Lancaster Brewing Company has long been respected for its beers, but in 2025, it was a spirit—Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon—that brought the Pennsylvania-based producer international acclaim. Crowned both Spirit of the Year – USA and Straight Bourbon of the Year at the London Spirits Competition, the win is more than a trophy moment. It’s a reflection of founder Pete Keares’ deep fermentation know-how, a culture of craftsmanship that prioritises control over every stage, and a vision to bring meaningful, flavour-forward spirits to discerning drinkers. In this conversation, Pete shares what this accolade means for the brand’s future, how brewing shapes their distilling approach, and why authenticity remains their true North Star.

Image: Lancaster Brewing Company.

Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon has just claimed Spirit of the Year – USA and Straight Bourbon of the Year at the 2025 London Spirits Competition. How do you plan to capitalise on this accolade, both in terms of brand building and market expansion?

Our team sets incredibly high standards in every aspect of production, and we hope this prestigious award helps us to communicate the quality and excellence of our products across the board. I hope we can elevate awareness not only of our great whiskeys, but some of our other products, including award-winning Imperial Jo Espresso Liqueur, our uniquely hop-infused gins, Euphoria and Criterion, and our premium Hexx vodka, to name a few. That said, we have some truly extraordinary whiskey in the pipeline that we can’t wait to release, and the London Spirits Competition award certainly gives consumers the motivation to give us a try.

Image: Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon crowned as Spirit of the Year – USA and Straight Bourbon of the Year at the 2025 London Spirits Competition.

With such a distinctive process—extended fermentation using proprietary yeast, a unique malt bill, and ale barrel finishing—how do you communicate the craft and complexity behind this bourbon to consumers and trade buyers alike?

By consistently emphasizing our 25+ years of expertise in the beverage space, and highlighting aspects of our process that we think we do as well as or better than anyone. Our experience milling and mashing grains gives us a deep insight into certain characteristics, flavors, and behaviors when creating our malt bills, while extensive fermentation and yeast development expertise allow us to control how those characteristics and traits present post fermentation, which is really where the magic happens. And, most importantly, our control over the barrels we finish in, as I discuss later… 

Image: Lancaster Craft Spirits Distillery.

Can you share current availability in key export markets such as the UK and Europe? Are there particular retail chains, specialty stores, or restaurants already championing your spirits?

We’ve had some preliminary conversations with distributors in the UK and discussions with several distributors on the East Coast of the US, but currently have distribution in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Who do you see as your core audience for Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon—and how do you engage them? Has this evolved from your beer-drinking base, or are you reaching an entirely new consumer?

Anyone who enjoys excellent quality spirits, but further, I’d say an audience in search of a true connection to the craft beyond the noise of slick photo shoots and celebrity-owned/endorsed brands. Not to say there aren’t some decent celeb spirits out there, but I think people are seeking authenticity. They’re looking for expertise and genuine quality; they’re looking for makers who actually make. With the easy access and abundance of information out there today, premium spirit consumers are far more informed than ever before, and what they’re looking for is the real deal.

Image: Alfresco drinks at the Lancaster Brewing Company.

What marketing tools or assets do you provide to support importers and distributors in moving product, particularly in highly competitive spirits markets abroad?

We‘re in the very early stages of exploring international distribution, but the endorsement of your competition certainly is a great start.  

Beyond awards, what strategic activities—events, tastings, partnerships—are you undertaking to grow brand visibility and premium positioning internationally?

Our brand ambassadors conduct frequent tastings, events, on-premise and off-premise visits, marketing, and distributor promo and co-op support. As for the UK and EU markets, we are in the very early stages of exploring international distribution.    

What makes Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon singular in the American whiskey landscape today? What do you wish more drinkers understood about your approach?

I think, most uniquely, our complete control over not only the aging barrels, but also the finishing barrels. We finish exclusively in ex-beer barrels, which in and of itself isn’t that unique, but, in our case, we don’t decide on the finishing beer until after barrel samplings and evaluation of the whiskey.

We focus on specific flavors, tone, and overall mouthfeel of the whiskey, then brew and age a high-gravity ale to complement specific characteristics. After the beer matures, we immediately refill the barrels with the whiskey and wait for as long as it takes.

Image: Aging finish exclusively in ex-beer barrels.

Can you speak to the evolution from beer to spirits—how your brewing DNA, particularly your fermentation expertise, informs every drop you distill?

Aside from providing us with a great base of knowledge and experience in the materials and chemistry of the process, it guides our culture in the sense that we often overthink the details and prevail through our consistency. And yes, while beer fermentation must be controlled and perfect every time, we learned early on that perfect fermentation for beer doesn’t always translate to perfect fermentation for spirits.

Sustainability is clearly not an afterthought for Lancaster Brewing. How does your work with green infrastructure and the Lancaster Gateway Bundle reflect your brand values, and how do you see this resonating with global drinkers?

We’ve always been strong proponents of community and giving back, so whether it involves fundraising, community outreach, supporting local charities, storm water management, or simply responsible use of resources, it’s become part of our culture as a company. We’ve never really capitalized on it from a marketing perspective, but we simply see it as a responsibility and good stewardship.

Image: Lancaster’s Green Infrastructure plan.

Finally, what’s next for Lancaster Spirits? Are there plans to scale production, explore new styles, or deepen your footprint in global markets?

We’d love to scale production and explore additional relationships here in the US and new relationships in select markets abroad, allowing more consumers access to our products.    

Having been in the beverage space for over 25 years, we’re fortunate to have strong infrastructure in place and considerable experience working with distributors.

Conclusion

As Lancaster charts a path toward international expansion, its foundation is clear: a deep command of fermentation and distillation, a commitment to sourcing and process, and a genuine respect for craft. The award-winning bourbon is not an outlier—it’s a signal of what’s to come. With plans to grow distribution, introduce new releases, and deepen its global presence, Lancaster is stepping confidently into a larger arena. For consumers and trade alike, it offers something increasingly rare—spirits made with intention, depth, and a clear sense of purpose.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network.

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