Brother Justus Whiskey

What Brother Justus Whiskey does

Brother Justus Whiskey Company is a Minneapolis-based craft distillery founded in 2014 by Phil Steger, producing American Single Malt Whiskey (re-categorized to American Whiskey in April 2026 following a regulatory ruling) from 100% Minnesota-sourced ingredients — malted barley from the Great Plains, water from the Mississippi headwaters, Minnesota white oak barrels, and peat from ancient Boreal Forest bogs. The core technical differentiator is the patent-pending Cold-Peated® process (Aitkin County Process), which captures peat essence without combustion, distinguishing the product from traditional Scottish peated Scotch. The product portfolio spans core whiskey expressions (American Whiskey, Cold-Peated®, Silver Whiskey), an annual Founder's Reserve limited-release series, and seven liqueurs including Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur (co-developed with The Get Down Coffee Co.), Assenzio, Primo Aperitivo, and several honey- and herb-infused whiskeys.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model: direct-to-consumer sales at the Northeast Minneapolis distillery bottle shop and through an e-commerce store shipping to 40 states, plus wholesale distribution across 250+ retailers in Minnesota and Illinois (including Lunds & Byerly's, Surdyk's, France 44, Binny's Beverage Depot, and South Lyndale Liquors). Ancillary revenue comes from ticketed distillery tours ($15-$20 per person), a premium Master Blender experience, and event venue rentals (The Lounge, The Chapter Room, The Patio) for weddings and corporate functions. Leadership comprises Founder Phil Steger, Master Blender James Jefferson, and Chief Growth Officer George Simpson (appointed February 2026). The company has raised approximately $16.6 million across three disclosed exempt offerings (2020, 2021, 2025) and holds multiple industry awards including Fred Minnick's 2025 #4 ranking for Founder's Reserve 2025, ASCOT Platinum, SIP Innovation and Double Gold medals, and recognition as Minnesota Distillery of the Year. As of late 2025 the company paused its Cocktail Room operations to refocus on production and distribution while continuing bottle sales and multi-state retail presence.

Name

Brother Justus Whiskey

Legal name

Brother Justus Whiskey Company

Website

https://brotherjustus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brother Justus Whiskey Company is a Minneapolis craft distillery founded in 2014 that produces American Single Malt Whiskey and liqueurs using 100% Minnesota-sourced ingredients and a proprietary cold-peating process, selling through 250+ retailers in MN/IL, an e-commerce store shipping to 40 states, and on-site tastings and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Whiskey & Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)

Keywords

• Craft whiskey production
• Single malt distillery
• Spirits manufacturing
• Liqueur production
• Distillery tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Whiskey Product Sales: Direct sales of American Single Malt Whiskey, Cold-Peated Whiskey, Silver Whiskey, and limited editions including Founder's Reserve releases. Products sold in 750ml and 375ml bottles through distillery bottle shop, online store, and retail partners across Minnesota and Illinois.
2. Liqueur Sales: Sales of craft liqueurs including Assenzio Vermouth-Style, Primo Aperitivo, Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur, Cinnamon Whiskey Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Meadow Herb Whiskey Liqueur, and Northland Honey Whiskey Liqueur. Many available exclusively at the distillery bottle shop.
3. Event Rentals and Venue Hire: Revenue from renting distillery event spaces including The Lounge, The Chapter Room, and The Patio for weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Includes beverage minimums and rental fees.
4. Distillery Tours and Tastings: Paid tours ($15 per person) and guided whiskey tastings ($20 per person) at the Minneapolis distillery, plus Master Blender premium tours. Tours include discounts on bottle purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brother Justus Whiskey Company is a Minneapolis-based craft distillery that handcrafts American Single Malt Whiskey variants (including Cold-Peated® Whiskey, Silver Whiskey, and limited Founder's Reserve releases) and a portfolio of craft liqueurs using 100% Minnesota-sourced ingredients (barley from the Great Plains, water from the Mississippi headwaters, white oak barrels, and peat from Boreal Forest bogs). Products are sold via the distillery bottle shop, e-commerce shipping to 40 states, and 250+ retail partners across Minnesota and Illinois, complemented by distillery tours, tastings, and event venue rentals.

Product overview

Brother Justus Whiskey Company is a Minneapolis-based craft distillery offering a portfolio of American Single Malt Whiskeys and luxury liqueurs. The core whiskey lineup includes American Single Malt Whiskey (43% ABV), Cold-Peated® Whiskey (patent-pending peat process), and Silver Whiskey (unaged), supplemented by limited releases including the Founder's Reserve annual series, Single Barrel Select, Brigid's First Batch, SMarch Select, and Distiller's Select. The liqueur portfolio features Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur (collaboration with The Get Down Coffee Co.), Cinnamon Whiskey Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Assenzio Vermouth-Style Liqueur, Primo Aperitivo Liqueur, Northland Honey Whiskey Liqueur, and Meadow Herb Whiskey Liqueur. The company also offers experiential services including distillery tours, Master Blender's tours, guided tastings, and event venue rentals at its Northeast Minneapolis location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Cashmere: Coffee Liqueur developed in collaboration with The Get Down Coffee Co., featuring notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, and candied fruit. 22% ABV.
• Cinnamon Whiskey Liqueur
• Orange Liqueur
• Northland Honey Whiskey Liqueur
• Meadow Herb Whiskey Liqueur
• Assenzio
• Primo Aperitivo
• Cold-Peated®
• Founder's Reserve

Products and services

• American Single Malt Whiskey (American Whiskey) Flagship whiskey distilled from 100% malted barley, aged in charred Minnesota white oak casks at 43% ABV (86 proof). Marries Scottish single malt tradition with American Bourbon barrel-aging, marketed as approachable yet complex.
• Cold-Peated® Whiskey A patent-pending whiskey using the Aitkin County Process® that captures peat essence without combustion, creating distinctive smoky flavors unique to American whiskey and recognized by HICONSUMPTION as one of the world's best peated whiskies.
• Silver Whiskey

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Get Down Coffee Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur. The Get Down Coffee Co. sources and roasts Grade 1 coffee beans locally in Minnesota. This collaboration combines locally-produced Brother Justus spirits with artisan coffee to create the Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur product.
• BrasaminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery events. Licensed caterer available for food service at private events.
• ChowgirlsminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery events with disability-inclusive service standards.
• CRAVE CateringminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• D'AmicominorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• Food GalleryminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• Lunds & Byerly'sminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• NixtaminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• Redhen GastroLabminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• Surdyk'sminorOthersApproved catering partner for distillery event venue.
• WeCominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccessibility consulting firm founded and operated by people with disabilities. Consulted on distillery space design to ensure full accessibility for guests with various disabilities.
• International CigarsminorOthersPreferred vendor for cigar rolling services at events.
• Thumbs CookiesminorOthersPreferred vendor for cookie catering from Kirby the Cookie Mobile or Carty Bee the Cookie Cart.
• AccelPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner for online orders. AccelPay fulfills shipping orders and handles customer payment processing for brotherjustus.com online purchases. Customers contact AccelPay Support for order inquiries and shipping issues.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Corsair Distillery: Nashville-based craft distillery known for innovative whiskey and gin expressions, including experimental grain bills and unique cask finishes. Comparable on innovation-driven craft positioning and small-batch scale.
• New Riff Distilling: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey with a similar portfolio diversification strategy. Comparable on craft scale, awards profile, and tour/visitor experience focus.
• Smooth Ambler: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and American whiskey, with strong reputation in the premium craft segment. Comparable on small-batch craft positioning and mid-tier craft distillery scale.
• Balcones Distilling: Texas craft distillery known for innovative American whiskey and grain-forward expressions, with multiple product lines and a comparable awards profile. Operates at a similar premium craft scale with strong regional identity.
• Westland Distillery: Seattle-based craft distillery focused on American Single Malt whiskey — the most direct comparable to Brother Justus in category, scale, and provenance-driven storytelling. Also owned by a larger spirits group (Remy Cointreau) which gives a reference point for acquisition/exit comparables.
• Copperworks Distilling: Seattle craft distillery producing American Single Malt whiskey and gin from malted barley, with a comparable craft/micro-batch approach and emphasis on quality awards. Closely aligned on product category and scale.
• FEW Spirits: Evanston, Illinois-based craft distillery producing whiskey and gin with comparable craft premium positioning. Direct Midwestern peer with overlapping retail channels (Illinois) and similar craft-distillery scale.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and malt whiskeys with significant awards recognition. Comparable on craft scale, single-barrel/premium positioning, and capacity expansion trajectory.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery producing whiskey and liqueurs from organic grains — directly comparable on craft whiskey-plus-liqueur portfolio strategy and Midwestern regional positioning.
• Stranahan's: Colorado craft whiskey distillery with single-barrel, small-batch positioning similar to Brother Justus's limited releases. Comparable in scale, craft premium positioning, and single-site production model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/justuswhiskey
• Xx.com/JustusWhiskey
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brother-justus-whiskey-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brother Justus Whiskey