Carbondale Distillery Wins Silver Medal at Nonalcoholic Cup

Connie Baker didn’t just win a medal; she proved a small Carbondale operation can compete with the big leagues without the alcohol.

The Carbondale-based Marble Distilling Co. took home a silver medal at the inaugural North American Nonalcoholic Cup. The competition was blind. Judges tasted 109 entries from across the continent. They didn’t know Marble was a tiny player in a market dominated by massive beverage conglomerates. They just tasted the liquid.

It was a win for the Peach Jalapeño Shrub, a concentrated fruit-and-vinegar beverage that has been fermenting for centuries but is now finding a modern, sober-friendly home.

“The nonalcoholic beverage industry is on fire right now,” Baker said. “There’s so many people who are cutting back on their alcohol consumption, maybe forever, maybe for a short time, maybe because they’re running a marathon. There are so many things.”

Let’s be clear about what this means for locals. This isn’t just about fancy vinegar. It’s about a pivot. Marble has spent over a decade making spirits. Now, they’re betting that the people who used to buy their whiskey bottles might just as easily buy their shrubs for a Saturday night mocktail or a cooking marinade.

The product hit the shelves in March, right after the label approval process wrapped up. You can find it at the distillery and in several retail stores and restaurants around the valley. It’s one of three flavors: Blueberry Lavender and Strawberry Balsamic join the Peach Jalapeño.

The process is specific. Marble stops fermentation before the alcohol kicks in. The result is a thick, viscous drink. It’s not watered-down juice. It has body. It has texture.

“You can add soda water to it. It makes a beautiful sparkling fruit-based drink with considerable viscosity and substantial mouthfeel,” Baker said.

The silver medal wasn’t handed out for participation. It was awarded during a professional blind tasting. Judges evaluated quality, balance, innovation, and overall drinking experience. Because it was blind, Marble’s size didn’t matter. The product stood on its own.

“It just goes to show that there’s significant opportunity out there if you’re crafting something that is beautifully made,” Baker said.

Shrubs are still relatively uncommon compared to nonalcoholic beers or wines. They’re niche. But Marble is betting that niche is growing. The shrubs work as drink mixers, cocktail bases, or even toppings for ice cream. They’re versatile.

For the folks in Carbondal, this is a reminder that the local distillery isn’t just a tourist stop for shots. It’s a manufacturing hub adapting to how we drink. Or don’t drink.

The distillery is open. The shrubs are on the shelf. If you want to try the Peach Jalapeño, you’ll need to head to Carbondale. It’s not coming to your local grocery store aisle just yet, but it’s available.

The bottom line: Marble is diversifying. They’re not waiting for the alcohol market to slow down. They’re building a second engine. And based on a blind silver medal, that engine is running.