Dark Door Spirits
Dark Door Spirits is a Tampa, Florida grain-to-glass craft distillery (founded 2016) producing vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, rye, and liqueurs, including brewery collaboration spirits, distributed via DTC e-commerce (39 states), Total Wine, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, and Florida independents for craft spirit enthusiasts, retail accounts, and B2B gifting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersTampa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dark Door Spirits does
Dark Door Spirits is a privately held, grain-to-glass craft distillery based in Tampa, Florida, founded in 2016 by Matthew Allen and Brandon Marshall under the original Cerberus Craft Distillery entity. The company operates end-to-end production in-house, including distillation, bottling, and labeling, with capabilities spanning barrel aging in new oak (bourbon, whiskey, barreled gin), a two-week botanical maceration process for gin, a solera barrel system that yields unique limited pulls, and a hand-smoked rum process. Its portfolio of roughly 18 SKUs covers vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, rye, and liqueurs, including a distinctive line of co-developed collaboration spirits produced with Tampa Bay breweries such as Bay Cannon Beer Company, Motorworks Brewing, Green Bench Brewing, Whiskey Culture, and Buddy Brew Coffee.
The business monetizes through five primary revenue streams: on-site bottle sales and cocktails at the Tampa distillery, direct e-commerce shipping to 39 U.S. states, wholesale distribution through Total Wine (all locations), ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, and 15+ independent Florida liquor stores, third-party online craft spirit retailers (Spirit Hub, Great American Craft Spirits), distillery tours and classes, and corporate gift packages. GTM motion combines direct-to-consumer (distillery experience, e-commerce), event-driven (Tampa festivals and bar placements), and channel-partner distribution, with marketing centered on social media, recipe content, Google reviews, and community engagement.
The company serves three primary customer segments: craft spirit enthusiasts seeking innovative flavors (primary persona), wholesale retail and on-premise accounts across Florida (primary business segment), and corporate/B2B buyers purchasing gift packages. A password-protected 'Invest with Us' page signals openness to outside capital, but no completed funding rounds, revenue figures, or institutional investors are disclosed.
Dark Door Spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dark Door Spirits
- Legal name
- Dark Door Spirits
- Website
- https://darkdoorspirits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dark Door Spirits is a Tampa, Florida grain-to-glass craft distillery (founded 2016) producing vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, rye, and liqueurs, including brewery collaboration spirits, distributed via DTC e-commerce (39 states), Total Wine, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, and Florida independents for craft spirit enthusiasts, retail accounts, and B2B gifting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dark Door Spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)
Keywords
Where Dark Door Spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tampa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dark Door Spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Bottle Sales (On-site and Online): Direct bottle sales to consumers through on-site distillery purchases and online store shipping to 39 states. One-time purchase model for individual bottles.
- Cocktail Sales: On-site cocktail sales at the distillery location for immediate consumption.
- Wholesale Distribution: Products sold through third-party retailers including Total Wine, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, and independent liquor stores throughout Florida and select states.
- Distillery Tours and Classes: Revenue from tour bookings and educational classes at the Tampa distillery location.
- Corporate Gift Packages: B2B corporate gifting packages for business clients.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Dark Door Spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dark Door Spirits is a grain-to-glass craft distillery in Tampa, Florida that produces handcrafted vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, rye, whiskey, amaro, and coffee liqueur, including collaborative spirits distilled from local Tampa breweries. The company also operates on-site tastings, cocktails, distillery tours, classes, and corporate gift packages, and sells bottles via their own e-commerce site and retail/wholesale partners.
Product overview
Dark Door Spirits is a grain-to-glass craft distillery in Tampa, Florida offering a portfolio of handcrafted spirits across multiple categories: Vodka (Pandemic At The Disco), Gin (Demeter, Spirit of Prohibition, Barreled Spirit of Prohibition), Rum (Smoked Rum), Bourbon (Spirit of The Oak, World's Best Dad, Shareholder's Barrel, Whiskey Culture Brown Butter), Rye (Spirit of The Harvest, Lost Cause), and Liqueurs (Amaro Tropicale, Ibisco Bitter, Old Floridian Coffee Liqueur). The company specializes in unique collaboration spirits made with local Tampa breweries including Spirit of IPA, Up In Smoke, Eye of Midnight, Spirit of Friction, and Xander Gin. They operate a distillery offering tours, classes, cocktails, and corporate gift packages, with products available online and at retailers including Total Wine and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pandemic At The Disco Vodka (Essential Vodka) Handcrafted vodka with crisp clean notes of citrus peel, lemongrass, and grain, dedicated to 2020; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Demeter Gin Artfully blended gin featuring citrus, spice, roots, and berries, inspired by the goddess of the fertile earth and harvest; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Spirit of Prohibition Gin Gin featuring lavender aroma, fresh citrus taste, and classic juniper finish, with botanicals soaking for two weeks to create a honey color; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Barreled Spirit of Prohibition Gin Oak-aged version of Spirit of Prohibition featuring lavender and smoke aromas, fresh citrus taste, sweet vanilla, and classic juniper finish; botanicals soak for two weeks then age in a new oak barrel for two months; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Xander Gin Collaboration gin with Bay Cannon Beer Company distilled from their Xander IPA, featuring bitter hops, dry juniper, bright grapefruit, and herbal lemongrass; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Smoked Rum Hand-smoked rum offering a distinct balance of burnt cherries and sweet molasses; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Spirit of The Oak Bourbon New American bourbon-style spirit with a rich complex nose of vanilla, molasses and toffee, pleasantly sweet with hints of brown sugar, dark fruit, and cinnamon; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- World's Best Dad Bourbon Father's Day limited pull from the Shareholder's Solera Barrel featuring notes of burnt cherry, caramel, orange candy, black pepper, and pumpernickel; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Shareholder's Barrel Bourbon Special barrel select from the Shareholder's Solera Barrel featuring heavy spice and smoke, toasted pepper, burnt caramel, tobacco, and orange candy notes; each pull is unique due to the solera system; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Whiskey Culture Brown Butter Bourbon Collaboration bourbon with Whiskey Culture aged in an old Buffalo Trace barrel, featuring vanilla and caramel notes reminiscent of sweet brown butter; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Spirit of IPA India Pale Ale specialty spirit with full hop notes up front, hints of vanilla, and sweet dried fruit characteristic of classic corn whiskey; the company's first product, launched summer 2016; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Up In Smoke Collaboration whiskey with Green Bench Brewing distilled from their beachwood smoked single malt lager, with smoky notes mixing with malt and burnt oak reminiscent of scotch; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Eye of Midnight Collaboration whiskey with Motorworks Brewing distilled from their Midnight Espresso porter, featuring smoky notes of cacao and black cherry; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Spirit of Friction Collaboration whiskey with Motorworks Brewing distilled from their Pulp Friction Grapefruit IPA, with bright citrus, oaky vanilla, and bitter hops finish; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Spirit of The Harvest Rye Classic Pennsylvania style rye whiskey with heavy spice nose of clove, black pepper, and allspice with hints of citrus peel, featuring cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, and cocoa notes; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Lost Cause Rye Blend Double rye blend with deep spiced notes of pumpernickel, burnt cherry, black pepper, tobacco, and smoke; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Amaro Tropicale Bittersweet liqueur homage to tiki bars featuring coconut, pineapple, and allspice flavors; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Ibisco Bitter Florida-themed amaro liqueur with hibiscus-forward flavors, citrus, and Florida strawberries; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Old Floridian Coffee Liqueur Coffee liqueur created with Buddy Brew featuring Papua New Guinea coffee beans, clove, orange, and grapefruit with bright acidic notes and fragrant spice; sold to individual spirit consumers.
- Distillery Tours and Classes Guided tours and educational classes at the Tampa distillery, allowing visitors to learn about the grain-to-glass production process and taste the company's spirits; offered to individuals and groups visiting the distillery.
- Corporate Gift Packages Curated bottled-spirit gift packages assembled for business customers for corporate gifting, client appreciation, employee recognition, and corporate events; distinct B2B offering alongside consumer sales.
Companies that use Dark Door Spirits
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Dark Door Spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Dark Door Spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bay Cannon Beer CompanycoreCollaboration with Bay Cannon Beer Company to create Xander Gin, distilled from their Xander IPA. Features notes of bitter hops, dry juniper, bright grapefruit, and herbal lemongrass.
- Motorworks BrewingcoreCollaboration with Motorworks Brewing in Bradenton, FL to create Spirit of Friction (distilled from Pulp Friction Grapefruit IPA) with notes of bright citrus, oaky vanilla, and bitter hops; and Eye of Midnight (distilled from Midnight Espresso Porter) with smoky cacao and black cherry notes.
- Green Bench BrewingcoreCollaboration with Green Bench Brewing to create Up In Smoke whiskey, distilled from their beachwood smoked single malt lager with smoky notes that may remind one of scotch.
- Whiskey CultureminorCollaboration to create Whiskey Culture Brown Butter Bourbon, aged in an old Buffalo Trace barrel with vanilla and caramel notes.
- Buddy Brew CoffeecoreCollaboration with Buddy Brew to create Old Floridian Coffee Liqueur using Papua New Guinea coffee beans, clove, orange, and grapefruit for a balance of bright acidic notes and fragrant spice.
- Total WinecoreMajor retail chain distributing Dark Door Spirits products at all Total Wine locations nationwide.
- ABC Fine Wine & SpiritscoreFlorida-based wine and spirits retailer distributing Dark Door Spirits products.
- Spirit HubminorOnline retailer selling Dark Door Spirits bottles to consumers in states where direct shipping is not available.
- Great American Craft SpiritsminorOnline craft spirits retailer selling Dark Door Spirits products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dark Door Spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Balcones Distilling: Texas craft distillery with award-winning whiskey, gin, vodka, and liqueur portfolio. Comparable craft positioning, multi-category portfolio, and tasting room operations.
- New Holland Brewing: Michigan craft brewery-distillery hybrid producing spirits and beer with collaborative and experimental product lines. Comparable hybrid craft producer model with multi-category spirits portfolio.
- Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery: Louisville craft distillery producing brandy, whiskey, gin, and absinthe with on-site cocktail bar and tours. Similar craft experimentation ethos and urban tasting-room model.
- Catoctin Creek Distilling Company: Virginia craft distillery producing rye whiskey, gin, brandy, and other spirits. Similar size, experimental product approach, and DTC + regional wholesale distribution.
- FEW Spirits: Illinois-based craft distillery producing gin, whiskey, vodka, and bourbon with on-site tasting room. Similar size and direct-to-consumer + wholesale distribution strategy.
- Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery specializing in bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka with tasting room and nationwide distribution. Comparable craft spirits portfolio and channel mix.
- Koval Distillery: Chicago craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, liqueurs, and specialty spirits with on-site tasting room. Comparable grain-to-grain craft approach and product breadth.
- St. Augustine Distillery: Florida-based craft grain-to-glass distillery producing vodka, gin, bourbon, and rum with on-site tours and tastings. Closest geographic and operating-model peer to Dark Door Spirits.
Broad incumbents
- Beam Suntory (Maker's Mark): Global spirits major with bourbon/rye brands including Maker's Mark. Sets the competitive price, distribution, and shelf-share benchmark that craft distillers like Dark Door must compete against.
- Tito's Handmade Vodka: Texas-based craft-style vodka producer that scaled to national leadership through broad distribution. Represents the scaled craft-adjacent incumbent benchmark.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dark Door Spirits social profiles
Digital presenceDark Door Spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dark Door Spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Dark Door Spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dark Door Spirits M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dark Door Spirits
What does Dark Door Spirits do?
Dark Door Spirits is a grain-to-glass craft distillery in Tampa, Florida that produces handcrafted vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, rye, whiskey, amaro, and coffee liqueur, including collaborative spirits distilled from local Tampa breweries. The company also operates on-site tastings, cocktails, distillery tours, classes, and corporate gift packages, and sells bottles via their own e-commerce site and retail/wholesale partners.
Is Dark Door Spirits a public or private company?
Dark Door Spirits is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dark Door Spirits founded?
Dark Door Spirits was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dark Door Spirits based?
Dark Door Spirits is headquartered in Tampa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dark Door Spirits make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Bottle Sales (On-site and Online) is the primary driver. The others are cocktail Sales, wholesale Distribution, distillery Tours and Classes and corporate Gift Packages.
Who are Dark Door Spirits's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Balcones Distilling, New Holland Brewing, Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, FEW Spirits, Smooth Ambler Spirits, Koval Distillery and St. Augustine Distillery. Broad incumbents are Beam Suntory (Maker's Mark) and Tito's Handmade Vodka.
Does Dark Door Spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dark Door Spirits.
What industry is Dark Door Spirits in?
Dark Door Spirits's product category is Craft Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAG, Distilleries (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.