Sky Partnership, Grounded Community: The Du Nord Social Spirits Story

Behind the Pour

Chris Montana founded Du Nord Social Spirits in Minneapolis and built what became the first Black-owned distillery in America. The brand's tagline is 'Real AF Spirits' — a commitment to transparency in production that goes beyond marketing. This episode covers the Du Nord story from founding through one of its most remarkable milestones: becoming Delta Air Lines' official vodka partner. Crystal and Roger spend 45 minutes on a conversation about purpose-driven spirits production, craft survival, and what 'Real AF' actually means in practice.

What You'll Discover

• America's first Black-owned distillery: Du Nord's founding in Minneapolis broke historic ground in an industry where Black ownership at the production level has been historically rare. Chris Montana built the brand with both community investment and production quality as founding principles.
• Delta Air Lines' official vodka: Getting placed on Delta flights means being evaluated against the world's largest spirits brands in a competitive procurement process. Du Nord earned that placement on product merit, not narrative — the vodka had to hold up at 30,000 feet in front of travelers who know what they want.
• Apple and coffee liqueurs that taste real: Chris explains why Du Nord's liqueurs differ from standard flavored products — clean sourcing, genuine fruit and coffee extraction, and production transparency. Crystal and Roger note that both liqueurs carry actual ingredient character, not artificial flavoring.
• Craft brand survival in a tough market: Chris's perspective on what it takes for a craft brand to last is one of the episode's most practically valuable sections. Distribution, pricing discipline, inventory management, and community — he covers the full picture.
• What 'Real AF Spirits' means: The tagline is a commitment, not a boast. Chris explains what real production transparency looks like in practice and why it is the brand's non-negotiable.

A Moment of Pourspective

Building a distillery that the industry respects and the community owns is harder than building one that does just one of those things. Du Nord does both. That is a standard worth aspiring to.

Explore the Conversation

The Du Nord episode is 45 minutes of a conversation that only gets better the further in it goes. Chris Montana is the kind of founder who gives you the real answer — not the investor-pitch answer — and Crystal and Roger give him the space to do that. The Delta partnership is the episode's headline moment, but Chris moves past it quickly to focus on what it means for the brand's credibility. Being selected by Delta's procurement team — which evaluates spirits on quality, consistency, and supply reliability — is a more meaningful validation than most awards competitions. The community investment angle is the episode's most distinctive thread. Du Nord raised capital from its Minneapolis community during its launch phase, which created a form of ownership and accountability that purely investor-backed brands do not have. Chris's discussion of what that means in practice for brand decisions is one of the most genuine conversations about craft spirits funding TLC has had.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Du Nord Social Spirits? Du Nord is a Minneapolis craft distillery founded by Chris Montana — the first Black-owned distillery in America. Their product line includes vodka, fruit liqueurs, coffee liqueur, and other spirits under the 'Real AF' banner.
• How did Du Nord become Delta's official vodka? Through Delta's procurement process, which evaluates spirits on product quality, consistency, supply reliability, and brand alignment. Du Nord was selected competitively.
• What does Real AF mean? It is Du Nord's commitment to production transparency — real ingredients, honest sourcing, and spirits that deliver what the label says without artificial shortcuts.
• Where can I find Du Nord? In Minnesota, with growing national distribution. Their website and Minneapolis location are the best starting points.

Episode at a Glance

• Guest: Chris Montana (founder, Du Nord Social Spirits)
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 45 minutes, 56 seconds
• Category: Gin & Vodka
• Notable: America's first Black-owned distillery, Delta Air Lines official vodka partner