Seed & Spirit Distilling sits in Fort Collins’ Lincoln Corridor, occupying a converted warehouse space that buzzes with the kind of energy you’d expect from a craft distilling operation run by people who genuinely love what they do. Founded by husband-and-wife team Tim and Sarah Larsen in 2019, this operation grew out of Tim’s background in biochemistry and Sarah’s business acumen—plus a shared obsession with creating spirits that actually taste like something. They spent two years perfecting recipes in their garage before taking the leap into commercial production, and you can still catch them working the stills most days. The distillery produces vodka, gin, and whiskey, with plans to expand their barrel program as their initial whiskey stocks mature.
The Larsens didn’t stumble into distilling by accident. Tim worked for New Belgium Brewery for nearly a decade as a quality control manager before deciding he wanted to create something from scratch rather than just maintain consistency in existing products. Sarah handled marketing for several Fort Collins startups and knew the local landscape well enough to spot an opportunity. They bootstrapped the entire operation, which means every piece of equipment was chosen deliberately rather than just grabbing whatever fit the budget. Their 250-gallon still came from a family operation in Kentucky, and they’ve modified it with additional copper plating to get the clean finish they wanted in their vodka.
When you visit, you’re walking into an active production facility rather than a polished tasting room with distilling as window dressing. The space smells like grain and juniper, and you’ll likely hear the still running in the background. Sarah usually handles tastings while Tim manages production, and both are happy to explain their process without the usual craft spirits marketing speak. They’re making around 200 cases per month right now, with plans to double that capacity by adding a second still in 2024.
