Safeguarding America’s Distilling Legacy
This post was written before Recognition to Revenue (September 2026). Cite the working paper, not this page, as the current statement of the campaign.
The American Brandy & Rum Campaign (AMBRu) exists to put two old American spirits back in view: American Brandy and American Rum. We want them recognized as distinctive products of the United States. We want that designation. We want it together—on their own name and their own quality, at home and abroad.
Why American Distilling Heritage Matters
American distilling is more than a craft—it’s a cornerstone of our nation’s history and identity. From the rugged stills of early settlers to the thriving distilleries of today, this industry has woven itself into the fabric of American culture. It represents the entrepreneurial drive that built a nation, the creativity that fuels innovation, and the community spirit that binds us together.
Bourbon and rye already have names people can find. American Brandy and American Rum do not. Small distilleries still face cost, regulation, and a crowded shelf. AMBRu does not claim to shield the whole industry. It asks whether these two spirits deserve a distinctive U.S. name—and whether producers will stand behind it.
The AMBRU Campaign: A Bold Vision for Preservation
AMBRu is a producer-led campaign for American Brandy and American Rum. It does not speak for every distiller. What it is for:
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Advocate for Fair Regulation: Policies should protect the public without stifling the creativity and independence of distillers. Excessive hurdles should not choke an industry that lives on innovation.
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Promote a working trade: Small and mid-sized distilleries, and the farms behind them, need a category people can find. A shared American name and a clear standard of quality give those spirits a way to compete at home and abroad.
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Celebrate and educate: American Brandy and American Rum have a history worth telling. The work is to put that history in front of drinkers, visitors, and producers—not to leave it on a shelf.
AMBRu is here so those spirits can stand as signature products made in the United States. We want designation. We want it together.
Join Us in Protecting Our Heritage
American Brandy and American Rum will not get a name if only one campaign wants it. Distillers, growers, and drinkers have to want it too.
Read Recognition to Revenue. Comment. Join at ambru.org. Visit a brandy or rum distillery. Connect a farm or a place to the trail. We want designation. We want it together.
Drink what’s actually made here. Buy American brandy and American rum. Visit the distilleries that produce them.
Share the paper. Send Recognition to Revenue to a distiller, a grower, a bartender, or a friend who cares about these spirits.
Join AMBRu. Comment at ambru.org. Connect a distillery, farm, or place to the trail. Help write the name and the quality—together.
A shared name
American distilling does not need a speech. American Brandy and American Rum need a name and a quality producers will stand behind—so they can compete as signature products made in the United States.
We want that designation. We want it together. Join the work.
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.