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St. George Spirits
Category: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
2601 Monarch St(between Midway Ave & Tower Ave)
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 769-1601
- Hours:
Wed-Sat 12 pm - 7 pm
Sun 12 pm - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
437 reviews for St. George Spirits
Review Highlights
"George & Hangar One have some top shelf options."
(in 114 reviews)
"Lime, Pear and Buddha's Hand are pure dee-lish."
(in 70 reviews)
"Aqua Perfecta Framboise Eau de Vie."
(in 30 reviews)
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437 reviews in English
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Review from Jeffrey Y.
Alameda, CA
2/8/2012
SO MUCH FUN! Totally worth coming to Alameda to check this place out. Rad location in an old fighter jet hangar.
The distillery tour is fantastic - everyone who works at St. George clearly loves what they do - this love is reflected in their tours.
The tasting is great - something different from the typical "wine tasting" attitude of the greater bay area.
Food trucks smartly circle this place on the weekends - nothing better than some tacos or pizza after a good sampling of St. Georges spirits.
Insiders tip: combine a visit to St. George Spirits with a trip to the neighboring winery, Rock Wall Wines. Also a great spot, and literally right next door. -
Review from Markus N.
2/4/2012
1. I'm surprised more of my friends haven't been here.
2. I'm really surprised I beat Nique to this review.
3. A Sunday Antique Fair/Tasting is an excellent pairing.
4. My preference is to avoid the crowded times so as to afford the one-on-one correspondence with the very cool, knowledgeable, attentive pourers.
5. Take the tour.
6. If you have a party of 10 or more you can have a mixology lesson in the private room upstairs. I haven't done this yet but plan to.
7. Mythbusters is really close by. Listen for their cannons blowing cannonball-shaped holes in Alameda ticky tacky.
8. The Hornet is nearby too. It's haunted.
9. It's hard to believe that the base hasn't been redeveloped, but so long as it isn't you've got splendid views of SF from the tasting bar.
10. The tasting menu changes. Come often.
11. St. George's absinthe rocks and lore has it that too much wormwood makes you crazy which is why it was outlawed in the first place but I've had it and I don't feel very crazy at all. Why are you staring at me so hard?
12. It's less than a mile from the Alameda ferry dock to the tasting room door. Tell me a ferry from SF to a tasting then a ride back maybe with a baguette you brought with from the Ferry Building wouldn't be the perfect way to spend a day. You can't. Because it is.
Thus endeth my 12 Step St. George's program. -
Review from Aimee L.
Hayward, CA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is the only hard alcohol I've tried that I could taste and didn't leave a burn in my throat. Maybe that is because we were told to sip and breathe it out rather than shoot it. I definitely liked the gins. It is $15 for a round of tastings (I think there were 8 that day) and you can share!
My only complaint was that we had 3 different guys who poured for us. The first was a skinny bald dude who we liked. He was great, but they pulled him away to give a tasting to a large group. Then we got Paul or Paul-y (same guy who did the tour). He was entertaining and told us interesting things about the liquour. But then he got pulled to the other part of the bar. So we got stuck with another bald dude who was bigger and didn't seem interested in being there whatsoever. He poured and talked quietly so we had to lean in to try to hear him. We paid more attention to Paul at the other end who was loud and getting everyone to laugh. The biggest disappointment was our guy started to wrap our glasses and never let us taste the absinthe with the root beer. Paul wasn't rushing his customers and he poured the root beer and everyone still had time to enjoy it before the tour.
Paul did a great job and kept us laughing and interested in his tour. I definitely recommend the tour as you get to hear the whole process. Pretty cool place!
We'll come back again to try some other liquors and hopefully have a better experience with the tasting! -
Review from Serena C.
Daly City, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yayy! I love this place and I been here about a handful of times. It used to be $10 for the tasting but now they've gone up an extra $5. Still worth it though and I will continue to come here.
Great hand crafted liquor. They used to only make vodka but now they've added bourbon and gin to the family. I tried it and not a big fan of it ...they also added two new dessert drinks. They were yum...so yum that I had to buy a bottle of each to bring home. They were so light and crisp...so fruity. Now they even include a shot of absinthe in the tasting. Before we had to pay an extra for it. I'm not a fan of black licorice but I love the absinthe.
You can buy everything that you taste next door. All at a reasonable price. -
Review from Jordan P.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
A wonderful distillery with outstanding product. We had a tasting with the lovely Lee in the Captain's Room with incredible views of the City. Next we joined up with a tour group lead by P-something (sorry I cannot remember your name) who was as informative he was hysterically funny and charming. Afterwards we dropped a chunk of change in their storefront. We picked up a bottle of the B&E Bourbon, raspberry framboise, a large bottle of the basil au de vie, a bottle Qi white tea infused liqueur and a bottle of Absinthe. Needless to say a good time was had by all.
They need to hire me so I can ride the shark. -
Review from C M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
1/29/2012 11 photos
Great hand crafted liquor, fun tasting room, great staff, interesting and funny tour guide. Location on the old military base has awesome views of the city. See pics. And they've kept the charm and original features of the hangar it once was (look up at the original redwood ceiling, gorgeous). I highly suggest taking the tour first, then taste.
You can buy any of the items you taste next door. Reasonably priced for the amount of love and crafting that go into everything they make. The pear liquor was my favorite. Oh and they give you plenty of water with your shots! $15 for a tasting and you can share that with a friend. I'm glad I did because we had about 8 shots, many are 40-80 proof!
Another bonus was the guy making and selling handmade pizzas out front, in a wood fired oven he made himself. $4.00 for a giant slice, I had the blueberry, delicious.
I take away one star because of a few negatives- they were kind of unorganized making our reservation for a big group, but we showed up with 3 extra people and they were pretty cool about it. Note that the group tasting table fits 10 comfortably, we squeezed in with 13 and it was fine. The bathrooms are gross. And the acoustics in the tasting room are bad, so loud we could barely hear the girl doing our tastings. But whatever, just like any good bar!
Will definitely go back! Oh and when you're done go next door to Rock Wall Wines, great deal, good variety and gorgeous deck. -
Review from Liz H.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
Looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon outside the city? Look no further than St. George Spirits. I have been twice now - once when my parents visited and once with my brother and sister (what can I say, my family likes their booze :P).
On my first visit, we made a tasting reservation for 5 and then took the distillery tour after. I highly recommend doing both! For the tasting, we got to try about 12 different liquors. Each taste is fairly small (but believe me, it is enough) so you end up drinking the equivalent of about two cocktails. Our bartender was really friendly and attentive. She told us about each liquor before we tried it and gave us tips about they best way to taste the flavors without the alcohol burn.
The tour was equally awesome. We learned how raw fruit mash is made into different types of alcohol and what the differences are between different types of liquor (i.e brandy vs. vodka, etc). Also, they have a giant shark prop. You'll have to go to find out how and why they acquired it... I won't tell :)
I came here thinking, "It's a tour of Hangar One," but in reality St. George offers a lot more that just great vodka. They have three types of gin which were really great to try in succession to see how different each one was. I also found out that Hangar One Buddha's Hand vodka is awesome!
I totally recommend visiting St. George. Even if you don't have time for both a tasting and a tour, each one alone is worth the trip. -
Review from Megan C.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Walk in the Woods - Inside a delicious tasting room.
Came for the vodka, fell in love with their gin.
The gigantic shark clearly protects the distillery. If the shark wasn't there visitors might try to run off with barrels and boxes. If you're going to have an adult beverage and you want a finely crafted spirit the people at St. George have done a fantastic job using their love of the craft and their creative genius. "A walk in the woods" the tour guide described to us what inspired their Mt. Tam Gin. When you sip this gin, and I've never been a gin fanatic, you can literally taste and imagine being on a hike. I thought the bartendress was being animated purely for the sake of our tour, but she was in fact correct, and I love walking in the woods!
If you have a group and are looking for something to do this could be a nice little adventure. Beautiful views of the city, plenty of parking, and unique spirits that are not always available in the liquor store.
Date Rating: 7
Pick up Scale: 7 (easy to talk to people drinking in a distillery)
Strong Suggestion: Bring a designated driver, take the ferry, or hire a car service. -
Review from D C.
Dublin, CA
Schooling my newly 21 yr. old cousin on the art of making alcohol, thanks St. George!!!
This place and it's bartender/staff are always great and very welcoming. This is my third visit to their tasting room and I've never been disappointed. On my first visit my friend from Chicago took me and I've been bringing people since then. Since my last visit, the company has expanded their line of alcoholic spirits. While going through the tasting we tried the Terroir Gin, B&E Bourbon, Absinthe, Hanger One vodkas, and liqueurs. It was served at room temp. so you can experience the complete flavor profile and taste it's smoothness. By the end of our 12 drink tasting, we were pretty buzzed. I recommend bringing some pretzels or snacks to soak up the liquor. After the tasting, there is a nice shop where you can make purchases or sit outside and look at the view of The City. -
Review from Malyssa C.
San Jose, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was a terrible idea to come here for a tasting after a night out, but I still somehow managed to enjoy my experience here!
The tasting had 10 different items, consisting of a mix of vodkas, gin, absinthe, etc. Personally, drinking all of these things straight, with water as a chaser, is definitely not my cup of tea. I stopped after the first one, but still enjoyed learning about the different types of spirits! Haha. I came here with 4 other people, and all really enjoyed the mandarin blossom vodka.
I especially enjoyed the tour (which is FREE, by the way! My favorite kind of price). Our tour guide was very entertaining and informative.
Definitely a great place to try if this is your type of thing. They have a beautiful view of the SF Bay from their little outdoor patio area and plenty of parking. -
Review from Cath M.
I am truly sorry that I'm going to write this review but I need to get this off my chest...
WHY DID YOU GUYS CHANGE YOUR WAYS?!!!
I've been going to you guys since 2008 and I've seen many changes (both alcohol selection and staff) - some were good and some were bad (again both applies to the alcohol and staff) but I think yesterday's trip was the tip of the iceberg.
I've been hyping this place for the BFF and her BF as well as to my own BF... and the selection was just not what I was used to... it was horrible.
From $10 full 12 tasting... to $12 full tasting... $15 full with absinthe... now it's $15 barely eck tasting.
I miss the days when you start off with fruit brandies... then the 4 vodkas and some on the side... gone were the days! It was GIN... GIN...GIN. 1 taste of vodka... and whiskey and oh I checked out half way through.
Our bartender was Alex... definitely a newbie. Gone were the days of being in the company of Paul and Brad... who were fun to drink with... they had persona... charm... they acted like they cared about where you're from and they gave me a whole lot of extras on the side of the tasting. I had to beg Alex to give us a taste of the Fire Lit! I mean I'm thankful but man... stingy!
Alex said they changed it because it was taking a long time for the tasting to do... (aka: they want more people in... so in you go... out you go!) but a suggestion: make it a reservation base! If you don't have a reservation then oh well... better luck next time! Wineries have it... you should try it!
A result of over commercialization... yes.
Am I happy that more people know of them... yes.
However, for true fans like myself... bring it back to the original tasting format please!
Please see my photo of their old school menu that I longed to have... a real sign that I've been a fan since I knew of them...
Will probably drink your alcohol from a far... as far as the tasting... it's really gone downhill. For you OG folks... be prepared for the disappointment!3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/25/2011
My girls and I needed something to do since our original plan (go to Rock Wall Winery for a wine… Read more »
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Review from Gina E.
Mt Horeb, WI
1/19/2012
Delicious spirits, cool venue, pretty knowledgeable and approachable staff.
We didn't have a whole lot of time to spend here, so I would definitely go back, especially on a day when we could tour. The atmosphere is casual/quirky, and the hosts were all very laid back and knowledgeable. We actually worked with someone who was training a newbie, and it seemed like even that process was as smooth as the spirits we were sipping.
I was very familiar with the Hangar One vodka from distribution in WI, and have been a fan for years. I fell in love with the St. George Botanical Gin and was very surprisingly pleased with the Raspberry Liqueur (a type of liquor which I've never really liked, even though I like raspberries). The single malt whiskey is also worth trying if you've always wanted to like Scotch, but found it too peaty. This one uses no peat, and it's smooth like bourbon (also with a touch of sweetness) and light like Jameson. The absinthe was good, but I've had better, and I prefer it with a sugar cube drip, not just water (as they served it to us). I wasn't really a fan of the absinthe-root beer cocktail, but it was definitely drinkable.
Overall, I enjoyed our spontaneous visit largely due to our hosts, who regaled us with some of the funnier tales and tidbits from the distillery's history. I also I loved the modern industrial look that just fits with the hangar and the odd spot on the island where they're located (Seriously, you think you're driving into a restricted airbase at one point on the way there.) And the romantic in me thinks it looks great as the sun is casting a 3:30 shadow across the field of barren pavement. -
Review from Greg G.
12/18/2011
As an Alameda native, I'm incredibly proud to have an artisan distillery like St. George Spirits located in my backyard!
Forget the fact that this place has an amazing tasting room, free tours on the weekend, and THE most beautiful view of the SF bay-- (ok, wait wait, DON'T forget those facts- those facts add to St. George's awesomeness!) The thing you should really know is the vodka here is AMAZING! Mandarin Blossom and Kaffir Lime are great.
If you're in the mood for alcohol tasting, I highly suggest you take a trip to Alameda. Rock Wall Wine and Rosenblum Cellars are within a stones throw of St. George Spirits. Hangar 1 vodka from here hits the spot- 5 stars all the way. -
Review from Fina M.
Had a great time here. Good way to spend the afternoon before heading to SF.
Why you ask? Read below.....
#1 Vodka, Bourbon, Gin, Whiskey, Absinthe...oh my!
#2 Only $15 for 12 tastings of different spirits which change seasonally
#3 Free Tour- Tour Guides are super passionate, fun, and engaging!!!
#4 Vodka, Bourbon, Gin, Whiskey, Absinthe...oh Yeah!
Just go....it's a good experience and you get cultured in liquor on top of that! Cheers!
Only thing that doesn't make it a 5 is that we started our tasting about a half hour before the tour and then the tour started and we had like 4 drinks left. We apparently offended the bartender by asking if its possible to finish the rest of the tasting after. We didn't know and he acted like we should have known that. So then we asked if we could then just take them quickly so we could get the whole tour and he was super rude about it. We really wanted to catch the beginning of the tour and the next one wasn't for an hour, He didn't have to hold our tastings hostage and make us listen to his entire presentation of each drink and go at his pace, he could have just handed them over and let us enjoy our day. -
Review from Brenda N.
Aliso Viejo, CA
1/6/2012
We went to Hangar 1 on New Year's Eve 2011 & had a BLAST! My husband is a HUGE Vodka fan, me.....eh not so much. We live in Southern California and he was told by a co worker about a vodka called "Hangar 1" that is made in Alameda, CA. Since I have a ton of family up in the "Yay area" we decided to check this place out since we were in town for the holidays.
I have been wine tasting in Napa plenty of times but Vodka tasting in Alameda was something that I had never done but was willing to give it a try. You take a tour of the facility (the guide was hilarious & very passionate) and then go into a tasting room and try all the different vodka's & gin. Believe it or not my favorite thing that I consumed there was the $5.50 cheddar truffle oil popcorn by a local SF company called 479 popcorn. Again I am not a big fan of Vodka so dont take this the wrong way. Although I must say that the raspberry liqueur was fabulous!! We went to a New Year's eve party that night & added the Rasberry liqueur we had just purchased to a glass of champagne and we were in heaven!
My only critique about the place would be the lack of food. If they opened up a deli or a bistro place on the premises that would make all the difference!
// plenty of parking //
// bring your own snacks/food //
// good times // -
Review from Colin G.
Alameda, CA
1/6/2012 1 photo
I've tasted and taken the tour here twice. I own many of their spirits too. But I have a love hate relationship with this place. If this review were only for their products it would be 5 stars..
On the one hand they are the very opposite of large scale distilleries and that is so so cool. St. George puts hard work and soul into their products, each has a purpose and story, and each is made in small limited batches. They use gorgeous, hand crafted, one of a kind pot stills, and an artisanal process that is fascinating to learn about. Best of all they turn out some really tasty booze.
But the people who you will be forced to interact with during the tours and tastes ruin the experience. I've never come across a group of people who are so simultaneously ignorant and arrogant. Their snobby nonsensical adoration for everything they do and how they do it grows old quickly. They'll dismiss your legitimate questions, belittle your comments and make an example of you if you don't gush over every taste.
Worst part is, some of the tour and tasting guides don't even participate in the production process! So they really have no credibility at all.
As for their spirits, some of their stuff is great, some of it is experimental and interesting, some is it is experimental and terrible. So try it for yourself, and don't pay attention to the pompous pourers. -
Review from Ray C.
San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011 1 photo
If you hold your drink with your pinky out or simply demand quality spirits, not quantity, then you must let your liver experience the offerings of St. George. And if you only think vodka when you hear Hanger One, then that pinky of yours will have a full on erection by the end of the tasting. For a mere $15, you get to taste several offerings besides their famed vodkas to get your Asian blush glowing.
Want to make more than your pinky erect? Take the free guided tour. I was surprised how much I learned that afternoon. If your only goal for the day is to catch a $15 buzz, skip the tour. Note: If you're not even mildly interested in the scantly dressed, top heavy, long legged, tour guide then just go straight to the tasting room. No need for you to block my view.
What questions not to ask during the tour? 1) if you *think* your questions will stump the guide. 2) If you think they'll make you feel like a man. 3) If you think your intelligent questions will get you laid. Number 3 never works (ask me later how I know).
Here's a hint that may score you some wet points. You're a lawyer from Kentucky...nuff said.
Oh, and there's a shark in the distillery...Yeah, I'll leave it at that. -
Review from Meredith O.
Mountain View, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Huge Fan ! This is a gem of a place to visit. Their absinthe is nothing like anything I have ever tasted before. On Sundays they serve it with rootbeer which may sound strange but it compliments it very well. We opted to do the tasting before the tour :) Helps and puts everything in perspective. Our tour guide had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable. The space itself at Hanger One is so remarkable and beautiful. They do have a party space upstairs that can be rented out. Super cool place with super cool people working here.
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Review from Bo P.
San Leandro, CA
11/4/2011 1 photo
[Cue-in: "Shots" by LMFAO] Vodka tasting at Hangar 1 is one of those things that you know you want to do and you put it off, but until you actually do it you have no idea what you're missing or why you've waited for so long.
A Look Around:
Talk about hidden. Hanger 1 is basically hidden in an industrial-port-warehouse-looking area. It has a magnificent view of the city (San Francisco) in front of the entrance.
I was lucky enough to have gone on the weekend of Halloween so everything had been decorated and the bartenders (pourers?) were all in costume. Hangar 1 is basically a huge warehouse that distills vodka, gin, bourbon, etc. Not exactly the most beautiful looking setting, but I'm there for the alcohol and not to oooo and aaaah about the interior. However, the copper distillers (or as our tour guide called it, the "big ass bongs") were absolutely stunning. The craftsmanship that went behind creating these machines conveys a sense that Hangar 1 absolutely cares about their product.
What I Ordered:
I chose to do the $15 tasting which included tastings of 12 different kinds of gins, vodkas, bourbon, and...dun dun duunnnn... absinthe (don't worry its legal now).
What My Taste Buds Say:
The taste buds are happy. Extremely happy. I never knew how fun vodka tasting could be and I found out that not ALL gin tastes like poison! Among the different tastings, the one drink I did not care for was the Douglas-fir infused vodka (yuck BUT it did remind me that Christmas was coming). Otherwise, I think I'd buy anything they had available for the tasting most especially the Buddha's Hand Vodka (YOU REALLY NEED TO BUY THIS).
One final note: absinthe is STRONG. Go slow. I think they give it to you at the end of the tasting because it kills your palate. I didn't like the idea that it was apart of the tasting menu.
Other impressions:
Drink a glass of water after each tasting and feel free to bring a light snack like crackers and cheese while you're eating. This is especially important for whoever is driving during the tasting. Play it safe. We went on Saturday right when they opened so it wasn't too packed. Oh and when you're done get one of the Gelato Popsicle sticks.
Overall: The place is amazing. I hoping more of my friends visit so I have an excuse to visit more often. :) -
Review from Christopher R.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I freakin' love this place.
$15 = 12 tastings of all different kinds of spirits.
My take:
I thought I hated Gin. Theirs is great. It's like taking a big sip of Northern California. No orange juice needed.
Burbon - This Tennessee boy thought he'd hate this Cali-forn-i-a whisky but its really great. Smooth, but not too smooth. Still has a little bite to make you feel manly.
Vodkas - I like expensive vodka. I like it smooth and palatable. Not like rubbing alcohol (see Smirnoff, Svedka, Skyy... all of them). Hangar One has the best. It's all so great you'd never dream of defiling it with the likes of your Ocean Spray Cranberry juice!
Absinthe - I've always had a taste for this stuff. I even like the harsher varieties that you can find in many European venues. But I've gotta say, this is something you have to try even if you think you hate Absinthe. It's delicious. I have a bottle calling my name in my liquor cabinet right now... -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
10/21/2011 9 photos
EVER WONDER WHERE "EUPHORIA IN A BOTTLE" WAS BORN?
As an alcohol connoisseur (A.K.A true alcoholic), it's only fitting to find out how this magic potion is created.
St. George Spirits is tucked away in the old military bases in Alameda. An "Emotional Support This Way" sign http://www.yelp.com/bi... will lead you into a gothic-skull-vamp themed warehouse with copper pot stills in the back. The front room displays all their delicious distilled spirits and the Tasting Room is where the "magic" happens; well for me at least.
I'm a Grey Goose and Hendrick's girl but after the tastings, I think I'm now a St. George/Hangar One convert. Everything was incredibly smooth with NO strong astringent aftertaste. Locally and organically sourced ingredients are used which makes me feel better about having that extra bottle, erm...I mean shot.
For $15, I enjoyed the following pours which sent me to a very happy place:
1. Pear Eau De Vie: *Carefully listens to Inebriation Professor*
2. Botanivore Gin: *Shakes head in fascination*
3. Terrior Gin: *Face flushes*
4. Dry Rye Gin: *Silly grin*
5. Straight Vodka: *Buzzin'*
6. Buddha's Hand: *Giggles*
7. Firelit Coffee Liqueur (4x the caffeine of coffee): *Starts talking LOUDER*
8. St. George Single Malt Liquor: ( @ _ @ )
9. Breaking & Entering Bourbon: "IS HE (Professor) CUTE?" Uh-oh stage
10. Pear Liqueur: "MmMm, Is this juice?"
11. Raspberry Liqueur: "MmMm, That was yummy, MORE juice please!"
12. 120 Proof Absinthe (My fav): * ~ * ~ *EUPHORICALLY BLASTED* ~ * ~ *
And who says alcohol doesn't cure everything?
OTHER NOTES:
*Hours of operation: Wednesday-Saturday 12PM-7PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM
*Extremely friendly, down-to-earth, and knowledgeable employees
*Perfect for group events, "educational" learning, and weekday FUNdays
*$15 for Basic Training, $20 Specs Ops Training (includes tour & bonus), $30 Cocktail Flight School (groups of 10-30 people)
*Last call for training is 30 minutes before closing
*Drunk munchies available: Sexy Cookies, 4505 Chicharonnes, and Gelato Bars
*Have a DD so it gives you a good "excuse" to kill all their pours (Shhhh!) -
Review from Rich P.
Concord, CA
1/8/2012
A fresh spin on tasting rooms. Their focus though is not on wine or beer but on spirits; gin, vodka, bourbon, whiskey, some liqueurs and absinthe.
Let me preface by saying that Gin and I had a disagreement about 5yrs ago and we've never resolved our differences. Trying the flavored gins was not easy task. It wasn't bad, but it definitely brought up some bad memories.
The vodkas were flavored too and were actually pretty good. There was one vodka that wasn't flavored - it wasn't smooth like I like vodka to be. My friends liked it though.
The bourbon and whiskey were pretty good. They did a great job on both - especially considering they didn't distill the bourbon; it's a blend.
Try the raspberry liqueur - soooo good!
Absinthe was alright. I can't stand the taste of liquorice though, so after a sip I was done. My friends loved it though.
As for the staff - super friendly. They talked with us, shared about the different tastings and made the whole tasting very fun. -
Review from Kim S.
Sacramento, CA
11/12/2011
What a nifty place, indeed. Sampling a few (or 12) spirits while admiring the SF cityscape backdrop in the company of city folk who also appreciate the adult nectar is as pleasurable as a Saturday afternoon gets.
Though the tasting is $15, you get to taste 12 different varieties including gin, vodka, absinthe, and more. Additionally, the alcohol is good quality and you get to keep your tasting glass as a token you are a master at spirits consumption. I myself enjoyed one of the gins and absinthe so much I purchased them on the way out. To add to the already intriguing experience, you get an alternative and hip vibe by the location and the building itself. If you are anywhere within a 50 mile radius and enjoy booze, I strongly encourage you to give this place a shot. I will surely be back.
One word of advice, however, is that is gets packed (think tuna can) on Saturdays later in the afternoon. I actually enjoy rubbing elbows with new folks, but if you prefer to avoid such an occurrence, I would suggest going earlier in the day. Overall, worthy of my 5 star " Woohoo! As good as it gets" rating. -
Review from Art A.
San Francisco, CA
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome tasting. We had a cool guide who walked us through the tour and told us some great stories! I only wish that we could have drank while we toured.
But.. then.. we went into the tasting room and tried about 10 different spirits! So good... in fact.. I've had a couple Hangar One's since then!
Will definitely be back with another group! -
Review from Rodrigo C.
Fairfield, CA
1/3/2012
Great random place that offers a good atmosphere with very knowledgeable staff well worth it.
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Review from Jason H.
Austin, TX
Updated - 10/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I recently came back to the Bay Area for a business trip.
I only had about half an hour to spend at St George, it was Folsom Street Fair and I had to meet up with friends. It was also a busy day at St George, since it was the end of SF Cocktail Week.
I've been living in Austin, TX for over half a year now, and while we can get Hangar One, only one place in the entire city has the St George Absinthe. This was a treat.
To take home, I bought two of the Firelit bottles. So far, everyone here in Texas is enamored, and I knew they would be. Firelit is one of the best liquors to ever be made.
I also bought the Terroir Gin. I didn't have an opportunity to try the other two gins, but this locally sourced gin just sounded right.
I'm a huge fan, I'm nearly 29, and since I turned 21 gin has been my true love. I can honestly say, this is the best gin I've ever had.
St George, keep it up, and find a better way to distribute your non-Vodka products to Texas,.
You all put so much love into your product, and it shows. Keep it up, you magnificent bastards.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/23/2011
I don't even know where to begin with St George Spirits. I've met so many talented, awesome people… Read more »
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Review from Drew P.
San Francisco, CA
8/30/2011
If you drink alcohol, you should take the time to visit the St. George Spirits distillery (aka Hangar One). There's a very educational and entertaining tour available, a tasting room, and a gift shop. But the ultimate experience is the Flight School, where your private party will get to experience a variety of cocktails prepared by some of the best bartenders in the area.
PROS
- Some of the best spirits anywhere
- Learn about how different spirits are made
- It's like going to a vineyard, but not as pompous
CONS
- You absolutely need a designated driver
- No food on premises (although you can bring your own)
TIPS
- Get 10 of your friends together and do the Flight School. Totally worth the experience! -
Review from Mari M.
East Bay, CA
10/2/2011
I've been here at least three times, which makes me sounds like a bit of an alcoholic, but I swear to you I'm not, and I cannot not have a great time here!
The location has a great view of the city. If only the chain link fence wasn't there, it would be a great place to take a photo. Even though it just looks like this huge old hangar on the outside, the inside is crazy sleek and modern.
As for the tastings, I feel it is worth paying the extra to get the absinthe tasting. Try it at least once. I'm not a fan of it myself, but I was glad to have tried it. Here they don't do the whole burning of the sugar cube thing. It's simply served on ice, and it's fun to watch what happens to it. All their liqeurs and spirits were tasty as well. And it was good to learn how to lessen the burn while drinking vodka. I swear it works!
The staff here is young, energetic, and love to talk about what they do. It makes the tasting, tours, and experience in general that much better.
The tour is entertaining and educational. The nerd in me had a good ol' time. -
Review from Stephanie B.
Dublin, CA
1/21/2012
Highly recommend this place! My husband and I were looking for something different to do so we had lunch in downtown Alameda then came here to do some tastings. We took the tour first, which I recommend doing if it's your first visit. It's a little long (1 hour) but our tour guide was entertaining and it was interesting learning about the alcohol making process. They do a really great job of moving traffic through the place (which is probably why the tour is an hour) cause the tastings take about an hour too. Everyone who works there is friendly and pretty knowledgeable about the alcohol and for $15 we tasted 11 different spirits. Overall we had a great time and I would recommend to anyone looking for something different from your typical wine tasting.
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Review from Mark S.
Fremont, CA
10/2/2011
The first time I went there I didn't take the tour, I went straight to the tasting room. I had a nice time trying all concoctions. The server was very knowledgeable, funny and entertaining. I didn't leave empty handed, I bought a bottle of vodka, absinthe, and a T-shirt...
The only gripe I have was the quality of the fabric of the T-Shirts. For the place, the price, and the name of the product you would think they would sell a more durable memento. But the logo is sweet.
I'll be back for the tour and the tasting room again, but not getting another T-Shirt. -
Review from Lee C.
Pasadena, CA
9/28/2011
I've been going to this place for a few years now, and it is as cool today as it has ever been.
For a fair sum, you awarded many of the bountiful gifts which they have to offer. Tastings are fun, informative, and delicious. You are especially lucky when Andi (sp?) is in the house. She's a true gem!
Try to resist the temptation to buy everything you have tasted! -
Review from Michael J.
Alameda, CA
8/29/2011
Did the vodka tasting and tour, the tour was small and free. The staff shouldn't be allowed to drink all day long, poor tour guide kept loosing her train of thought. For the tasting, you get to taste about 10 items for $15.00 a very good price. My favorite was the lemon flavored vodka.
A great thing to do if you have out of town guest or folks outside of Alameda. -
Review from Bryce D.
Palo Alto, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
The GF has been going here for a while and ever since we started dating she has always wanted to take me here. Finally with her best friend in town, we finally went. I'm not much of a big drinker in the first place so I had my reservations about this place before going. We went in, greeted by a nice lady in her "booth", the GF knew her from previous visits, we paid for our tasting and about 10 minutes later we were rushed in to the drinking room. The place was packed with large groups and very loud. Our bartender was Alex...nice guy, it was hard to hear him, but he was very knowledgeable about the samples he was giving. The GF was thrown off, because so much had changed since her last visit, but to me being a newbie, I wouldn't know the difference at all, but I know she was bummed about it. We were there for about 30 minutes, tasting 10-12 different things. I wish we had more time, but it did feel as if you took the shot and it was onto the next one...hurry, hurry, hurry!!! I don't know much about this business, everybody that worked there seemed cool/hip, I wonder if they do reservations for these tastings? I think it would've been better for our group, we were in no hurry and really wanted to experience everything about it, but they had a bunch of groups waiting. I get it...get in, sample and then go....Again, my visit was fun, informative, but i think it could've been much more if given the time.
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Review from Melissa C.
Emeryville, CA
If you like vodka...or any alcoholic spirits for that matter, you gotta try this place. $15 for a pretty robust tasting flight that includes vodka, gin, bourbon, whiskey, fruit infused liqeours and even absinthe! You can't go wrong and it's a great spot to go with a small group. Make sure you eat beforehand or bring some snacks with you because you will get a buzz after the tasting that will get you feeling good. We took the tour and the guide was informative and entertaining. He took us through the distillation process and a little bit about the history of the making of some of their products. I thought it was really interesting and a nice way to walk off the buzz from the tasting beforehand. It gets really crowded, as it's a popular little spot so come early so you don't have to wait too long to get in. Their seasonal spiced pear cider, coffee liqeour and terroir gin are all fantastic.
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Review from Richa A.
8/8/2011
So awesome.
I don't know much about alcohol but I do like to drink it, and I found the tour here really informative and interesting as someone who doesn't follow this stuff at all. I also loved hearing about the vodka and all the flavors and the eau de vie process for it, because I do think it unfairly gets a bad rap.
The space is amazing. You're not going to find anything like this in a city... so I found it well worth the trip to Alameda.
Tasting was great after learning all about it during the tour. So I suggest tour + then tasting. It's also really nice that they let you split the tasting if you so desire. I did that with a friend and still felt like I had more than enough to taste. Our bartender also served us some 'off-menu' items which was cool. They have a coffee liqueur right now which is awesome. Very friendly and fun atmosphere.
There was a food cart outside (on a Saturday) so even though they don't sell food in the distillery, there appears to be that as an option. They also sell bar gelato ice cream bars inside for $3 a pop ($1.99 at Whole Foods...)
They sell all of their products there but also some cool cocktail/barware items, although pretty expensive.
A note on getting here from SF using public trans: there is the ferry option but that's kind of expensive, and then buses from BART which takes longer, so we opted to BART + bike. The bike ride from 12th st. Oakland BART is quick but I don't recommend it because you have to bike along the Webster tube which Google Maps thinks is a bike route, but it really isn't/shouldn't be. Super narrow lane really meant for foot traffic. -
Review from Selina L.
Hercules, CA
7/14/2011
I LOVE Hanger1! I have a whole set of souvenir glasses from them now... after 4 trips to this place.
Reasons I love Hanger1:
- I enjoy fruit infused drinks
- I like vodka
- tasting fee is only $10 for 10 tastings
- free tours
- hula hoops to play with
- the servers are super friendly and fun
One thing I do not like is the black tea liquor in the tasting menu. That just tastes disgusting to me. When I went back for tastings the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th times, I just asked them not to give me any of that one.
My favorite ones are still Buddha's hand vodka and Raspberry liqueur. Oh and the coffee liqueur is delicious too....got a bottle of those in my bar =) -
Review from Josh K.
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
To be able to taste so many different kinds of top-drawer drinks for $15, and participate in a free tour of a funky and awesome distillery, makes this an easy five stars. I came once with friends and liked it so much I took my dad here for a late Father's Day present. He was so moved that he bought the jumbo bottle of absinthe after the tour.
Best thing is you can get drunk and then de-class yourself with food, sake, and beer at the famous Sushi House in downtown Alameda. (I haven't done this yet, but I really want to.) -
Review from Nader F.
Mountain View, CA
8/8/2011
I went here for the tasting and tour.
Tasting: Pretty standard. I got to try 9ish different spirits. Most of them were great. I'm not a huge fan of vodka in general though. The absinthe, single malt, and various eau de vie were rather tasty. I did find the tasting rather rushed though but that's understandable as they get rather busy on the weekends.
Tour: interesting but a little too "bro" for my taste. I love hearing about the actual distillation process, company history, etc. However, I could do without the crude humor and constant competitor bashing. If your product speaks for itself (which it does) there is no need to constantly brag about it and bash everyone else on the tour. It felt rather immature. -
Review from Jeff R.
Oakland, CA
11/5/2011
You don't see much of the alcohol-making process, and there isn't even a place to sit + it's all concrete. Some guy pours out a few sips of 12 different alcohols made by St. George's Spirits, giving a little marketing spiel for each one. Then once you're slightly buzzed it's time to go to the gift shop. So really it felt like you're paying to be marketed to.
Flavored vodkas are not my thing, but to my mind they're clearly the best drink offered. The whiskeys were awful, the fruit and coffee drinks were fun but unbalanced, and the gins were interesting but not really gin, although if you like Bombay Sapphire you might like them.
I recommend just buying Lime or Buddha's Hand vodka with a friend or two and hanging out at the park overlooking the estuary that's on the drive up. Absolutely beautiful views of San Francisco and Bay. Uhhh...actually I guess that's illegal in Alameda. -
Review from Jay F.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2011
Rude service, plain and simple.
We celebrated a birthday with 22 in our group- each paying $30 for their tasting- and until the last 30 minutes had a great time.
We started upstairs with a mixology class and tasting and this was fun. Ann and Sasha were our mixers and although enjoyable, we noticed the energy just wasn't there. Both seemed tired and just going through the motions but we enjoyed Ann's informational dialogue.
Next was the tour- fantastic energy! Paulie, the coolest tour guide ever, was so, so funny. This is where the confusion began. During the tour, we were told to taste the absinthe and seasonal infused pear vodka after the tour. We assumed this was part of the tour as he kept saying to stop by the bar. We now understand that this was being offered to those who were walking the tour and who had not already done a tasting. With such a large group however, not everyone understood this and thus ensued the horrible service from your staff.
Upon ending the tour, we all proceeded to the downstairs bar to taste the absinthe and pear vodka. One staffer welcomed 5 of us to the bar. She asked for our receipt and when one mentioned that we paid and were given the dog tags, she began setting up a first pour. It was at this time that a second staffer approached us and told us that we could not be served. There was an explanation that we cold not be served anymore alcohol. Not understanding the reason, we felt that she was implying that we were intoxicated, which was not the case at all. There was an extreme failure in communicating the policy to us and our large group stepped outside.
While outside, we were communicating among ourselves as to why we could not taste the absinthe and seasonal vodka and discussing whether we wanted to make purchases of bottles instead when Sasha, who was part of our mixology team, approached our group and asked if we had a problem. She then asked if we had a problem with her, as she could see through the window that we were 'pointing at her' and 'talking loudly'. This was unbelievable to us! Honestly, this appeared personal and while there was confusion to some as to why we couldn't be served, there was never any personal comment made of any staff, especially of her. The mother of the birthday girl, whom at this point just wanted to leave, approached Sasha and voiced her concerns regarding the unprofessional service. We were given tickets for future tastings but we left appalled at how we were treated to begin with.
Should we have arranged our party differently? Is it the policy that if you taste prior to a tour that you simply cannot taste again? Who knows?
I Yelped about our experience and someone with St. George Spirits responded asking for details about our experience. I emailed them 13 days ago and have received no explanation.
