Bear Fight Whiskey, a North Carolina-based booze brand with an American Single Malt and two bourbons in its portfolio, doesn’t initially seem like a company that would turn to crowdfunding. To start, they have celebrity backers, including Gabriel Macht (Suits) and Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy), as well as support from noted entrepreneur Matthew Bronfman. They even had a Super Bowl commercial in 2025, and those don’t come cheap.
So, why hit up drinks enthusiasts and potential investors directly?
A little background: Bear Fight was founded in 2022 by Next Century Spirits co-CEOs Anthony Moniello and Rob Mason. They’ve already racked up a few big awards, including a Double Gold for their American Single Malt Whiskey at both the New York International Spirits Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (it’s affordable and legitimately good stuff, particularly the single malt).
Earlier this year, Bear Fight launched a crowdfunding campaign, supported by a new promotional video featuring Macht. The gist is that fans and investors can own a piece of Bear Fight LLC and “share in any future distributions or proceeds from a sale through a limited public raise.” The campaign, which runs through March, features experiential perks like private community access, branded gifts, facility tours, tastings and even an in-person tasting with Macht. The funds will be used to raise national brand awareness and fuel marketing, distribution expansion and innovation efforts.
Is this the mid-2010s all over again, when I heard (or wrote about) a new Kickstarter every five minutes? Is it something new? Has all the money in the whiskey industry dried up? Will this be another BrewDog? I know little about investing and certainly very little about putting money into spirits brands (I can neither recommend nor warn against doing so), so I sent over a few questions to co-founder Anthony Moniello to get clarity.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
InsideHook: What about Bear Fight made you want to take a crowdfunding route, as opposed to other spirits in the Next Century Spirits portfolio?
Anthony Moniello: As one of our first innovations here at Next Century, we wanted Bear Fight Whiskey to disrupt traditions in the space, rid itself of definitions and truly just focus on damn good whiskey that everyone could enjoy and afford. So when we thought about growth, we asked ourselves, does this funding model reflect that same spirit? When challenging massive industry brands with centuries-old stories and massive budgets, being unabashedly authentic is crucial. Crowdfunding allows us to invite our consumers into the brand in a way that is authentic to who we are while hopefully being a pillar of our epic story that will be told for ages.
Is this campaign in any way related to what’s going on in the spirits market right now (where there isn’t a lot of good news)?
The spirits category is facing headwinds for the first time in decades, but periods like this are when strong brands separate themselves. Bear Fight is growing, gaining distribution and resonating with a consumer who still values quality and authenticity. This campaign isn’t about plugging a hole in a leaky bucket: It’s truly about accelerating growth momentum and giving our community a seat at the table. We believe in the long-term strength of American whiskey and in Bear Fight’s ability to carve out its own lane within it. If anything, challenging markets reward brands and investors with clarity, confidence and connection.
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The company is reportedly exploring a saleLet’s say I want to invest $20,000. Besides the experiential perks, what else am I getting? Is this actual equity? Would I get a say or a vote in what the company does, how it spends its money or the whiskeys it puts out?
This is real equity. Investors are purchasing ownership in Bear Fight through a regulated crowdfunding structure. What they’re getting is a stake in the upside of the brand — if Bear Fight grows, expands or ultimately exits, investors participate in that value creation and any distributions or liquidity events. Along that journey, our investors will receive cadenced updates on the highs, lows and exciting happenings that Bear Fight Whiskey will endure and create for years to come.
That said, this is not an operating role. Investors do not have voting power, product development or budget allocation. We have an experienced management team and board to guide strategy and execution. The opportunity is to align financially with a brand that has meaningful growth potential while also enjoying the experiential perks that bring you deeper into the world of Bear Fight.
I was surprised that non-accredited investors could invest. Are they limited in what they can put in?
Frankly, so was I! This is our first time executing a crowdfund, and we have learned a lot and are truly excited about what we have seen so far. By design, investments are limited. This campaign is structured under Regulation Crowdfunding, which allows non-accredited investors to participate but with federally-mandated limits based on income and net worth. The goal is access with guardrails, and we’re proud of that structure. Historically, opportunities like this were limited to a small circle of institutional or high-net-worth investors. Crowdfunding democratizes ownership responsibly. It aligns perfectly with Bear Fight’s ethos. We’re not a velvet-rope brand.
How important were the experiential perks as part of this campaign?
They’re important, but they’re not the point. The point is ownership. The perks are just an extension of the brand experience. We want to be a brand for the people and reward those who believe in Bear Fight with access: private tastings, behind-the-scenes experiences and limited releases. That creates an emotional connection. But the real value is the opportunity to grow alongside us.
Has any other spirits brand done something like this?
There have been isolated examples of spirits brands exploring crowdfunding, but it’s still relatively uncommon, particularly at this stage of brand maturity and scale. Most spirits companies raise capital privately through institutional investors or strategic partners. Choosing crowdfunding is intentional. It’s a signal that we value community participation and brand loyalty as much as institutional backing.
You have a few celebrity partners. How much say do they have in Bear Fight?
In Gabriel’s case, he’s been a real creative contributor. He’s helped shape the brand’s personality, voice and cultural direction. He understands what Bear Fight stands for and has influenced how we show up in the world. Operationally, the business is led by our executive team at Next Century Spirits. We handle production, logistics, compliance, distribution and strategy. It’s a strong balance: disciplined leadership on the business side, thoughtful creative input on the brand side.
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