Community Corner

New Law Will Allow St. George Spirits, Other Craft Distilleries to Offer Paid Tastings

Assemblymember Nancy Skinner will hold a press conference at the Alameda distillery Tuesday.

St. George Spirits, the Alameda Point-based maker of Hangar One vodka, absinthe and other distilled spirits, will soon be able to offer tastings similar to those available at wineries and breweries.

The Taste California Act (AB 933), authored by Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-15th District) and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September, will allow artisan distillers to showcase their products by offering paid tastings. The new law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Currently St. George Spirits offers a $15 "basic training" tour of the distillery with complimentary tastings. Tours are available Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 7 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Reservations are advised.

"Until now, California was among only four states that prohibited distillery tasting rooms," Skinner said in a statement.

Skinner, Lance Winters of St. George Spirits and representatives of other craft distillers will kick off a "Taste the Spirit of the Holidays" campaign Tuesday, Nov. 19, at noon with a press conference at the Alameda distillery, 2601 Monarch St., Alameda.

The effort by Skinner and the California Artisanal Distillers Guild to support local businesses builds on new changes to a liquor law that has been in place since 1934, the assemblymember's statement says.

"The new law will allow artisan distillers to provide tastings under similar terms as breweries and wineries," it says. "Prohibition-era regulations have impeded efforts to grow and market regional hand-crafted spirits on a wider scale."

About 35 craft distilleries in California will benefit from the new law.

St. George Spirits was founded by Jörg Rupf in 1982 and moved into its current location at the former Naval Air Station Alameda in 2004. It's served as the anchor for a section of Alameda Point called — informally — "Booze Alley," close to Rock Wall Wine Company and the newish Faction Brewing.

You may read more about St. George Spirits on the distillery's website here.

'Like' Alameda Patch on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter @AlamedaPatch / Share your thoughts in the comments section below


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here