What Toledo Spirits Co. does

Toledo Spirits Co. is a privately held craft distillery founded in 2013 and headquartered at 1301 N Summit St, Toledo, Ohio. The company produces a portfolio of approximately 18 spirit SKUs across categories including vodka (Heart of Gold organic rye vodka and flavored variants), rum (King & Dane Silver, Farmhouse, Farmhouse Harvest, Reunion), bourbon (Lowertown 99, Lowertown Black, Lowertown Apple), gin (East Side Gin and Barrel-Aged variant), liqueur (Orange Tiger bourbon-barrel-aged orange liqueur, King & Dane Coffee Liqueur), moonshine (Maumee), and whiskey (Vistula American Single Malt aged 4+ years, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot experimental series). Production is anchored by copper pot still distillation suited to aged and high-aroma spirits, complemented by column still methods and an agricole-style fermentation process for rums. Sourcing philosophy emphasizes 'meaningfully-sourced' local farm ingredients and sustainable practices. Co-founders are Andrew Newby (CEO), Lukas Kummer (Head Distiller), and Dustin Wade (CMO).

Revenue is generated through four interlocking streams: (1) spirits sales via owned DTC e-commerce (shop.toledospirits.com), on-site retail at The Bottle Shop, and wholesale through OHLQ, Nooney, and additional distributors covering Ohio, Michigan, and New York; (2) on-premise consumption at the Bellwether cocktail bar and Underground basement bar, including private events and food service; (3) ticketed experiences including distillery tours, cocktail classes, pop-ups (Bon Temps, Sleigh Bellwether), and the Vistula Artist Market; and (4) branded merchandise (apparel, glassware, accessories). Pricing on standard 750ml bottles sits at typical craft premium price points; merchandise items such as tees retail around $25 and hoodies around $45; vendor booths at $75 per 10x10 space.

The company operates within the broader 'From Toledo' ecosystem alongside HEAVY Beer Co. (whose taproom occupies the Underground basement venue), Fowl & Fodder (catering partner), and Black Kite Coffee (cold brew supplier for King & Dane Coffee Liqueur). Distribution is concentrated in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic US, with e-commerce shipping restrictions in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, and Utah. Membership in the Ohio Distillery Trail (joined May 2024) adds a tourism acquisition channel alongside producer-side regulatory advocacy in Ohio on hemp-derived THC policy.

Name

Toledo Spirits Co.

Legal name

Toledo Spirits Company

Website

https://toledospirits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Toledo Spirits Co. is a craft distillery founded in 2013 in Toledo, Ohio, producing a portfolio of vodkas, rums, bourbons, gins, whiskeys, liqueurs, and moonshines via copper pot stills with locally-sourced ingredients, serving consumers through DTC e-commerce, on-site retail, multi-state wholesale, and on-premise hospitality venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ), Spirits Retail & Whiskey Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAD)

Keywords

• Craft distillery
• Small batch spirits
• Premium vodka bourbon
• Artisanal rum whiskey
• Cocktail bar hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Toledo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Spirits Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales of craft spirits including vodka, rum, bourbon, gin, liqueur, moonshine, whiskey, and ready-to-drink cocktails. Sold through own e-commerce, The Bottle Shop, and wholesale distribution to liquor stores across Ohio, Michigan, and New York.
2. On-Premise Consumption (Bellwether): Cocktail bar generating revenue from craft cocktails made with house-distilled spirits, food service, and private event bookings.
3. Events and Experiences: Ticketed events including cocktail classes, distillery tours, tasting events, and special experiences. Also includes private event bookings and venue rentals.
4. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts), glassware, cocktail accessories, and gift items sold through The Bottle Shop and online.
5. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution partnerships through Nooney in Ohio for King & Dane Coffee Liqueur, and other distributors for Michigan and New York markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Toledo Spirits Co. is a craft distillery that produces small-batch spirits including vodka, rum, bourbon, gin, liqueur, moonshine, and whiskey using pot still distillation and meaningfully-sourced regional ingredients. The company sells these spirits through its own e-commerce storefront, The Bottle Shop retail store, and wholesale distributors across Ohio, Michigan, and New York. It also operates on-premise hospitality venues, including the Bellwether cocktail bar and Underground sports bar, offering craft cocktails, food service, and event experiences.

Product overview

Toledo Spirits Co. is a craft distillery founded in 2013, producing a portfolio of spirits including vodkas (Heart of Gold, Heart of Glass Strawberry, Heart of Stone Peach + Apricot), rums (King & Dane Silver, Farmhouse, Farmhouse Harvest, Reunion, Coffee Liqueur), bourbons (Lowertown 99, Lowertown Apple, Lowertown Black), gins (East Side Gin, Barrel-Aged East Side Gin), liqueurs (Orange Tiger Orange Liqueur), moonshine (Maumee), and whiskeys (Vistula American Single Malt, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot experimental series). The company also operates hospitality venues including Bellwether cocktail bar and Underground sports bar, plus a bottle shop for retail sales. Products are made using meaningfully-sourced ingredients and pot still distillation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heart of Vodka: Vodka product line including Heart of Gold Vodka, Heart of Glass Strawberry Vodka, and Heart of Stone Peach + Apricot Vodka
• King & Dane Rum
• Lowertown Bourbon
• East Side Gin
• Bellwether
• Underground
• The Bottle Shop

Products and services

• Heart of Gold Vodka Organic rye vodka serving as the flagship unflavored vodka offering in the Heart of Vodka series, for home cocktail making and on-premise use.
• Heart of Glass Strawberry Vodka Vodka made with farm-fresh strawberries, part of the Heart of Vodka flavored spirit line for craft cocktail use.
• Heart of Stone Peach + Apricot Vodka Vodka made with local peaches and apricots, featuring stone fruit flavors from the Heart of Vodka series.
• Heart of Glass Strawberry Vodka Lemonade (Ready-to-Drink) Pre-mixed cocktail combining Heart of Glass Strawberry Vodka with lemonade in a convenient ready-to-drink format.
• King & Dane Silver Rum Midwest-made white rum from the King & Dane rum series, versatile for various cocktail applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lowertown Old Fashioned accounts for 1 in 5 classic cocktail orders at Bellwether
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Distillers GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2024Toledo Spirits joined the Ohio Distillery Trail initiative organized by the Ohio Distillers Guild, officially launching May 22, 2024. The trail features 50+ Ohio distilleries and offers visitors the opportunity to collect stamps, earn rewards, and explore Ohio's craft distilling scene.
• Nooney (Ohio Distributor)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNooney Companies Ohio serves as the Ohio distributor for King & Dane Coffee Liqueur, providing wholesale distribution across Ohio with online ordering capabilities for registered accounts.
• Black Kite CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Kite Coffee provides cold brew coffee for King & Dane Coffee Liqueur production. Part of the 'From Toledo' ecosystem along with HEAVY Beer Co. and Fowl & Fodder, sharing marketing and cross-promotional opportunities.
• Fowl & FodderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFowl & Fodder is part of the 'From Toledo' business ecosystem. Chef Aaron Lawson provides catering and menu items for Toledo Spirits events, including Bon Temps pop-ups and Chef's Dinners.
• HEAVY Beer Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEAVY Beer Co. operates its taproom in the basement of Toledo Spirits headquarters (Underground venue) and collaborates on events like Plants & Pints. Part of the 'From Toledo' business ecosystem.
• Flying Rhino CoffeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlying Rhino Coffee provides expert roasting for coffee beans used in King & Dane Coffee Liqueur production.
• Green Crow PlantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Crow Plants collaborates with HEAVY Beer Company on Plants & Pints events featuring plant-based DIY projects at Toledo Spirits.
• Wine & CanvasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine & Canvas partners with Toledo Spirits for painting workshop events featuring cocktails.
• Toledo OperaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerToledo Spirits and Toledo Opera collaborate on 'Get into the Spirit of Opera!' pop-up events featuring themed cocktails for opera productions.
• Local Farms (Cultivate Toledo, Sophia Quintero Farm, Shared Legacy Farms, Urban Wholistics)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with local and urban farms for sourcing ingredients including corn for Corn Cobbler cocktail and produce for various menu items. Supports local agriculture and sustainability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery: Louisville, Kentucky craft distillery producing brandy and spirits with on-site restaurant/bar. Highly comparable for co-located distillery plus hospitality venue (restaurant/bar) operating model.
• Valentine Distilling Co. Detroit, Michigan craft distillery focused on small-batch vodka, gin, bourbon, and whiskey. Comparable as a regional craft distillery in an adjacent state with overlapping Midwest distribution.
• FEW Spirits: Evanston, Illinois craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and bourbon with tasting room. Comparable Midwest craft distiller with similar small-batch, premium-ingredient positioning.
• Watershed Distillery: Columbus, Ohio craft distillery producing bourbon, vodka, gin, and specialty spirits with on-site tasting room and event spaces. Closest direct peer given same state, similar craft positioning, multi-venue model, and overlapping distribution channels through OHLQ.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, whiskey, gin, and vodka with tasting room and on-premise bar. Comparable craft distillery with similar multi-SKU portfolio and direct-to-consumer retail.
• New Holland Brewing / New Holland Distilling: Michigan craft brewer and distiller producing spirits including whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum with taproom and on-premise venue. Comparable as a Midwest craft distiller with co-located brewing and hospitality operations.
• Middle West Spirits: Columbus, Ohio craft distillery producing whiskey, vodka, gin, and bourbon with OHLQ distribution and on-site tasting room. Directly comparable as another Ohio craft distillery with multi-channel wholesale and DTC sales.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago, Illinois craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, brandy, and liqueurs from organic grain with on-site tasting room. Comparable Midwest craft distillery with similar premium positioning and on-premise retail.
• New Riff Distilling: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey with on-site tasting room. Comparable regional craft distiller with similar aged-spirits focus and DTC channels.

Broad incumbents

• Heaven Hill Distilleries: One of the largest American family-owned spirits producers with deep bourbon and whiskey portfolio. Broad incumbent competitor in the same bourbon/whiskey categories where Toledo Spirits competes for shelf space and distributor attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/toledospirits
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPYtqKZfUyZAqoMnhGg8abw
• Facebookfacebook.com/toledospirits
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toledospirits
• Instagraminstagram.com/toledospirits

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Toledo Spirits Co.