Welcome to Founding spirits
Know Your Farmer. Know Your Distiller.
A farmer-owned distillery? Yup. Founding Spirits is majority owned by American family farmers and their values are at the heart of our distilled spirits. Every step of the process, from grain to glass, shows our commitment to farmers, hiqh-quality ingredients, and handcrafting premium products. We have custom-built our very own micro-batch distillery in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. Our modern-day distilling wizards are cultivating unique and tasty spirits that preserve the true flavors that come from the wheat, barley, and rye, including the North Dakota and Virginia grains from farmers we know, like Mark & Michelle Watne of Watne Farms and the late Billy Dawson’s team at Bay’s Best Feed. Our flavorful spirits can be enjoyed on their own and are equally delicious in cocktails.
We invite you to get a taste of our award-winning spirits on site at Farmers & Distillers, or at one of our sibling restaurants – Founding Farmers and Farmers Fishers Bakers. Founding Spirits is also available for purchase by the bottle in person at Farmers & Distillers, online, and at fine retailers across DC, Maryland, and Delaware. Be sure to ask for Founding Spirits at your favorite bar or restaurant.
Team

Founding Spirits was born of our passion for exceptional craft cocktails and more than a decade of experience running the award-winning bar & beverage programs for Farmers Restaurant Group. Our Distillery Manager, Bob VanLancker, has spent years bartending and managing our bar programs and knows the difference that great spirits make. He and his team distill our award-winning Founding Spirits to be exceptional in cocktails and for sipping on their own, neat or over rocks.
Learn more about Bob
Our spirits
Founding Farmers spirit project
Book a tour

You know what goes great with a tour? A reservation at Farmers & Distillers afterwards.
Reserve a Table