The Story Behind
the Spirit

Vanessa Braxton was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Before founding Black Momma Vodka, she managed construction and engineering contracts worth over $350 million for the New York State government. In 2012, she followed her passion and launched Black Momma Vodka — becoming the first African American Woman Master Distiller and Master Blender in the United States. She was awarded a New York State Proclamation recognizing her historic achievement.

Vanessa 100% owns her distillery, manufacturing facility, and a 15-acre farm grow house in New York. Black Momma spirits are handcrafted in small batches using raw New York ingredients — no artificial flavors, no chemicals, naturally gluten-free. The vodka line has evolved from NY State farmed corn to sustainable whey distillation, reducing waste and carbon footprint.

Black Momma Vodka was named Rolling Stone's Best Vodka in 2021. The Tasting Panel awarded it 90 points, calling it 'Very Smooth'. Distributed nationally across the United States, Black Momma has become a symbol of Black excellence, entrepreneurship, and craft spirits innovation.

Vanessa Braxton appeared as a guest judge on Discovery Channel's Moonshiners: Master Distiller, the hit competition series where top legal and outlaw distillers compete to craft the finest spirits. As a vodka expert, she brought a level of craft spirits knowledge that challenged and elevated the contestants in ways the show hadn't seen before. Judge Eric 'Digger' Manes noted that Vanessa 'brought an extra layer to the judging table that the contestants didn't expect.'

In a landmark partnership, Vanessa Braxton joined forces with legendary R&B icon Ronald Isley — frontman of The Isley Brothers and one of the few artists to achieve hits across seven consecutive decades. Together they created Contagious XO, a premium brandy crafted in small batches at Gravesande-Braxton Distillers in New York. The collaboration was celebrated at Total Wine & More locations and featured in major outlets including The Breakfast Club and the Sherri Shepherd Show. When Usher Raymond paused mid-performance to sip Contagious XO, the spirits world took notice.

When you support Black Momma Vodka, the taxes come back to the community. Vanessa built this brand with a clear purpose — to create generational wealth, support Black-owned business, and prove that premium craft spirits can come from anywhere, made by anyone, for everyone.