AN INTRODUCTION TO ST GEORGE SPIRITS
Nestled in the bustling Bay Area of San Francisco…
…St. George Spirits is a celebrated craft distillery, a true one-of-a-kind, Willy Wonka, ‘you need to see and taste it to believe it’ sort of places. We first visited in 2013 and since then have been fascinated with their ethos, their approach to distilling and - honestly - everything they make. They’ve been on our wish list to collaborate with since launching The Heart Cut - so releases #08 + #09 are a dream come true.
When Jörg Rupf moved from Germany to California and founded St. George Spirits in 1982, he may not have had the intention of kickstarting the modern American artisan distilling movement.
Coming from a family with a heritage of distilling fruit in the Black Forest and inspired by the abundance and quality of California’s fruit, he combined these influences and began distilling eau de vie. Using pears, raspberries, cherries, and other ripe, juicy fruits, Jörg created exceptional spirits that caught the attention of many, including Julia Child. This focus on getting the best from the ingredients and letting them shine, paired with a maverick "why not, let’s try it" mentality, remains at the heart of St. George Spirits today.
With a background as a nuclear engineer and a brewer, Lance Winters is an absolute distillation mastermind.
Sharing the same convention-pushing mentality as Jörg, he joined St. George Spirits in 1996 and began applying similar eau de vie production techniques to create other spirits - that of trying to capture a sensory snapshot of the fruit harvest in its purest, most authentic, and aromatic form. Today, the distillery is renowned for its various gins, American Single Malt, absinthe, vodka…the list goes on. Speaking of their Absinthe - this is a cool one - in 2007 they were the first to release a legal Absinthe in the US since the ban in 1912.
Completing the team is Dave Smith, Head Distiller and Blender.
Dave is a crucial force behind St. George’s whiskey program, viewing it as an eau de vie of barley, and barrel ageing as its picture frame, enhancing the mash bill and grain profile. A flavour and boundary pusher, as is the norm at St. George, he has developed strong relationships with local breweries, resulting in various distilled beer experiments, two of which are bottled as releases #08 and #09.
The distillery is at the former Alameda Naval Air Station, with a panoramic view of the San Francisco skyline.
Initially one of the very few places to visit in the area, you can now find cool breweries and wineries just a stone's throw away - an absolute must-visit when visiting SF. And if you are in town - check out our tried and tested map of all our favourite spots to brunch, caffeinate, drink, eat and see. CHEERS!
Other St George Spirits expressions we enjoy
American made. Japanese inspired. This American Single Malt (made from 100% American Barley) is aged in ex-bourbon casks, before being finished in housemade Umeshu (stone liqueur - made from Californian-grown ume) casks. Expect a touch of smoke, tropical fruit, roasted almonds and a lingering sweetness. Delicious.
Terroir Gin is the Californian wilderness, bottled. Think Douglas fir, bay leaves, sage, citrus…Enjoy it as a martini garnished with a sage leaf, or perhaps with tonic, lots of ice and a bay leaf. It’s a constant in our household!
