Black Owned Distillery Guide

Black-owned distilleries remain rare in the United States—not from lack of talent or interest, but because distilling is among the most capital-intensive and heavily regulated industries in the country. Building and operating a distillery requires significant investment in equipment, real estate, licensing, and years of production before spirits are ready for sale.

Despite these barriers, Black Americans have played a foundational role in American distilling from its earliest days. Enslaved African Americans operated some of the country's first large-scale distilleries, including George Washington's at Mount Vernon. Outside plantation distilling, figures like Bertie "Birdie" Brown built independent traditions during Prohibition. In the modern era, this history is becoming visible through ownership—from Brough Brothers in Kentucky to Du Nord Social Spirits in Minneapolis, Black entrepreneurs are reclaiming space in an industry they helped build.

This directory focuses on Black-owned distilleries with on-site production to make them easier to discover, support, and visit. It exists to provide clarity, historical context, and accurate information in an industry where regulation, cost, and legacy have long shaped who gets to own the stills.