Carrying the Badge: Why Every Bourbon Enthusiast Should Know About Challenge Coins

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The rich and storied tradition of challenge coins has made its
way from military culture into bourbon communities, creating
meaningful connections among enthusiasts and marking achievements
in the whiskey world.

• Challenge coins originated with WWI pilots but became popular
during Vietnam War
• Different types of bourbon challenge coins include Stave &
Thief Bourbon Steward certification, Kentucky Bourbon Festival
commemorative coins, and community recognition coins
• Coins must be carried at all times - you get only four steps to
retrieve it during a challenge
• If challenged and you can't produce your coin, you buy drinks;
if everyone has their coin, the challenger buys
• Bourbon Real Talk uses different colored coins to recognize
various levels of community contribution
• Kentucky Bourbon Festival coins evolve each year, from bronze
30th anniversary to gold 2024 edition
• Challenge coins typically cannot be purchased - they must be
earned through contribution or certification
• Carrying a challenge coin signifies membership and honors the
tradition of bourbon camaraderie

Join us Thursday night with Kentucky Bourbon Festival President
Randy Prass to learn everything about this year's festival.
Tickets go on sale April 16th for pre-sale and April 17th to the
general public


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The humble challenge coin carries a weighty legacy that stretches
from World War I battlefields to today's bourbon tasting rooms.
This episode dives deep into these tokens of honor and belonging
that have become an integral part of bourbon culture.

Challenge coins began with a wealthy lieutenant who gave
medallions to his unit members. Legend tells how one such coin
saved a pilot's life when he was captured behind enemy lines,
unable to prove his identity except through this small token. The
tradition evolved through the Vietnam War and eventually found a
spiritual home among whiskey enthusiasts who recognized the
perfect symmetry between military camaraderie and the fellowship
of shared bourbon experiences.

For bourbon lovers, these coins serve multiple purposes. Some
mark achievements, like the coveted Stave & Thief Society's
Executive Bourbon Steward certification coin. Others commemorate
events, like the annually changing Kentucky Bourbon Festival
coins that evolve in design and finish. Communities like Bourbon
Real Talk have created elaborate hierarchies of colored coins to
recognize different levels of contribution, from first-time
helpers to consistent top contributors.

What makes these coins special isn't just their appearance but
the traditions surrounding them. The twelve rules of challenge
coin etiquette transform them from mere collectibles into social
catalysts. You must keep your coin within four steps at all
times. When challenged, failure to produce your coin means buying
drinks. If everyone shows their coin, the challenger pays up.
These exchanges create spontaneous moments of connection among
bourbon enthusiasts in an increasingly digital world.

Whether displayed proudly on a shelf or carried faithfully in a
special wallet pouch, bourbon challenge coins represent something
deeper than their metal composition suggests—they're physical
reminders of shared experiences, hard-earned knowledge, and
community belonging. Have you earned your place in bourbon
culture with a challenge coin yet? The tradition awaits.



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