founding spirits
Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned craft micro-distillery in Washington, D.C., producing premium vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, and agave spirits. It sells via its parent Founding Farmers & Distillers restaurant, regional wholesale distribution, venue partnerships, and direct-to-consumer online shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What founding spirits does
Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned craft micro-distillery based in Washington, D.C., operating since 2016 inside the Founding Farmers & Distillers restaurant. The company produces craft vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, and agave spirits, with its portfolio anchored by an American Straight Bourbon launched in 2021, a Rye Whiskey launched in 2022, and a Blanco Agave Spirit introduced in 2024. Limited-edition releases in 2025 include maple-finished and rum-barrel bourbons produced through a partnership with the Cornell Maple Program, providing a differentiated barrel-finishing angle.
The distillery runs a hybrid distribution model combining on-premise sales through the Founding Farmers & Distillers restaurant and venues such as Capital One Arena, regional wholesale distribution in D.C., Maryland, and Delaware through partner distributors, and direct-to-consumer online shipping nationwide. Bottle retail prices are positioned in the premium craft range of approximately $36 to $65. The business has accumulated multiple craft spirits industry awards between 2018 and 2020, supporting brand credibility at the regional and on-premise levels.
Strategically, Founding Spirits is built around three reinforcing assets: a captive on-premise channel via its parent restaurant group, a venue partnership at Capital One Arena for high-volume placements, and a provenance-led brand narrative tied to farmer ownership. The combination supports premium pricing and award recognition but leaves the company highly dependent on a narrow set of regional accounts and a single hospitality anchor.
founding spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- founding spirits
- Legal name
- Founding Spirits
- Website
- https://foundingspirits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned craft micro-distillery in Washington, D.C., producing premium vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, and agave spirits. It sells via its parent Founding Farmers & Distillers restaurant, regional wholesale distribution, venue partnerships, and direct-to-consumer online shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
founding spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE)
Keywords
Where founding spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
founding spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Direct Bottle Sales: Online sales and in-person bottle purchases at DC distillery and restaurants. Spirits shipped nationwide to most states with pricing higher than retail.
- Wholesale Distribution: Bulk spirit sales to bars, restaurants, and retailers through distribution partners Breakthru Beverage Group (DC) and Prestige-Ledroit (MD/DE)
- On-site Restaurant Sales: Spirits featured in cocktails at Founding Farmers restaurants and bars, sold as part of food and beverage service
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vodka - $36 per bottle (online) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Navy Strength Rum - $38 per bottle (online) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blanco Agave Spirit - $43 per bottle (online) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels - $65 per bottle (online) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
founding spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned micro-distillery in Washington, D.C. that produces and sells small-batch award-winning craft spirits including vodka, dry gin, bourbon, rye, white rum, dark rum, navy strength rum, blanco and reposado agave spirits, and American amaro, plus limited-edition barrel-finished bourbons. Spirits are sold direct-to-consumer via online ordering with nationwide shipping, at the on-site DC distillery, and at multiple Founding Farmers restaurants, as well as through wholesale distribution to bars, restaurants, and retailers in the DC metro area.
Product overview
Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned, small-batch distillery in Washington, D.C., offering a portfolio of handcrafted American spirits. The core product line includes Vodka (100% corn-based), Dry Gin (botanical-forward), Bourbon (aged 2+ years in oak), Rye (bold and spicy), White Rum, Dark Rum, Navy Strength Rum, Blanco Agave Spirit, and Reposado Agave Spirit. Limited-edition offerings include Bourbon finished in Maple Syrup Barrels and Bourbon finished in Rum Barrels. The distillery also produces American Amaro which has won multiple international awards. All spirits are crafted in small batches with ingredients sourced from American family farmers, emphasizing their from-scratch, source-matters mission. Products are available for purchase online, at their DC distillery, and through wholesale distribution partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Founding Spirits Vodka: Award-winning craft vodka made from 100% American-grown corn
- Founding Spirits Dry Gin
- Founding Spirits Bourbon
- Founding Spirits Rye
- Founding Spirits White Rum
- Founding Spirits Dark Rum
- Founding Spirits Navy Strength Rum
- Founding Spirits Blanco Agave Spirit
- Founding Spirits Reposado Agave Spirit
- Founding Spirits American Amaro
- Founding Spirits Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels
- Founding Spirits Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels
Products and services
- Founding Spirits Vodka Premium craft vodka made from 100% high-quality American-grown corn harvested by family farmers; silver medalist at the 2020 American Craft Spirits Awards and bronze medalist at the 2018 American Distilling Institute's Craft Spirits Conference; positioned as DC's #1 local vodka. Available online, at DC and MD restaurants, and via wholesale.
- Founding Spirits Dry Gin London-style dry gin distilled in small batches from North Dakota wheat, Virginia rye, and malted barley with a proprietary botanical blend of chamomile, bergamot, mint, and lime zest; silver medalist at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Available online, at DC and MD restaurants, and via wholesale.
- Founding Spirits Bourbon American bourbon made with 100% American corn, rye, and barley, aged a minimum of two years in new oak barrels, delivering notes of vanilla, molasses, toffee, and spice with a lingering finish. Available online, in DC and MD restaurants, and via wholesale.
- Founding Spirits Rye American rye whiskey distilled with American rye and barley, offering rich notes of vanilla and butterscotch, strong orange and spice character, and a smooth, dry finish. Available online and at Founding Spirits locations.
- Founding Spirits White Rum Smooth and versatile white rum distilled from American Gulf Coast molasses and American sugar cane, featuring soft fruit, light pepper, ocean air, vanilla, and butterscotch notes. Designed for cocktail mixing including Mojitos and Piña Coladas.
- Founding Spirits Dark Rum Rich and complex dark rum distilled from American Gulf Coast molasses and aged at least two years in virgin American white oak barrels, with vanilla, spice, and caramel notes and a long herbaceous finish. Suited to sipping neat, on the rocks, or in Dark & Stormy and Mai Tai cocktails.
- Founding Spirits Navy Strength Rum High-proof rum distilled from American Gulf Coast molasses and aged at least two years in virgin American white oak barrels, with oak, honey, roasted cherry, and toffee notes and a warm, buttery finish. A higher-proof expression of the Dark Rum, sold at approximately $38 per 750mL online.
- Founding Spirits Blanco Agave Spirit 100% blue agave spirit featuring green guava, peach, grapefruit, and lime aromas with light citrus, cinnamon, and mint notes; well-balanced and smooth, suited to sipping neat or elevating classic margaritas.
- Founding Spirits Reposado Agave Spirit Reposado agave spirit made from 100% mature blue agave from the Jalisco highlands, slow-cooked, fermented, and copper-distilled, then aged four months in used Founding Spirits Bourbon barrels. Features roasted agave, vanilla, honey, orange peel, and toasted oak notes.
- Founding Spirits American Amaro Quadruple award-winning American Amaro herbal liqueur (Arroyo's 'Never Bitter' Amaro) offering soft black licorice, chocolate sauce, cinnamon, ginger on raisins, and cola syrup notes. Won Gold and Best of 2018 from the American Distilling Institute, Silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and 86 points ('highly recommended') from Tastings.
- Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels Limited-edition bourbon starting from 100% American bourbon aged two years in oak barrels and finished for six months in Founding Spirits Dark Rum barrels, adding deep molasses, rich caramel, vanilla, and herbal spice notes for an exotic rum twist on a traditional bourbon.
- Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels Limited-edition bourbon developed with Cornell University's Maple Program. Bourbon aged two years in oak barrels, barrels filled with Grade A maple syrup for six months, then refilled with bourbon for an additional six months of maple-infused finishing. Notes of vanilla, molasses, toffee, spice, and gentle maple aroma. Approximately $65 per 750mL online, pick-up only in DC locations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Won 9 major industry awards in first two years of operations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use founding spirits
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
founding spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
founding spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Capital One ArenaflagshipOfficial Vodka, Dry Gin, and Official Distillery of Capital One Arena; spirits served at all events, bars, and suites; exclusive venue partnership
- Citi OpencoreOfficial Vodka and American Whiskey sponsor for DC's major tennis tournament; cocktail service and brand activations at event
- Breakthru Beverage GroupcoreDistribution partnership covering Washington D.C. for wholesale orders to bars, restaurants, and retailers
- Prestige-Ledroit Distributing Co.coreDistribution partnership covering Maryland and Delaware for wholesale orders to bars, restaurants, and retailers
- Cornell University Maple ProgramflagshipPartnership for maple syrup barrel aging program. Bourbon barrels used to age Grade A maple syrup, then bourbon re-aged in maple-infused barrels to create unique Maple Bourbon Whiskey
- George Washington University Honey Bee Research Laboratory & ApiaryminorApiary partnership sourcing honey from downtown DC for use in spirits and cocktails, supporting honey bee research
- Copper Fox DistilleryminorBob VanLancker apprenticed with Copper Fox to learn distilling operations before founding the distillery
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
founding spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Balcones Distilling: Texas-based craft distillery producing a wide range of whiskeys, rums, and spirits. Comparable as a more established craft distiller with broader national distribution and similar product portfolio breadth.
- St. George Spirits: California-based craft distillery producing gin, whiskey, vodka, and liqueurs. Comparable as an established craft distiller with broad product portfolio across multiple spirit categories.
Direct peers
- Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon and rye whiskey. Comparable small-batch craft distillery with award-winning product portfolio and focus on aged American whiskey.
- Republic Restoratives: Washington DC-based craft distillery producing vodka, gin, and rye whiskey. Directly competes with Founding Spirits in the same DC market with overlapping product categories and similar venue-distribution strategy.
- One Eight Distilling: Washington DC-based craft distillery producing whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. Direct local competitor in the DC craft spirits market with similar product breadth and on-premise distribution strategy.
- Catoctin Creek Distilling Company: Virginia craft distillery producing rye whiskey, bourbon, and brandy. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic small-batch distillery with similar grain-to-glass sourcing story and on-site tasting room retail model.
- Tuthilltown Spirits: New York-based craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and gin. Comparable small-batch craft distillery with similar farmer-sourcing narrative and on-site tasting room retail model.
- Copper Fox Distillery: Virginia-based craft distillery producing small-batch whiskey, gin, and brandy. Founding Spirits' Distillery Manager Bob VanLancker apprenticed there, making it a closely comparable Mid-Atlantic craft distillery with similar small-batch methods and regional positioning.
- New Columbia Distillers (Green Hat Gin): Washington DC-based craft distillery known for Green Hat Gin. Direct DC market competitor with similar small-batch craft positioning and on-premise distribution through DC bars and restaurants.
Emerging players
- Hillrock Estate Distillery: New York craft distillery producing estate-grown whiskey and bourbon. Comparable as a premium small-batch craft distillery with estate-sourcing narrative and limited-edition finishing techniques.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
founding spirits social profiles
Digital presencefounding spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
founding spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
founding spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
founding 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 founding spirits
What does founding spirits do?
Founding Spirits is a farmer-owned micro-distillery in Washington, D.C. that produces and sells small-batch award-winning craft spirits including vodka, dry gin, bourbon, rye, white rum, dark rum, navy strength rum, blanco and reposado agave spirits, and American amaro, plus limited-edition barrel-finished bourbons. Spirits are sold direct-to-consumer via online ordering with nationwide shipping, at the on-site DC distillery, and at multiple Founding Farmers restaurants, as well as through wholesale distribution to bars, restaurants, and retailers in the DC metro area.
Is founding spirits a public or private company?
founding spirits is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was founding spirits founded?
founding spirits was founded in 2016.
Where is founding spirits based?
founding spirits is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does founding spirits make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Bottle Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution and on-site Restaurant Sales.
Who are founding spirits's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Balcones Distilling and St. George Spirits. Direct peers are Smooth Ambler Spirits, Republic Restoratives, One Eight Distilling, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Tuthilltown Spirits, Copper Fox Distillery and New Columbia Distillers (Green Hat Gin). Hillrock Estate Distillery is listed as an emerging player.
Does founding spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for founding spirits.
What industry is founding spirits in?
founding spirits's product category is Craft Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAC, Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling, with a secondary code of THAFALAG, Distilleries (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.