The Black Distillery Trail
The Distillery Directory
Every Black-owned distillery on the trail — their stories, their stills,their spirits, and how to find them.
The Proof Is in the Still
Every distillery on this trail has the real thing — gleaming copper pot stills, column stills, and custom rigs that turn grain, fruit, and cane into something extraordinary. These founders don't just bottle spirits; they distill and blend them from scratch. No still? Not on this list.
Showing 15 distilleries
18th Street Distillery
5417 Oakley Ave, Hammond, IN·Est. 2020
An Indiana craft distillery bringing bold, small-batch spirits to the Midwest — rooted in community and a passion for the art of distilling.
Founders of 18th Street
Founders
Brough Brothers Distillery
1460 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY·Est. 2018
The first Black-owned bourbon distillery in Kentucky history, founded by three brothers committed to honoring the state's most iconic spirit and building a legacy for generations to come.
Victor, Christain & Bryson Yarbrough
Co-Founders
Copper Compass Distilling
Maryland·Est. 2020
A Maryland craft distillery charting its own course with small-batch spirits rooted in community, creativity, and a deep respect for the art of distilling.
Founders of Copper Compass
Founders
Delta Dirt Distillery
430 Cherry Street, Helena, AR·Est. 2021
Rooted in the rich soil of the Arkansas Delta, this fourth-generation family farm distillery crafts spirits from sweet potatoes and grain grown on their own land — a true farm-to-bottle story of Black agricultural heritage.
Harvey & Donna Williams
Founders
Du Nord Craft Spirits
Minneapolis, MN·Est. 2013
Minnesota's first Black-owned distillery, crafting small-batch spirits with a community-first ethos. Du Nord became a beacon of resilience and purpose during the 2020 Minneapolis uprisings.
Chris Montana
Founder
The Free State Distillery
Maryland·Est. 2021
Named in honor of Maryland's complex history with freedom and slavery, The Free State Distillery crafts spirits that carry the weight and pride of that legacy in every bottle.
Floyd "Beau" Wheeler
Founder
Fresh Bourbon Distilling Co.
Lexington, KY·Est. 2020
A Lexington-based distillery bringing a fresh perspective to Kentucky bourbon — bold, approachable, and unapologetically rooted in Black entrepreneurship in the heart of bourbon country.
Sean Edwards
Founder
Gravesande Braxton Distillers GB
NY·Est. 2012
Founded by Vanessa Braxton — the first African American woman distiller in the United States and the distiller behind Black Momma Vodka since 2012 — GB Distillers crafts bold, handcrafted spirits with purpose and pride. A landmark of Black excellence in American spirits.
Vanessa Braxton
Founder & Master Distiller
Loft & Bear Distillery
Los Angeles, CA·Est. 2020
Los Angeles's Black-owned craft distillery, blending West Coast creativity with serious distilling craft. Loft & Bear brings bold, handcrafted spirits to the City of Angels — copper stills and all.
Founders of Loft & Bear
Founders
New England Sweetwater Farm & Distillery
136 Main Street, Winchester, NH·Est. 2015
New Hampshire's premier African American family-owned distillery, crafting 18 award-winning expressions across five iconic brands from grain grown in New England — a true farm-to-bottle legacy.
Alisa Lawrence, Nilaja Young, Karl Lawrence & Kenny Young
Owners (est. by Robert Patton-Spruill)
Painted Staves Distilling
Delaware·Est. 2103
Delaware's Black-owned craft distillery, drawing on the rich tradition of American barrel-making and distilling to produce spirits with character, depth, and a story worth telling.
Founders of Painted Staves
Founders
Striped Lion Distilling
New Jersey·Est. 2020
A New Jersey craft distillery with a bold identity to match its spirits. Striped Lion distills with purpose — real stills, real craft, and a commitment to putting Black-owned spirits on the map.
Founders of Striped Lion
Founders
The Highway Distillery
Texas·Est. 2020
Deep in the heart of Texas, The Highway Distillery is blazing a trail for Black-owned spirits in the Lone Star State — distilling bold, Texas-sized whiskeys and craft spirits from the still up.
Founders of The Highway
Founders
Shadow Ridge Spirits Company & Distillery
Victorville, CA·Est. 2020
A California high-desert distillery crafting bold, small-batch spirits inspired by the rugged landscape and resilient spirit of the Inland Empire.
Founders of Shadow Ridge
Founders
This Life is Forever Distillery
Pennsylvania·Est. 2021
A Pennsylvania distillery with a name that says it all — crafting spirits that celebrate life, legacy, and the enduring spirit of Black entrepreneurship in America.
Founders of This Life is Forever
Founders
Know a distillery we're missing?
The trail is always growing. If you know of a Black-owned distillery that should be here, let us know. Make sure they have a Still!
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