Loft & Bear Vodka Review 🐻 Greater than Goose? Artisanal Vodka with a Purpose

Behind the Pour

The 'Bear > Goose' shirt arrived with the bottle, and it says everything about how Loft & Bear wants to be positioned in the market. Founded by Giovanni Machorro in Los Angeles, Loft & Bear is a wheat-based artisanal vodka that makes a direct case for being better than Grey Goose — not through marketing bluster, but through grain sourcing, distillation quality, and the philanthropic commitment built into every purchase. Crystal and Roger run 15 minutes of honest assessment on whether the liquid backs up the shirt.

What You'll Discover

• Wheat vodka vs corn vodka — why it matters: Most mass-market vodkas are corn-based (including Tito's). Wheat-based vodkas generally produce a cleaner, slightly sweeter, more neutral spirit — what Crystal and Roger describe as better mouthfeel and a cleaner finish. Loft & Bear is wheat.
• Black-owned, LA-made, philanthropically structured: Giovanni Machorro built Loft & Bear with purpose at its core. A portion of each sale goes to philanthropic causes. The brand is positioned to compete in the premium vodka category while representing Black ownership at the production level.
• Bartenders will love this: Crystal notes that the clean finish and consistent flavor profile make Loft & Bear practical for cocktail builds. A vodka that stays out of the way lets the mixology show; one that has off-notes limits what a bartender can do with it.
• The 'Bear > Goose' positioning is deliberate: Loft & Bear is directly challenging Grey Goose's position as the default premium vodka. The T-shirt is not subtle. The episode evaluates whether the challenge is earned.
• What's next for the brand: At time of recording, Loft & Bear had rum and gin in the product roadmap, building toward a full craft spirits portfolio from the Los Angeles facility.

A Moment of Pourspective

Buying a premium bottle of anything is a choice about who you support. When you can get the same quality from a Black-owned, purpose-driven brand at the same price as the giant who already has everything, the only reason not to is you haven't found it yet.

Explore the Conversation

The Loft & Bear episode is one of Crystal and Roger's shorter focused reviews — 15 minutes on a single bottle, honest on the liquid, clear on the positioning. The brand identity conversation is efficient: Crystal explains the founding story, the philanthropic structure, and the competitive positioning without losing the tasting thread. The Vanessa Braxton shoutout at the end connects Loft & Bear to the broader Black-owned spirits community that Crystal and Roger have been building relationships with throughout the channel. Giovanni Machorro is named in the Uncle Nearest episode's list of Black distillers, which shows TLC treating these relationships as an ecosystem rather than isolated stories. The wheat vs corn comparison is one of the episode's most educational moments — Crystal walks through why the grain choice matters for a vodka that is supposed to be as neutral as possible. When neutral is the goal, grain selection becomes the differentiator.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Loft & Bear? Loft & Bear is a Black-owned artisanal vodka brand founded by Giovanni Machorro in Los Angeles. It is wheat-based, premium-positioned, and philanthropically structured.
• Why is wheat vodka different from corn vodka? Wheat produces a lighter, cleaner, slightly sweeter distillate than corn. The choice of grain is one of the key variables that distinguishes premium vodkas from mass-market ones.
• Where can I find Loft & Bear? At loftandbear.com and in spirits retailers with expanding national distribution.
• What does 'artisanal' mean in spirits? In the vodka context, artisanal typically indicates small-batch production with greater attention to ingredient sourcing, distillation technique, and quality control than large-volume mass-market producers.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirit reviewed: Loft & Bear Artisanal Vodka
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 15 minutes, 13 seconds
• Category: Gin & Vodka
• Notable: Black-owned, wheat-based, LA distilled, philanthropic structure, 'Bear > Goose' positioning