Polish Spirit.

Our story begins in 2005 in the Polish village of Jablonka in the northern lake region of Poland. Zbigniew “Papa” Kozuba, a biochemist and businessman, retired and moved to the countryside to live out a dream. While there, Papa began tinkering with cordials, continuing a tradition of infused spirits that many Polish families honored. 

The town quickly began to realize that Papa’s cordials were something special, and many people asked for them as gifts. Papa then began experimenting with traditional Polish cordials on a larger scale. Matthias and Jacob, the named “sons,” joined the hobby operation to help Papa turn it into a business. A few years later, after a successful market introduction of Kozuba's line of cordials, they ordered their first hybrid copper still and shortly after started distilling their first vodkas, becoming the first family owned and operated micro-distillery in post- war Poland. In 2012 they started distilling the first Polish single malt whiskey and experimented with other varieties of this world famous brown spirit. 

American Craft.

However, when it came to marketing and selling, Poland’s highly monopolized industry did not have room for a small, family-operated craft operation. They realized they needed to move to a country thirsty for small-batch, local spirits. 

After weighing their options, they chose Florida to call home and moved from Jablonka to St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District in 2014. Since then, the family has continued to grow, as has the distillery. Always looking to timeless traditions to inform what’s next, the Kozuba family is proud to make award-winning spirits that continue to be shared with friends and neighbors.

Tradition and Craftsmanship

We bring together art, science, ambition, and just a little bit of magic to make the perfect spirit. 

“Handcrafted” isn’t just a label, it’s what we do. Every part of the process is guided by our hands. We begin with our hand-selected grain, then hand-mix and hand-mash the grain to get the perfect blend before distillation begins. We supervise fermentation carefully until we’re ready to move to distillation. 

We have two hybrid copper stills, hand made by Arnold Holstein in Germany and brought with us from our Polish operation. One still is dedicated to vodka production, and the other is dedicated to whiskey production. Once distilled to the ideal proof, we move our aged spirits to our on-site barrel room so we can continue to monitor the aging process and decide the perfect moment to bottle each spirit. 

Maciej “Matthias” Kozuba

The eldest son, Matthias, who had worked for his father previously, has an innate passion for spirits. After graduating from Warsaw University with a degree in law and administration, followed by an MBA from SGH Warsaw School of Economics, he began his career at AMT company, where he was a Director and Chief Marketing Officer overseeing client relationships, partner contracts, brand development, and brand promotions. Matt joined Kozuba & Sons in 2005 to assist his father in pursuing his distilling dreams.

Jakub “Jacob” Kozuba

Younger brother, Jacob, graduated from the Kozminski Academy in Poland with a Masters in Management and Marketing and a Quality Management major. Joining his father’s company after school, Jacob has amassed ten years experience in overseeing the company’s corporate finance, accounting, banking, budgetary controls, and all facets of financial management. Skilled in supply chain management in US and European markets, Jacob has spearheaded company growth in both bulk and domestic sales.

Steve Riordan

Steve graduated from Bentley University with a B.S. in Accountancy and from Lehigh University with an MBA. He has achieved both the CPA and CMA certifications. Over the past four decades, Steve has been focused on operational aspects of businesses with the goal of achieving maximum profitability. 

Jesse Javens

Jesse, an Air Force veteran, received his B.S. in International Relations from California State University and M.S. in Intelligence Analysis from Point Park University. After a career in state and federal government, focusing on operations and administration, Jesse has owned and co-owned several businesses, ranging from health clubs and real estate development to publishing.

Our Community

From our inception, Kozuba & Sons has been all about sharing what we have with our friends and neighbors. We’re proud to partner with community organizations making an impact in St. Petersburg and throughout Tampa Bay: