The Distillery of Modern Art With Head Distillery Matt Greif

ReviewsShow NotesWhiskeyDistillery of Modern ArtGeorgiaGinVodkaAmaro

Jan 19

Distilling Georgia’s Future at the Intersection of Art and Whiskey

When I returned to Georgia for this episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, I wasn’t just visiting a distillery. I was stepping into a concept that began well before a single still was installed. Distillery of Modern Art, known simply as DOMA, was first imagined by founder Seth Watson as a space where whiskey, modern art, events, and hospitality could coexist under one roof. The distillery came first as an idea. The whiskey followed. And shortly after that, head distiller Matt Greif entered the picture.

Seth began developing DOMA around 2017 after selling his previous events business, traveling the country, and studying how small distilleries operated. His goal was never just to open another tasting room. He wanted a full production facility that made its own spirits, surrounded by rotating contemporary art, with space for cocktails, conversation, and community. Construction was delayed by COVID, but the vision remained intact.

Matt Greif joined shortly after the concept was set in motion, walking into a literal construction zone. Walls were unfinished, equipment hadn’t arrived, and nothing about the space felt settled. That blank slate turned out to be an advantage.

Building a Distillery From the Ground Up

After years distilling in the Midwest and immersing himself in the science of spirits through the Heriot-Watt brewing and distilling program, Matt was looking for something specific. He didn’t want to oversee sourced whiskey or manage a nightlife-forward operation. He wanted to distill, to build, and to make spirits with intention.

At DOMA, that meant starting from zero. Matt moved to Georgia without permanent housing, temporarily living in an Airbnb with his daughter while helping bring the distillery online. Within three months, he and Seth were fully committed to building something long-term. Today, DOMA is a working production facility, co-packing operation, gallery, cocktail bar, and event space, all operating under the same roof.

One early decision defined everything that followed. DOMA would not source whiskey. For more than two years, there was no aged bourbon or rye released under the DOMA label. Aside from a lightly aged corn whiskey, the shelves stayed empty while barrels quietly matured. It was a risky choice, but one rooted in credibility.

Releasing Whiskey the Hard Way

In early 2025, DOMA finally released its first bourbon and rye at around two and a half to three years old. The impact was immediate. Sales climbed. Visitor traffic increased. And whiskey began rivaling DOMA’s already successful peach vodka and gin as top sellers.

The bourbon mash bill leans heavily into regional identity, using white corn instead of yellow for a softer sweetness, along with Abruzzi rye, a varietal developed specifically for the southeastern United States. As DOMA matured, Matt transitioned grain sourcing to Georgia farmers, making the whiskey not just distilled in-state, but grown there as well.

Malted barley still comes from Riverbend Malt House in North Carolina, a practical decision driven by quality and logistics. With no malt houses currently operating in Georgia, Riverbend remains a Southern partner that aligns with DOMA’s philosophy without sacrificing consistency.

A Gin Nerd’s Obsession Pays Off

While whiskey anchors DOMA’s long-term vision, gin has become one of its defining successes. Matt openly describes himself as a gin nerd, and that obsession nearly delayed the product indefinitely. At one point, he canceled a scheduled gin launch just days before bottling because the spirit wasn’t ready.

Scaling a recipe from lab-sized batches to 500-gallon runs on Vendome equipment proved challenging, and several batches were sacrificed in pursuit of balance. The final version emerged at 46% ABV, higher proof than originally planned, and immediately found an audience. Recognition from Garden & Gun as one of the South’s top gins confirmed that the patience was worth it.

Corn Whiskey as a Laboratory

Corn whiskey remains DOMA’s experimental playground. Each batch explores a different approach to barrel aging and finishing, from Amburana wood to stout and barleywine barrels sourced from local breweries. Some releases never leave the distillery, sold only at the bar while distributors work through earlier batches.

One of the most extreme experiments involved aging barrels inside a shipping container during a Georgia summer. Temperatures soared, evaporation accelerated, and the whiskey evolved quickly. The results aren’t standard, but they are instructive. These barrels help shape future decisions across the rest of the whiskey program.

Contract Distilling Without Ego

Beyond its own seven core spirits, DOMA distills and packages products for more than a dozen partner brands nationwide. Some openly credit DOMA on their labels. Others don’t. Matt leaves that choice entirely to the client.

What matters is capability. With a 500-gallon pot still, a 12-inch Vendome column, and expanding bottling lines capable of quadrupling output, DOMA has become one of Georgia’s most productive distilleries. That scale allows small brands to grow without being tied to a single physical location.

Growing Slowly, On Purpose

DOMA’s distribution footprint remains intentionally focused. Georgia came first, followed by Tennessee and northern Florida. Expansion happens only when the team can support it personally. Seth and Matt spend time in stores, at tastings, and at events, building relationships one conversation at a time.

Every DOMA product is priced to be opened and enjoyed. Vodka sits around $25. Gin around $35. Bourbon and rye stay under $50. The goal has never been scarcity or collectability. It’s accessibility, repeat pours, and trust.

Where Art and Whiskey Share the Same Space

Distillery of Modern Art isn’t just a place to buy a bottle. It’s a space designed to change. Rotating artists fill the gallery. The cocktail menu evolves with the spirits. Events reshape the room week to week. Like modern art itself, the experience invites participation rather than passive consumption.

Georgia whiskey is still finding its voice. At DOMA, that voice is already confident, curious, and unmistakably local. Built from an idea Seth Watson had before the first brick was laid, and shaped by Matt Greif’s hands soon after, Distillery of Modern Art is helping define what Southern craft spirits can become.