When a 138-year-old Kansas City whiskey name lands a seat at the national policy table, it's worth paying attention—especially in a craft spirits market wrestling with declining investment and tightening margins.
J. Rieger & Co. President and Co-Founder Andy Rieger has been elected to the Board of Directors of the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), the nation's only registered nonprofit trade association representing U.S. craft distilleries. Rieger will be the only board member representing Kansas and Missouri, giving the region a direct voice in shaping national policy for independent producers.
A Sixth-Generation Distiller With a Policy Playbook
Rieger arrives on the board with a résumé that blends heritage and hard numbers. He's the sixth-generation descendant of Jacob Rieger, who founded the original Kansas City distillery in 1887—once the largest mail-order whiskey house in the country before Prohibition shuttered it.
After a career in private equity and investment banking, Rieger returned to his hometown of Kansas City in 2014 to revive the family's pre-Prohibition brand alongside acclaimed bartender and hospitality entrepreneur Ryan Maybee. One of the youngest presidents of a nationally recognized American craft distillery, he has led J. Rieger & Co. from a startup revival to an internationally recognized whiskey brand in just over a decade.
That trajectory included restoring a landmark 1901 building in Kansas City's historic Electric Park district into a destination distillery—the kind of experience-driven venue that has become a growth engine for craft brands—while expanding distribution across the U.S. and into international markets.
"It's an honor to serve on the ACSA Board at a pivotal time for independent distillers. Across the country, there are quality businesses working to build durable American brands, create jobs, buy from agricultural partners and compete the right way. Too often, the current system makes that harder than it should be, especially for independent producers without the scale or leverage of larger companies. My focus will be on advancing practical, common-sense policies that give great operators a fair chance to succeed," said Rieger.
The SPIRIT Act and Why the Timing Matters
Rieger's appointment comes as the craft spirits industry faces declining investment and mounting economic pressures. On June 29, 2026, ACSA supported the introduction of the Supporting Producers Through Incentives from Rural Ingredients and Tax Relief (SPIRIT) Act—bipartisan legislation led by Congressional Craft Spirits Caucus Co-Chair Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO) and co-sponsored by Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI).
The bill would establish a Federal Excise Tax (FET) credit for qualifying small distillers that use domestically grown agricultural ingredients. The stated goals:
- Support rural economies and American manufacturing
- Reinforce the domestic agricultural supply chain
- Give independent craft spirits producers meaningful tax relief
For a category where the difference between viable and unviable often comes down to a few points of tax exposure, an FET credit tied to domestic grain sourcing is more than symbolic—it directly rewards the local-sourcing model many operators already champion.
Why It Matters
For distillers, bar operators, beverage directors and procurement leaders, this is a signal to watch the policy pipeline as closely as the product pipeline.
- Tax exposure is a menu-and-margin issue. If the SPIRIT Act's FET credit advances, small distillers sourcing domestic grain could see improved economics—potentially stabilizing pricing and supply for the on-premise accounts that carry them.
- Local sourcing is now a competitive lever, not just a marketing story. Legislation that rewards domestically grown ingredients aligns with the sustainability and local-food narratives buyers and guests already value. Operators can lean into that provenance story on menus and shelf talkers.
- Regional representation matters. With Rieger as the only ACSA board member for Kansas and Missouri, distillers and hospitality partners in the region have a clearer channel to national advocacy—useful for anyone weighing partnerships, distribution, or shelf commitments with independent brands.
- Investment headwinds are real. The backdrop of declining investment is a reminder for buyers to vet the durability of the craft brands they build programs around—and for producers to make the operational and policy case for their staying power.
The takeaway for the trade: independent distilling's growth story is increasingly tied to what happens in Washington, and leaders like Rieger are betting that practical policy—not just great liquid—will decide who scales.
Award-Winning Spirits Behind the Advocacy
Rieger's board seat is backed by a portfolio with real accolades. J. Rieger & Co. is recognized for award-winning spirits including Rieger Kansas City Whiskey, Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey, plus Monogram Solera Reserve, Midwestern Dry Gin and Caffè Amaro. The company's honors include Robb Report Best Whiskeys of 2025 and Best American Whiskey at the ASCOT Awards.
The distillery's relaunch was backed by industry legends and Master Distillers Dave Pickerell and Tom Nichol—pedigree that has helped introduce Kansas City's distilling heritage to consumers around the world.
For more on how operators are rethinking their beverage strategy in a tougher economic climate, see our coverage of the new economics of craft and how brands like Sunny Sky Products are setting the standard for beverage partnerships.
What's Your Take?
Will the SPIRIT Act reshape the economics of independent distilling—or is more needed to reverse the investment slowdown? Drop your perspective in the comments, and explore more craft spirits and beverage-industry coverage at Food & Beverage Magazine.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
