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Death’s Door Spirits: Bringing Sustainability to Vodka and Gin

Posted on March 5, 2008

I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Ellison the other day. Brian is one of the co-founders of Death’s Door Spirits. Death’s Door is actually a side gig for him. When he is not creating sustainable spirits Brian actually works on economic positioning and regional sustainability in various areas of the country with a focus on the upper midwest.

So, why am I talking about a small vodka and gin distiller? Because the vodka and gin Death’s Door produces is sustaintable. They actually farm all of their wheat on Washington Island which is an island in Lake Michigan off the Wisconsin coast.

The story of how this small distillery came to be is a funny one. The founders, who had a small B&B on the island where cooking classes were taught, thought they should grow something on the land. They settled on wheat and hired some local farmers to grow it for them promising to buy any output those farmers could produce.

Over time the output became larger and larger and soon hit 100 acres. Not knowing what to do with all of that wheat the founders had a discussion. Initially they thought they would make sustainable flour from it but that idea just didn’t stick.

Then the light bulbs went off. Vodka and gin would be a good use for the wheat and the specialty market for those products was on the rise. Dealth’s Door Spirits was born then and there.

The spirits these guys produce are clearly artisan quality. I am not a big vodka guy and certainly not a gin guy (I favor craft brewed beers - they are my drink of choice) but let me tell you that this vodka is very good. I had a small sampling of it and was blown away by the smoothness and flavor. This is the only vodka I have ever really enjoyed on its own (as in not as part of a cocktail).

So, if you are a cocktail person, vodka on the rocks guy and sustainability fan give Death’s Door a try. You won’t be disappointed by the product and you’ll know that you are helping to get the planet back in order in a small way.