ECRM’s On & Off Premise Adult Beverage Session wraps up each year with its Grand Tasting Awards event, during which participating adult beverage brands showcase their latest products as buyers sample them and vote on their favorites while enjoying the live entertainment. By this time, the brands have had dozens of private face-to-face meetings with the retail and food service buyers in attendance at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Henderson, Nev., and this is a great opportunity to relax, refresh, and reconnect in a casual and fun setting.
Food & Beverage Magazine is proud to once again sponsor the Grand Tasting Awards, and recognize the winners of each category: Best Beer, Best Wine, Best Spirits and Most Innovative. Below you’ll find profiles of each winner
Next year’s ECRM On & Off Premise Adult Beverage Session will be held August 24 to 26 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. https://ecrm.marketgate.com/Sessions/2025/08/GlobalWineBeerandSpiritsEPPS
Best Beer – Matanuska Brewing Company
Matanuska Brewing Company, established in 2017, is a state of the art 40 barrel production brewery located on a three acre campus in Matanuska Valley’s Palmer, Alaska. The site is complete with 12,000+ square feet of warehouse with landmarks that include an antique grain elevator, an antique farm silo, and (next door) the Palmer water tower – rising over 100 feet with the majestic Pioneer Peak in the background. The Matanuska Valley is located in South Central Alaska, created by three separate glaciers grinding down and carving through the hills over millions of years – making this brewery millions of years in the making. The fully automated brewhouse and cellar were built with all U.S. steel by renowned brewery fabricator JV Northwest out of Canby, Oregon. The brewery specializes in American West Coast style beers along with an elaborate oak aging program. There is a small tasting room and restaurant on sight open to the public for samples, growlers, cans, kegs, and retail items.
With a small group of dedicated Alaskan investors lead by Kevin Burton and Matt Tomter, the Matanuska Brewing Company project was initiated in 2016 with aspirations of developing an enduring cornerstone business in the community while becoming one of Alaska’s premier production breweries. Head Brewer/Owner Kevin Burton was a lawyer by trade. He ended up working in Alaska in the legal arena in 1990 but soon realized his true passion – BEER! He has been continually brewing beer in Alaska since 1996 – longer than any other commercial brewer in the state – and has racked up record numbers of local and national awards as well as pioneering modern oak aging and west coast IPA styles.
Entrepreneur Extraordinaire/Owner Matt Tomter, originally from Tacoma, Washington, came to Alaska in 1990 too. He came for flight school to learn to fly commercially in Alaska’s bush. He ended up flying planes in north and northwest Alaska from places like Barrow, Dead Horse, Kotzebue, Nome, and more. He eventually settled in Nome, where he transitioned into the restaurant business when he opened Airport Pizza. He initially set up a pizza oven in a hanger at the Nome Airport and shipped out hot pizza on small planes to remote villages in rural Alaska. This turned out to be so successful, he soon relocated the business to downtown Nome, becoming the city’s premier pizza/alehouse. Since there are no roads to Nome, he flew all his beer kegs in on Alaska Airlines – making him the only place within 500 miles offering fresh craft beer on tap! That’s effort!!
After ten years in Nome, he parleyed his skills by opening up three more alehouses – this time in South Central Alaska. They included The Eagle River Alehouse, The Palmer City Alehouse, and The Anchorage Alehouse. They each have 40 to 70 beers on tap, more than anyone else in the state.
Matt and Kevin began working together in Nome years ago during the annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race finish which takes place in downtown Nome on the shores of the Bering Sea. Together, they developed and ran the Beer Tasting Extravaganza at Airport Pizza and the Bering Sea Beer Festival – a ¼ mile out from shore on the Bering Sea Ice. From there, the two began to develop their plan to take over the world – one pint at a time.
Matanuska Brewing Company’s beers celebrate the great Alaskan outdoors. Additional seasonal, oak aged, hard seltzer, specialty beers and non-alcoholic sodas are brewed.
Best Spirit – Bandero Tequila
Bandero is a premium, artisanal tequila crafted with the passion and expertise of John Paul DeJoria, co-creator of Patrón Tequila. Rooted in tradition, Bandero is made from 100% CRT-certified Blue Weber Agave, sourced sustainably and exclusively from the highlands of Los Altos in Jalisco, Mexico. This region is renowned for its naturally sweet, fruity, and floral flavor profiles. Produced in small batches and completely additive-free, our tequila is meticulously handcrafted from harvest to bottling, honoring an ancient recipe that delivers an exceptionally smooth and authentic experience in every sip.
Bandero redefines premium tequila by offering exceptional quality and authenticity at an approachable price under $50. Made with just three simple ingredients—agave, water, and yeast—our tequila avoids the common use of artificial additives, ensuring a pure and natural flavor. Each bottle is handcrafted through a meticulous process: agave is selected at peak maturity, slowly roasted in clay ovens to caramelize its natural sugars, and distilled to highlight its rich, smooth profile. Bandero’s dedication to sustainability shines through in its zero-waste operations, where agave pulp is transformed into eco-friendly bricks and liquid byproducts are used for irrigation. Designed for those who appreciate a refined sipping experience or artisanal cocktails, Bandero delivers luxury without compromise.
Bandero’s mission is to deliver authentic, premium tequila crafted with care and sustainability, while making it an accessible luxury for all. We aim to honor Mexican heritage through traditional methods, while upholding a commitment to the environment and transparency in every bottle.
The ECRM session offered Bandero a unique platform to engage directly with industry professionals and explore new partnerships. It was an opportunity to highlight their brand’s story and gain fresh perspectives on market trends and consumer preferences. Winning the Grand Tasting award was a proud moment for Bander,, reinforcing their dedication to creating exceptional tequila that resonates with both industry leaders and consumers.
Most Innovative – MAD TASTY
MAD TASTY is a premium beverage brand that offers innovative, hemp-infused products. Their mission is to provide consumers with delicious and functional beverages that enhance their lives. Founded in 2018 by renowned musician Ryan Tedder, lead singer of OneRepublic, MAD TASTY was born from a desire to create a functional beverage that could enhance performance and well-being. Tedder’s vision was to develop a clean, restorative, and hydrating drink that would support his rigorous lifestyle as a musician and performer.
MAD TASTY is committed to giving back to the community. The brand has partnered with Drop4Drop, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean water to those in need. For every 12 ounces of MAD TASTY sold, the company donates 12 ounces of clean drinking water.
This groundbreaking beverage company offers two exciting product offerings: a 20 MG broad-spectrum hemp extract sparkling water and a 5 MG hemp-derived D9 THC seltzer. MAD TASTY’s beverages are made with natural ingredients, low calorie and available in Grapefruit, Watermelon Kiwi, Unicorn Tears and Yuzu Citrus flavors. Great Taste and Branding have established Mad Tasty as a category leader!
Their mission is to provide consumers with delicious and functional beverages that enhance their lives. We aim to create clean, restorative, and hydrating drinks that support performance and well-being and give back to the community.
MAD TASTY is thrilled with winning the ‘Most Innovative’ award at the ECRM ‘On & Off Premise Show’ with their new 5mg THC Infused Seltzers in three flavors. The positive response to the unique taste and packaging underscores the growing demand for innovative beverage experiences, as the “evolution of drinking” is demonstrated by the growing demand for this healthier alternative.
The brand’s team found that the most valuable aspect of participating in an ECRM session was the opportunity to engage directly with key decision-makers. These face-to-face interactions, whether scheduled or spontaneous, allowed their team to build strong relationships and gain invaluable insights into industry trends and consumer preferences. Their recognition with this award was celebrated by numerous decision-makers and solidified their position in the market. The connections the brand was able to forge, such as with Michael Politz of Food & Beverage Magazine, at this event positioned them for future success as they navigate regulatory hurdles.
Best Wine – Franzese Wine
Franzese Wine is a premium wine brand that tells a story of transformation, redemption, and second chances. Co-founded by Michael Franzese, a former Mafia boss who chose a path of change and inspiration, Franzese Wine is rooted in the historic vineyards of Armenia, the birthplace of winemaking. Our wines are crafted with a blend of ancient traditions and modern innovation, offering a lineup that includes our award-winning Areni, Malbec, and a unique Pomegranate wine. Franzese Wine is more than a beverage—it’s a celebration of resilience, heritage, and the power of new beginnings.
Areni wine was crowned the winner at ECRM for its exceptional quality, bold character, and ability to capture the essence of Armenia’s 6,000-year-old winemaking history. The unique story and taste profile resonated with the decision makers.
Franzese Wine’s Areni is the only mass-market Armenian wine in the U.S., offering a unique flavor profile that bridges the elegance of Pinot Noir with the strength of Cabernet Sauvignon. Its rich history, tied to the world’s first vineyards, and its outstanding quality make it truly one of a kind. Consumers get to try wine from the World’s first vineyards ever discovered, not too many wine brands can make that claim.
Their mission is to inspire transformation and create community through exceptional wines that tell a story of resilience, heritage, and new beginnings. Every bottle of Franzese Wine invites you to be part of a narrative that celebrates growth, second chances, and the pursuit of excellence.
The brand found that participating in this ECRM session was invaluable for building meaningful connections with
key buyers and showcasing the unique story of Franzese Wine. The structured and focused format allowed them to engage directly with decision-makers, gaining valuable feedback and insights into their needs. They found that the session also provided a platform to highlight the distinctive qualities of their award-winning Areni wine which resonated deeply with attendees. The opportunity to stand out in a competitive marketplace and position their brand as a pioneer in bringing Armenian wine to the U.S. market was truly a game-changer. Beyond the business outcomes, it was a chance to share their mission of transformation and second chances, creating genuine relationships that extend beyond the session itself.
