State Line Distillery

What State Line Distillery does

State Line Distillery is a craft grain-to-glass distillery headquartered at 1413 Northern Court in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 2012 by John Mleziva while he was completing a Masters of Science in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. The company sources organic grains from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, locally roasted coffee from Kin-Kin Coffee, and regionally foraged botanicals, and performs all mashing, fermenting, and distilling onsite using a German still installed in the 2016-built $1.2 million facility. Its portfolio spans three collections: Signature Spirits (Coffee Liqueur, American Gin, London Dry Gin, Vodka, Rum, Apertivo, American Single Malt Whiskey), Bar Series lounge exclusives (Navy Strength Gin, Smoked Tea Gin, Navy Strength Rum, Apple Brandy, Nocino, Aquavit), and the Whiskey Collection (Bourbon and Rye, each aged over five years in new American oak).

Revenue is generated primarily through on-premise sales at the State Line cocktail lounge and attached retail shop, plus private event bookings, with most bottles sold in-person rather than online. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and Madison-centric, supplemented by earned media (VinePair 2024 endorsement of the Vodka, San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold and Best of Class for the Coffee Liqueur in 2023-2025 and 2025 Platinum Status) and a flagship ownership relationship with former NFL quarterback Drew Brees. The team is small (1-10 employees) and founder-led, with no institutional venture or private equity capital evidenced; external funding to date totals roughly $62.5K across two small 2016/2018 rounds.

The business model is intentionally local and vertically integrated: the lounge drives bottle sales and cocktail revenue simultaneously, the Bar Series creates scarcity that pulls foot traffic, and the aged whiskey program builds a future higher-margin revenue layer constrained by a multi-year inventory cycle. Key risks include single-location geographic concentration, dependency on lounge traffic and event cycles, limited online distribution, and the long cash-conversion cycle inherent to aged whiskey, offset by strong third-party quality validation and a celebrity-backed brand.

Name

State Line Distillery

Legal name

State Line Distillery

Website

https://statelinedistillery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

State Line Distillery is a Madison, Wisconsin craft distillery that produces grain-to-glass spirits (Coffee Liqueur, gins, vodka, rum, whiskey, apertivo) using organic Driftless Region grains and sells them primarily through its on-site cocktail lounge and retail shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Craft distillery spirits
• Grain-to-glass whiskey
• Organic vodka gin
• Coffee liqueur
• Cocktail lounge

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Spirits Sales: Sale of bottled spirits including whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, aquavit, and coffee liqueur through the on-site lounge retail shop.
2. Cocktail Lounge: On-site cocktail service with prepared drinks served at the cocktail lounge, generating revenue from beverage sales.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

State Line Distillery is a grain-to-glass craft distillery based in Madison, Wisconsin that produces a portfolio of spirits — including whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, aquavit, and coffee liqueur — from organic grains sourced from Wisconsin's Driftless Region. The distillery mashes, ferments, and distills every spirit onsite, and operates an on-site cocktail lounge and bottle shop that sells its spirits directly to consumers. It also offers private event space rentals for celebrations and gatherings.

Product overview

State Line Distillery is a grain-to-glass craft distillery based in Madison, Wisconsin, producing a portfolio of spirits organized into three collections: Signature Spirits (core products including Coffee Liqueur, American Gin, London Dry Gin, Vodka, Rum, Apertivo, and American Single Malt Whiskey), Bar Series (limited small-batch spirits available only in the lounge including Navy Strength Gin, Smoked Tea Gin, Navy Strength Rum, Apple Brandy, Nocino, and Aquavit), and Whiskey Collection (aged whiskeys including Bourbon Whiskey and Rye Whiskey aged over 5 years). The distillery also operates an on-site cocktail lounge and offers private event hosting. The company uses organic grains from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, locally roasted coffee from Kin-Kin Coffee, and locally foraged botanicals in its production. Their award-winning Coffee Liqueur has won multiple Double Gold and Best of Class awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2023-2025).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coffee Liqueur Award-winning coffee liqueur made with locally roasted Kin-Kin Coffee, organic grains from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, and pure cane sugar. Crowned 'Best in the World' multiple years at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition with Double Gold and Best of Class wins (2023-2025).
• American Gin Craft gin made from organic grains from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, featuring a citrus and juniper forward flavor profile.
• London Dry Gin Traditional London Dry Gin style spirit produced via the distillery's grain-to-glass process.
• Navy Strength Gin Classic London Dry gin proofed up to Navy Strength, providing a more intense citrus and juniper forward flavor profile for classic gin cocktails.
• Smoked Tea Gin American Gin infused with Lapsang Souchong and Golden Yunnan tea, featuring bold smoky notes balanced by tannins and sage-forward gin characteristics.
• Vodka Vodka distilled from Wisconsin wheat and barley from the Driftless region, smooth and clean with vanilla and caramel notes. Recognized by VinePair as one of the best vodkas for bartenders for cocktails.
• Rum Rum using a blend of dark and light molasses paired with house dunder. Lightly aged in used barrels with notes of toasted coconut and vanilla on the nose, finishing dry.
• Navy Strength Rum Higher proof blend of aged and unaged spirit with notes of caramel, fruit, and funk. Crafted with Wisconsin care and American-sourced molasses.
• American Single Malt Whiskey Single malt whiskey crafted from organic grains from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, produced via grain-to-glass distillation.
• Bourbon Whiskey Bourbon crafted using grains grown in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin, aged over 5 years in new 53-gallon American Oak barrels.
• Rye Whiskey Blend of barley and River Valley Rye, a heritage grain from Wisconsin's Driftless Region, aged in new 53-gallon American Oak barrels over 5 years. Non-chill filtered.
• Apple Brandy Driftless Region apple juice sourced from Restoration Cider, fermented, distilled and aged in used bourbon barrels for 6 years.
• Nocino Traditional Italian liqueur crafted by steeping locally foraged green walnuts in State Line's base spirit, yielding a light body with deep, rich earthy and nutty flavors.
• Aquavit Modern take on the centuries-old Scandinavian staple, pot-distilled and aged in used whiskey barrels, with strong caraway and star anise notes.
• Apertivo Italian-style aperitif bitter liqueur featured in classic cocktails like the Sprezzatura Forte.
• Cocktail Lounge On-site cocktail lounge offering original and classic cocktails using State Line spirits, with lounge hours Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 3pm-12am, Sun 3pm-9pm.
• Private Events Private event space rental for celebrations and gatherings held at the distillery.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Artisan Grain CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Line is a member of the Artisan Grain Collaborative, a partnership that supports sustainable grain farming and local food systems. This collaboration keeps them rooted in their community, strengthens their commitment to local sourcing, and ensures every bottle reflects the care and craft of local farmers.
• Kin-Kin CoffeecoreOthersLocal coffee roaster supplying custom Columbian Coffee for cold brew and the Coffee Liqueur. Roasted specifically for State Line Distillery in Madison, WI.
• Restoration CiderminorOthersSupplier of apple juice from the Driftless Region for the Apple Brandy production, fermented, distilled and aged at State Line.
• WollersheimminorOthersWisconsin distillery whose Two Mile Bourbon is used in the Manhattan Morning cocktail recipe.
• Door Creek OrchardminorOthersLocal orchard supplying apple cider and cider syrup used in the Forty Year Spritz cocktail.
• Wisco Ice Co.minorOthersLocal ice supplier providing crystal-clear ice and Wisco Ice Co. cubes for cocktails.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Koval Distillery: Grain-to-glass craft distillery in Chicago producing whiskey, gin, and liqueurs with an on-site tasting room and retail shop. Closest comparable in scale, craft positioning, and DTC model.
• FEW Spirits: Evanston, IL craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and bourbon with an on-site tasting room and bar. Directly comparable Midwest craft distillery with tasting room-led DTC and multi-spirit portfolio.
• Journeyman Distillery: Michigan craft distillery with full restaurant/bar, event space, and on-site tasting room. Comparable business model combining grain-to-glass production with a hospitality-anchored DTC experience.
• Tattersall Distilling: Minneapolis craft distillery producing gin, vodka, whiskey, and liqueurs with a cocktail room. Comparable Midwest craft distillery operating a cocktail lounge as its primary DTC channel.
• Death's Door Spirits: Wisconsin-based craft distillery producing vodka, gin, and whiskey with Wisconsin grain sourcing. Most direct geographic and operational peer given shared Wisconsin terroir sourcing narrative.
• Central Standard Distillery: Milwaukee-based craft distillery with a tasting room producing whiskey, gin, and other spirits. Closely comparable Wisconsin craft distillery competing in the same regional market.
• Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery: Louisville craft distillery focused on brandy and bourbon with a rooftop bar and on-site hospitality. Comparable craft distillery model with a strong bar/lounge DTC component.
• Wollersheim Winery & Distillery: Wisconsin winery and distillery with tasting room and retail shop. Regional Wisconsin peer already referenced as a partner, with a comparable DTC-led craft spirits model.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon and rye with a tasting room. Comparable craft distillery model with award-winning aged whiskey focus.

Broad incumbents

• New Holland Brewing & Distilling: Larger Michigan-based brewery and distillery with broader spirits portfolio and multi-state distribution. A scaled craft competitor that demonstrates the operating model State Line could grow into.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sldistillery
• Instagraminstagram.com/statelinedistillery
• Pinterestin.pinterest.com/statelinedistillery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/statelinedistillery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 State Line Distillery