BORN IN A BASEMENT

During the 2020 lockdown, Brady and Alex Reiter created Renegade Lemonade Wine in the basement of their Dallas, Georgia home.

The idea began when Brady discovered a lemon wine recipe in a 1970s hippie recipe guide. An illustration of a lemon tree reminded him of his grandfather’s home and sparked something larger. Drawing on Brady’s culinary training and restaurant experience, the couple reimagined the recipe together. What began as a creative experiment became a commercially distributed wine made entirely from lemons and the foundation of an entirely new wine experience. PROVEN INSIDE AND OUT

Renegade Sparkling Lemon Wine earned 93 points and a Gold Medal in the 2026 PR%F Awards’ doubleblind tasting. When the bottle and branding were revealed, it received a Double Gold for packaging and design.

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Renegade has also been named Best Wine at the St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival in consecutive years, while its wines have earned Gold and Double Gold recognition in respected national/international competitions. FROM BASEMENT TO BREAKOUT BRAND

Renegade has grown from a Georgia basement experiment into an emerging national wine brand, with distribution spanning California, the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Texas and Pacific Northwest. More than 5,000 cases of Renegade Lemonade Original sold through Trader Joe’s seasonal California program from April through July 2026. The brand has also earned placements with Total Wine & More, Buc-ee’s, leading grocery retailers, independent wine stores and hospitality venues, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Renegade is actively seeking wholesalers, brokers, retailers and hospitality partners ready to bring an entirely new wine experience to their customers. READY TO JOIN THE RENEGADE EXPANSION? LET’S TALK. Alex & Brady Reiter

alex@rlemonade.com

brady@rlemonade.com

@RenegadeLemonadeWine

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SEPTEMBER 2026 / ISSUE 5

01 / THE STORY

Öömrang Winery Where Heritage, Craft and a Pursuit of Excellence Meet There is an appealing contradiction at the heart of Öömrang Winery. Everything about making its wines is complicated. The vineyard demands patience. Harvest decisions can come down to days—or hours. Fermentation is watched carefully. Oak, temperature, oxygen, acidity and time all matter. The work is exacting, sometimes exhausting and never really finished.

Christine’s husband, Edmund, shares her conviction that all the science, equipment and discipline behind winemaking ultimately have to disappear when the winery’s distinctive glass closure is removed.

“We want our wines to be memorable for the right reasons,” says Christine, co-owner and winemaker of Öömrang Winery. “At the end of the day, wine should bring people pleasure. Everything we do begins with that idea.”

“A knowledgeable acquaintance in the wine industry once told me he could recognize an Öömrang wine almost immediately because of its elegance, distinctive character and style,” Edmund says. “That has meant a great deal to us. We have been fortunate to receive extraordinary scores, but what matters most is consistency. We want every bottle to reflect the same standards.”

It is a deceptively uncomplicated philosophy for a winery that, in less than a decade, has accumulated an unusually large collection of high scores, more than 60 Double Gold and Platinum medals, and seven perfect 100-point scores in blind judging.

That combination—obsessive attention to detail paired with a straightforward idea of what wine should be—has defined Öömrang from its beginning. And its beginning was not exactly planned.

Yet Christine Stoecklein describes the purpose behind all of it in remarkably simple terms.

The estate vineyard near Stanwood, Washington.

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Food & Beverage Magazine Guide to Restaurant Success Photo courtesy of Wiley

ven with all of the economic changes and new hospitality business models, anyone wanting to open a restaurant can read this book and learn how to open one for $25,000 anywhere in the country. Potential customers have demonstrated that they want to eat out, try new cuisines (with delivery and takeout), enjoy different menu items, and socialize with others over a meal. With this guide, restaurateurs make any necessary adjustments and find a way to make their dreams happen. Anyone with a passion and goal to open a restaurant (or keep one open) will be guided by the clear steps to becoming part of the food and beverage industry.

a respected online magazine for the food and beverage industry with over 14 million readers. Michael shares his extensive knowledge gained through both success and failure. With his indispensable guide, you can easily doublecheck to ensure the readers are doing things right. •

Get guidance from a restaurant owner’s handbook of what to do and not do

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Refer to handy tips and checklists that help you launch your business

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Discover insight into the triumphs of Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, and more

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Gain food industry knowledge with a comprehensive restaurant how-to guide

Whether opening a burger joint or a fine dining restaurant, this advice-filled resource will help the readers cover all the details that make a difference.

Each month, countless new restaurants open their doors as others fail. Despite continuing industry growth, many new restaurants need help to succeed. Even established restaurants are challenged to stay open. These businesses may have great food and amazing service, yet some still need more certainty in their futures. Help has arrived with this book. This restaurant success guide provides vital information on protecting the significant investment—sometimes ranging from $250,000 to $425,000—required to open and keep a restaurant running during the first six months. Michael started his career with an ice cream business and founded several restaurants, a frozen food distribution business, a restaurant consulting service, and

Visit fbmagazine.com for more info and to purchase the book.