Micro-Distilleries?

[emhahn]

Anyone know of any great micro-distilleries out there?

I read this story the other day and was amazed to see that just 10 years ago there were only 12 in the United States, and now there are 66. Most of which came into being within the last 5 years.

Eric

[eje]

Aside from the one (St. George Spirits) mentioned in the linked article, the distilleries I know of in CA are:

Anchor Brewing (Gin, Whiskey)

Jepson Wine (Brandy)

Germain Robin (Brandy, Grappa)

Number 209 (Gin)

Hangar One (Vodkas)

Sarticious (Gin)

Domaine Charbay (Vodka, Whiskey)

added link to St. George

Edited November 4, 2005 by eje (log)

[tsquare]

Just read the story on Clear Creek in the Seattle Times, Pacific Magazine, last weekend.

you might have to register

Clear Creek

[fatdeko]

Add to that list Maine Distillers and their flagship product, Cold Creek Vodka which hits the shelves (at least here in Maine) today. Maine potatoes, Maine water, pot distillation. And it STILL tastes almost like Vodka.

myers

[Chef Shogun]

Dogfish Head Brewing - Lots of stuff: Three kinds of rum, vodka, gin, tequila. Think they rotate them. I was there three weeks ago and they didn't have the gin or tequila. They also sell infused vodka.

[Nathan P.]

Here is another one, local to me, that sounds worthy of a visit: Osocalis Brandy

[moosnsqrl]

I like Tito's Hand-made Vodka from Austin.

[VoodooDog]

In southern California you can add Saint James Spirits to the mix.

[limewine]

McMenamins, the Northwest microbrew empire, runs a distillery near Portland, Oregon, that makes whiskey, two types of brandy, a pear eau-de-vie, a Genever-style gin and a coffee liqueur. I've tried none of them, since you can only buy bottles at two places around Portland, and I haven't been to one of their pubs in ages.

Rogue, another Oregon-based microbrewery, operates a distillery near Seattle that makes a white rum. I picked up a bottle a few months ago and, while it's not worth the $26 price, it's a fairly decent rum, with a depth and body similar to white Jamaican rums like Appleton or Myers Platinum.

[JAZ]

There's also Bendistillery from Oregon, makers of Cascade gin, among other products.

[slkinsey]

There is also Domaine Germain Robin.

[eje]

I recently found out about a distillery in Graton/Petaluma (Sonoma) called Stillwater Spirits. I guess the proprietor's name is Donald Payne. My impression from the gentleman I was talking to was they had some relationship to the now defunct Gan Eden winery.

I know they make a grappa.

Beyond that, I am still trying to track down more information, as I am hoping they might be a reasonable, local source for Eau de Vie and/or grappa.

-Erik

[Rob Simmon]

I was just intorduced to Old Potrero Rye (By Anchor) at Pegu Club in New York. Both are good (the bartender let me sample both the 18th Century Style and 100% Rye Whiskey) but the 18th Century Style is out-of-this-world. (Which promptly was mixed into a fantastic "Little Italy"--a creation of Audrey Sanders that adds Cynar to a Manhattan. Wow.)

Dogfish Head's honey rum is interesting (softer and sweeter than most gold rums).

Clear Creek Distillery makes an excellent kirsch and dry poire williams.