Yahara Bay Distillers
Yahara Bay Distillers is a family-owned craft distillery in Fitchburg, Wisconsin producing 40+ spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon, rum, brandy, liqueurs) for retail, wholesale distribution across 20 states, contract production for partner brands, and on-site tasting room and event space.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Yahara Bay Distillers does
Yahara Bay Distillers is a family-owned craft distillery founded in 2007 by Nick Quint in Madison, Wisconsin, operating from a 20,000 square foot facility in Fitchburg, WI. The company produces over 40 different spirits across vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon, rum, brandy, apple brandy, and liqueur categories, with core technology anchored by a 90-gallon copper pot still ('Carl', assembled in Germany) used for a proprietary vapor-infusion botanical process that produces its Extra Dry Gin with six botanicals (cucumber, citrus, coriander, fennel, anise, juniper berries). Production emphasizes local Wisconsin sourcing, including Honeycrisp apples from Kickapoo Orchard, Montmorency tart cherries from Door County, and craft coffee from Madison roasters, with no artificial flavorings or additives used in any product.
The business operates four distinct revenue streams: direct-to-consumer spirits retail (a Shopify storefront plus on-site retail store, though it cannot ship directly to consumers due to alcohol shipping restrictions), wholesale distribution through a network of 20+ distributors across 20 states and Puerto Rico, contract distilling and brand development services for 12+ partner brands (including Black Dot Spirits, The Cider Farm, Rokker Vodka, Wheelhouse Whiskey, Domeloz, Mary's Hot Bottom, and Vom Fass U.S.A.), and on-site hospitality revenue from a tasting room, cocktail lounge (open Thursday through Saturday), event space for up to 150 guests, and an art gallery operated by co-founder Catherine Quint. Yahara Bay also holds exclusive U.S. import bottling rights for Vom Fass Franchises, anchoring what the company describes as one of the largest import bottling businesses in the Midwest.
Retail bottle pricing spans $19.99 (Just Vodka 1L) to $58 (Domeloz Somel Royal Reserve Purple Label), with award recognition including a BTI silver medal for Yahara Bay Vodka. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment or parent entity, and leadership is concentrated within the founding Quint family — founder/owner Nick Quint, co-owner Catherine Quint (who runs the art gallery), head distiller Lars Forde (Nick's stepson), and distillers Chris Kubale and Nathan Rivard. Distribution outside Wisconsin relies on regional wholesalers, and there is no direct e-commerce shipping capability, which structurally caps DTC reach.
Yahara Bay Distillers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yahara Bay Distillers
- Legal name
- Yahara Bay Distillers
- Website
- https://yaharabay.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Yahara Bay Distillers is a family-owned craft distillery in Fitchburg, Wisconsin producing 40+ spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon, rum, brandy, liqueurs) for retail, wholesale distribution across 20 states, contract production for partner brands, and on-site tasting room and event space.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yahara Bay Distillers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)
Keywords
Where Yahara Bay Distillers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Yahara Bay Distillers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Spirits Retail Sales: Direct retail sales of over 40 different spirits products including vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon, rum, brandy, apple brandy, and liqueurs. Products sold in 375mL, 750mL, and 1L bottles at price points ranging from $19.99 to $58.
- Tasting Room and Cocktail Bar: On-site tasting room and cocktail lounge serving curated cocktails made with Yahara Bay spirits. Retail store and cocktail bar open Thursday 4pm-8pm, Friday 5pm-close, Saturday 5pm-close.
- Contract Distilling Services: Contract production services for external brands. Yahara Bay provides distillation, aging, and bottling services for partner brands including Black Dot Spirits, The Cider Farm, Mary's Hot Bottom, Domeloz, Rokker Vodka, Wheelhouse, Vom Fass U.S.A., and others.
- Event Space Rental: Private event space booking for up to 150 people featuring lounge seating, banquet tables, HD audio/visual equipment, and custom cocktail packages including ultra premium spirits from around the world.
- Import Bottling Services: Yahara Bay is the exclusive importer for U.S. Vom Fass Franchises, importing bulk spirits from all over the world.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | YB Whiskey 750mL - $43.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 4 Year YB Bourbon 750mL - Premium tier |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Extra Dry Gin 750mL - $36.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Rum 750mL - $40.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Yahara Bay Vodka 750mL - $32.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Just Vodka 1L - $19.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wicked Stuff Pepper Vodka 750mL - $30.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apple Brandy 750mL - $39.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Domeloz Honey Spirit 375mL - $29.00, 750mL - $41.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Domeloz Somel Royal Reserve Purple Label 750mL - $58.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lemoncella 375mL - Premium liqueur |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lavender Liqueur 375mL - $20.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wis-Kee Liqueur 375mL - Specialty liqueur |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Charred Oak Bourbon 750mL - $32.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Charred Oak Rye 750mL - $34.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3rd Gear Old Fashioned varieties 750mL - $24.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apple Peach Liqueur - Specialty liqueur |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Holz's Apple Crisp 1L - $23.00 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Yahara Bay Distillers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yahara Bay Distillers is Madison's first craft distillery (the second in Wisconsin), founded in 2007, producing and selling over 40 different spirits including whiskey, bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, brandy, apple brandy, honey spirit, and liqueurs. The company also offers contract distilling and brand development services for external spirit brands, operates a tasting room and cocktail lounge, and rents private event space at its 20,000 square foot Fitchburg, WI facility. Products use locally sourced Wisconsin ingredients such as Honeycrisp apples, Door County cherries, sorghum, and Wisconsin corn, and are made without artificial flavorings or additives.
Product overview
Yahara Bay Distillers is Madison's first craft distillery (founded 2007), producing over 40 different spirits across multiple categories. The product portfolio includes whiskey/bourbon offerings (YB Whiskey, 4 Year YB Bourbon, Charred Oak Bourbon, Charred Oak Rye, V Bourbon Whiskey); vodkas (Just Vodka, Yahara Bay Vodka, Wicked Stuff Pepper Vodka, Seraphine Chai Vodka); gins (Extra Dry Gin, Barrel Mellowed Gin, Black & Blue Berry Gin, Kubale-Rivard Graanjenever-Style Gin); Premium Rum; brandies (Apple Brandy, Kirschwasser Cherry Brandy, YB Brandy); ready-to-drink 3rd Gear old fashioneds; and liqueurs (Lavender Liqueur, Lemoncella, Wis-Kee Liqueur, Holz's Apple Crisp, Apple Peach Liqueur). The company also produces Domeloz, a unique honey spirit in a self-created category called 'Somel.' They offer contract distilling services and operate a tasting room, event space, and retail store in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Charred Oak Spirits: A trade name of Yahara Bay producing bourbon and rye whiskey, made from grains cultivated by local Wisconsin growers. OFF THE CLOCK SPIRITS is the trade name.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ different spirits produced
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Yahara Bay Distillers
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Yahara Bay Distillers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Yahara Bay Distillers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
38 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Badger LiquorcoreWisconsin-based distributor handling the Black Dot Brand. Primary distribution partner for Black Dot Spirits products.
- Beechwood SalescoreWisconsin-based distributor handling the Wandering Mind Brand. Primary distribution partner for Wandering Mind Spirits products.
- Frank LiquorcoreWisconsin-based distributor handling the Rokker Brand and Mary's Hot Bottom Brand. Primary distribution partner for these products.
- M Shiraz | Krush Wine and SpiritscoreWisconsin-based distributor handling the Yahara Bay Brand and PB&J Deli Brand.
- Swiss CellarsminorWisconsin-based distributor handling imports.
- MJ Sweiss LLCminorArizona-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Quality DistributorminorCalifornia-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Trotta WineminorFlorida-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Burke BeverageminorIllinois-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Wine O RamaminorIllinois-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Chas. Seligman Dist. Co.minorKentucky-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Johnson Bros. DistributingminorMinnesota-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Tradition WinesminorMinnesota-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Ionia Atlantic ImportsminorMissouri-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- The Italian VineminorMissouri-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Republic National Distributing Co.minorNebraska-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Pacific EdgeminorNevada-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Aleph Wines CorpminorSouth Carolina-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Wyoming Liquor DivisionminorWyoming-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- AM Group LLCminorPuerto Rico-based distributor for Yahara Bay products.
- Black Dot SpiritscoreGin and vodka brand. Collaboration between award-winning craft distillers using century-old recipes. Produced at Yahara Bay Distillery.
- The Cider FarmcoreApple brandy producer. Uses true cider apple varieties modeled after French Calvados AOC. Apple brandy aged 2 years in charred oak bourbon barrels at Yahara Bay Distillery.
- Mary's Hot BottomcoreChile-infused vodka brand inspired by New Mexico chiles. Fire roasted chiles combined with special spices, handcrafted and custom blended at Yahara Bay.
- Domeloz SpiritscoreHoney spirit (SOMEL) producer. Distilled from 100% honey, no grains or sugar sources. Maintains flavors unique to honey. Innovative category co-developed with Yahara Bay.
- Rokker VodkacoreCorn-based vodka made from 100% midwest corn. "Hearts" only production (heads and tails removed). Produced at Yahara Bay Distillery.
- Wheelhouse WhiskeycoreFour-grain whiskey (corn, wheat, barley, rye) associated with Madison recording artist group and touring band WheelHouse. Produced at Yahara Bay.
- Vom Fass U.S.A.coreYahara Bay is the exclusive importer for U.S. Vom Fass Franchises. Imports bulk spirits from all over the world and bottles at the facility.
- Dells DistilleryminorCountry-themed restaurant in Wisconsin Dells producing vodka, whiskey, brandy, and rum. Contract distilling relationship.
- Drumlin Ridge WineryminorFamily-owned boutique winery producing small lots of character crafted wine and hard cider. Contract production relationship.
- Spirits and SpiceminorSpecialty retail food franchise selling oils, vinegars and spirits. Import client relationship for custom spirit bottling.
- The McNess StoreminorSugar River Trading brand bringing back McNess products. Bottling relationship for specialty food products.
- Vintage Brewing Co.minorCraft beer brewery partnered with Yahara Bay to create Woodshed Whiskey. Co-branded product development.
- Wandering Mind SpiritsminorHibiscus liqueur producer founded by Justin BonDurant with 15+ years bar and restaurant industry experience. Contract production relationship.
- Charred Oak SpiritscoreBourbon and rye whiskey brand produced by OFF THE CLOCK SPIRITS (trade name of Yahara Bay). Sourced grains from local Wisconsin growers, blending Kentucky and Wisconsin bourbons.
- Kickapoo OrchardcoreSource of 100% Wisconsin apples for Apple Brandy and Apple Peach Liqueur products. Located in Gays Mills, WI.
- Door County Cherry GrowerscoreSource of 100% Montmorency tart cherries grown in Door County, WI for Kirschwasser Cherry Brandy and 3rd Gear Old Fashioned products.
- JBC Coffee RoastersminorMadison-based craft coffee roaster supplying coffee for coffee liqueur products.
- True CoffeeminorMadison-based craft coffee roaster supplying coffee for coffee liqueur products.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Yahara Bay Distillers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FEW Spirits: Evanston, Illinois craft distillery producing whiskey, gin and bourbon with awards and broader regional distribution. Comparable Midwest craft distillery with a similar premium small-batch positioning and tasting room experience.
- Great Lakes Distillery: Milwaukee-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, rum and aquavit with local Wisconsin sourcing. Closest geographic and category peer to Yahara Bay in the Wisconsin craft spirits space, with a comparable size and tasting room model.
- Death's Door Spirits: Wisconsin-based (Door County) craft distillery known for vodka, gin and whiskey using local grains. Comparable local-ingredient sourcing narrative and Wisconsin terroir positioning to Yahara Bay.
- Journeyman Distillery: Michigan craft distillery with an unusually large distillery, restaurant, event space and hotel complex. Closely comparable to Yahara Bay's 20,000 sq ft tasting-room-and-event-venue model, with broader spirits portfolio and contract capabilities.
- Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery known for broad SKU portfolio (whiskey, gin, brandy, liqueurs), organic certification and grain-to-bottle ethos. Directly comparable to Yahara Bay in multi-category craft spirits production with tasting room and contract capabilities.
- Central Standard Craft Distillery: Milwaukee-based craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, gin and vodka with on-site tasting room. Same Wisconsin/Midwest geography and similar craft spirits + on-site experience model as Yahara Bay.
Regional players
- Templeton Rye: Iowa-based craft rye whiskey brand with multi-state distribution and a premium positioning. Comparable to Yahara Bay as a Midwest craft distillery with aspirations to national distribution, though more focused on a single category.
Broad incumbents
- High West Distillery: Utah-based craft distillery that grew into a national whiskey brand (now owned by Constellation). Comparable as a craft distillery that scaled beyond a single state, illustrating the upside trajectory Yahara Bay could pursue through its 20-state distribution.
Emerging players
- Tuthilltown Spirits / Hudson Whiskey: New York craft distillery known for pioneering farm-distilled whiskey and brand sales to a larger company. Comparable as a craft distillery that successfully built a multi-category portfolio and contract/co-branded spirits, similar to Yahara Bay's Rokker, Black Dot and Wheelhouse partnerships.
Others
- Vom Fass: German-origin specialty retail and spirits brand that Yahara Bay exclusively imports and bottles for the U.S. market. Directly comparable as a partner and as an adjacent business model combining spirits with retail tasting experiences.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Yahara Bay Distillers social profiles
Digital presenceYahara Bay Distillers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yahara Bay Distillers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Yahara Bay Distillers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yahara Bay Distillers 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 Yahara Bay Distillers
What does Yahara Bay Distillers do?
Yahara Bay Distillers is Madison's first craft distillery (the second in Wisconsin), founded in 2007, producing and selling over 40 different spirits including whiskey, bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, brandy, apple brandy, honey spirit, and liqueurs. The company also offers contract distilling and brand development services for external spirit brands, operates a tasting room and cocktail lounge, and rents private event space at its 20,000 square foot Fitchburg, WI facility. Products use locally sourced Wisconsin ingredients such as Honeycrisp apples, Door County cherries, sorghum, and Wisconsin corn, and are made without artificial flavorings or additives.
Is Yahara Bay Distillers a public or private company?
Yahara Bay Distillers is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Yahara Bay Distillers founded?
Yahara Bay Distillers was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yahara Bay Distillers based?
Yahara Bay Distillers is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Yahara Bay Distillers make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Spirits Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are tasting Room and Cocktail Bar, contract Distilling Services, event Space Rental and import Bottling Services.
Who are Yahara Bay Distillers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FEW Spirits, Great Lakes Distillery, Death's Door Spirits, Journeyman Distillery, Koval Distillery and Central Standard Craft Distillery. Templeton Rye is listed as a regional player. High West Distillery is listed as a broad incumbent. Tuthilltown Spirits / Hudson Whiskey is listed as an emerging player. Vom Fass is listed as an others.
Does Yahara Bay Distillers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yahara Bay Distillers.
What industry is Yahara Bay Distillers in?
Yahara Bay Distillers's product category is Craft Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAC, Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling, with a secondary code of CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.