FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMBRu Campaign draws attention to an $887 million U.S. trade deficit and a proposed nationwide heritage trail connecting American producers, historic sites, and communities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2026
Ellijay, GA — FOX 5 Atlanta featured the AMBRu Campaign in its October 20 programming, bringing television attention to a national initiative launched by Georgia distiller Caroline Porsiel to advance recognition of American Brandy and American Rum as distinctive American spirits.
Porsiel, founder of House Of Applejay in East Ellijay, Georgia, and co-founder of the AMBRu Campaign, initiated the effort to address an overlooked opportunity in the American spirits industry: the country’s historic brandy and rum traditions and their potential contribution to domestic production, tourism, and economic growth.
An $887 Million Trade Gap
In 2025, the United States imported approximately $1.01 billion in brandy and rum while exporting only $125 million, resulting in a combined trade deficit of approximately $887 million.
The disparity highlights the opportunity to strengthen awareness and demand for domestically produced brandy and rum.
“America has an $887 million trade deficit in brandy and rum,” said Porsiel. “I started the AMBRu initiative to change that — by giving American Brandy and American Rum the recognition they deserve.”
From Industry Presentation to Capitol Hill
Porsiel introduced the initiative to distillers and industry professionals at the Miami Rum Summit in August 2026.
On September 24, she brought the AMBRu initiative to Capitol Hill during the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) Congressional Fly-In, presenting the concept in meetings with congressional offices.
The initiative proposes a producer-led approach to recognizing American Brandy and American Rum as distinctive products of the United States, alongside a nationwide heritage and tourism trail.
The proposed AMBRu Trail envisions connecting more than 500 distilleries, historic locations, museums, and communities associated with the American history of brandy and rum.
A beta version of the trail map launched in September 2026 at https://ambru.org/map/.
Bringing American Spirits Heritage Into the National Conversation
Brandy and rum played important roles in early American agriculture, commerce, maritime trade, and distilling. Yet their place in the country’s spirits identity receives substantially less attention today than American whiskey.
The AMBRu Campaign seeks to encourage producers, historians, tourism organizations, and industry stakeholders to explore a shared framework for recognition, education, and economic development.
“American Brandy and American Rum are part of our history,” Porsiel said. “My goal is to help restore these two historic spirits to their rightful place in our national identity.”
FOX 5 Atlanta Coverage
The campaign was featured during FOX 5 Atlanta’s October 20, 2026 programming, with an initial video segment available online:
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/video/fmc-swv6xtp9oynfu9yd
About the AMBRu Campaign
The AMBRu Campaign is a national initiative advocating greater recognition of American Brandy and American Rum as distinctive American spirits. Its work focuses on historical awareness, producer collaboration, economic opportunity, and the development of a nationwide heritage trail.
The campaign was initiated by Caroline Porsiel, founder of House Of Applejay in Georgia and co-founder of AMBRu.
Website: https://ambru.org
Media inquiries: Through AMBRu.org
Media contact
Media contact
AMBRu Campaign
+1 404-771-4332
info@ambru.org
https://ambru.org/
Related Articles
AMBRu publishes first working paper on American Brandy and American Rum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERecognition to Revenue opens a producer-led path to U.S. product identity — and a map people can actually findELLIJAY, Ga. (September 13, 2026) — The AMBRu Campaign today published Recognition to Revenue, its first working paper, authored by AMBRu...
American Brandy & Rum Trail
A National Framework for America’s First Spirits American brandy and rum are not emerging categories. They are foundational. Long before modern classifications shaped perception, these spirits defined production, trade, and agricultural use across early America. Yet...
Timeline and Next Steps
AMBRu’s next steps follow Recognition to Revenue (September 2026): open the public question, gather producers, put a trail on a map, and only later ask whether formal recognition should be sought. This page is not a TTB petition, not a certification, and not a jobs or...
Author: caro
Caroline Porsiel is co-founder of the AMBRu Campaign and author of the Recognition to Revenue framework, working to advance recognition of American Brandy and American Rum and build a national American Brandy & Rum Trail.