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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
2601 Monarch St.Wed-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Yes. I learned about the science and art of distilling.
Yes. The tour was awesome.
Most importantly - I drank and got fairly drunk for $10 on a Saturday afternoon at about $1 a shot (maybe half shot).
This place is great as an weekend field trip with friends, and is on my list of not-so-typical-tourist-must-stops when I have friends visiting from out of town. Everyone's been to a winery, who's been to a distillery?
The booze is exceptional, and something special - The St. George Whiskey is FANTASTIC, even if you're not a whiskey person; the Chipotle vodka makes a KILLER bloody mary; the sweeter, more syrupy liquors - the tea stuff, the aquas - drizzle that over some vanilla ice cream with a mint leaf, or a strawberry on top, and you could throw down with Bobby Flay!
I try to do as much shopping as I can from Mom and Pop shops...this is my favorite Mom and Pop...because of the booze, if you didn't catch that.
Thanx.
I will be lying if I didnt say this place was amazing! It was the first time I tried their spirits, and I promise you it will not be the last. I mean, they were all so good and smooth and hand crafted and organic and... I can go on for ever singing the praises of this place.
The staff was extremely friendly, and the tour guide was the best. She was funny, insightful and educational.
My brother-in-law and I got the "deluxe" tasting package for $15 and were on cloud nine! After sipping three fruit liquors, some six vodkas, whiskey and two desert drinks, we got to the deluxe portion of the sampling, the ABSINTHE. I've had some in Amsterdamage, and it was great. This absinthe brought back all the joyful memories of my first drink. Im so glad they make and distribute the green fairy state side now.
It's a really great place to visit in a really unsuspecting location.
Big Big fan of their vodka, so when I found out they had a tour (and in my hometown no less!) I was ecstatic like an alcoholic finally getting their fix after having to sit through months of 12 step groups.
The place is located in the old navy base. I thought it was charming that "hangar 1 vodka" was located in hangar 1...ah the logic is too much to bear! Anyways, they have a great local story and its really nice to see small businesses like them succeed over giants like smirnoff by stressing quality over quantity. We ended up doing the vodka tour and tasting.
The tour is funny, entertaining, and educational for anyone who doesn't know how spirits, cordials and etc are made. Our tour guide was hilarious as he explained the history behind some of their spirit creations. I won't say anything cause I don't want to spoil you, but our tour guide delivered all his punch lines and expressions on key.
The tasting room is awesome at 10 dollars for a dozen slightly less than 1/2 ounce shots. You get to try their complete lineup of alcohols including the whiskeys and cordials. 5 dollars more gets you the absinthe. Our bartender was attentive whiles juggling 5 other tasters and educating us on the process in which each spirit was made. You get to take home the tasting glass when you're done.
Definitely check this place out even if you've never heard of them before. You'll come away appreciating the care of small businesses and get a first class education on distilling. If you're too far away, do yourself a favor and ask your local bartender if he stocks their hangar 1 vodka. If he does, have him make a lemon drop, martini or bloody mary with it. You will taste a huge difference.
My old boss recommened me to check to this place.
I took my date for the tour and $15 sampling.
For $10 you get to sample a dozen vodka/brandy and such. An additional $5 gets you a sample of the Abstinyth (spelling). A small bottle of this costs $75.
The tour was pretty educational, taught u difference between classification of vodka, brandy and other liquors.
Imo this is a perfect cheap date place. For 10 bucks, you get enough liquor to get a buzz on and be able to do whatever :)
I'm definitely showing all my future ladies this distillery. Too bad they dun have this at night as 2 rounds of this would be sufficient to get drunk, great way to get drunk!!!
The location is somewhat hard to find but quite worth it.
As a frequent Yelper I am disappointed that it has taken this long to write a review for St. George Spirits (Hanger One Brand) at Hanger 21 in Alameda.
I am a frequent visitor of St. George and an absolute fan (pun intended) of Hanger One Vodkas! I encourage you to take the quick trip under the bay to visit what this distillery has to offer. Not only will you enjoy vodka and Aqua Azul tasting but you will learn some amazing facts about vodka and the distilling process.
I really enjoy ALL the staff at St. George Spirits but Andie takes the cake for sure! Special thanks to her for making our first few trips amazing, which has made us returning customers.
Keep `still`en cause we'll keep coming!
This place is dangerous! I work a few blocks away and frequently daydream about their whiskey when I should be concentrating on spreadsheets. They are seriously messing with my job security. I need to be sober when I come back from lunch. The Chipotle Vodka is amazing.
Situated on the abandoned Navy barracks, we were surprised to walk into a small bar area packed with people who were there chatting up a storm.
I don't usually comment on pricing, but this place blows other bars out of the water... err or vodka. However you like.
For less than $15, you can try 10+ different kinds of spirits along with their specialty drinks you can't get anywhere else. And yes, you can get pretty trashed here. The bartenders are knowledgeable and kind, always filling your glasses and making sure you're at a pace you can comfortably enjoy the liquor.
I ended up bringing home the liquor you can only get there: their chipotle vodka. I love the burn. I'm slapping them a 5 star high five for a great experience.
Thanks to my poor event planning skills I needed to find a last minute place to host a mild mannered bachelor party for the brother. I was able to get in contact with Andie (the awesome Vodka Vixen) three days before the event and lock in a tour and their upstairs private tasting room bar thingy.
The tour
OMG Andie is funny and awesome. We were super lucky to chat with Lance Winters (evil genius) as he mashed up some tasty pears. Tour lasted an hour and they were kind enough to do a quick tasting prior to the tour. Would recommend an hour of tasting before the tour to prime your boat. Now a couple of kegs would make this part perfect.
The bar
I am a huge fan of glass, metal and wood homage to drinking. The upstairs private bar has a bitchin aluminum covered bar shaped in the fashion of an aircraft's wing. Add in an amazing library of booze (with very cool lighting / switches), first class seats (literally), world class view of SF, and the nicest people around and you have a fantastic experience.
We had the run of the bar for 2 hours (at $30 per head). Well worth it considering the amount of items we tasted and the awesome service. Would recommend bringing mucho food and planning on a BBQ in the parking lot. You know, settle down for a long afternoon on a Saturday in Alameda.
The booze
It was awesome that we were off to other places after visiting St. George's as I would have dropped way too much money on bottles. Here are a couple highlights about the libations:
Vodka - Sweet, smooth, and bout the best sipping vodka overall. Add real fruit to the process and you have both excellent tasting sips, but a perfect base for making new and exciting drinks.
Liqueur - The Qi Black Tea liqueur is fn amazing. Would easily sit down with this, pour it all over myself, and loose myself in a drunken haze while writing love notes to the governator.
Absinthe - First off, I hate anise. Generally I find absinthe one of the lowest forms of booze. But, St. George's absinthe was awesome. Did not love the hours of aftertaste but it is hard to say that is was the absinthe, the pounds of bbq or spending 2+ hours tasting hard liquor.
So much more good drinks but these were the ones that rocked my boat. Well that and the tequila. Ooh boy was that tasty.
Very good Vodka made in my hometown. I've tried the Absinthe and it is very good also. The whiskey is very smooth. And their pepper vodka is very unique. A great place to take a friend.
They offer samples. Usually for $10 you can have a sample of everything. The people there are friendly and did I mention this is my Hometown?
Also you can bring your own bbq grill and chill with friends there. Just make sure you don't drink and drive.
I'm very depressed. Okay so maybe I'm just not appreciating fine vod and liquors or whatever, BUT I'm sorry, I just did not appreciate this place. I've been planning a trip to the Hangar for approximately 2 years now [yes, I'm stupid.... I live like 45 minutes away, I could've gone at any point, but I haven't] and it definitely did not live up to its hype.
Two words: warm vodka. I don't care if the flavors are more potent when its warm. I don't care that the cold masks it... I want my vodka cold. AND if I'm paying for the freaking thing, you should let me have some ice in there.
Oh and whoever hyped up absinthe.... you are completely stupid. Absinthe is disgusting... after drinking the tiniest sip, I felt like I had just left the dentist's office. Total fuzzy mouth. AND it tasted like crap.
Only pro: the rasberry liquor and the pear liquor [the last two things on the tasting menu]... and btw, these were the only two things served cold :P
WOW!! 12 tastings that includes 5 vodkas, 2 brandies, 1 whisky and 4 liqueurs for $10...add $5 and have their absinthe!! I had a great time here with the boyfriend and some girlfriends that became rather tipsy by the 8th tasting. My recommendation would be to go after having some type of filling meal. They have mini snacks, but they're just that. You can purchase their different liquor here for competitive prices. The staff~~~ they're awesome. Super fun- super knowledgeable. They're tucked away in the back of an old Navy base, but I did feel that it added to the experience. What an awesome spot to get a nice buzz on a warm Saturday afternoon.
Sometimes the name just fits the product.
St. George just sounds like a pretty darn good whiskey. When I first tried it out not too long ago, I was blown away by its subtle oaky flavor. That was their lot 6 whiskey. Their lot 7 was just a good but with a nice cocoa flavor to boot.
When I dropped by Hangar One headquarters recently, I felt like Charlie on tour in Wonka's chocolate factory. But this was much more awesome!
Ohhh this is where the magic happens!! I tried their $10 tasting menu. The bartenders were a blast to hang out with because they were laid back, funny, totally enjoyed what they were doing and also they kept pouring the good stuff!
I enjoyed almost everything in their lineup except for one. I won't say which one but I think these guys are total mad alchemists in the ways of liqour. I mean this in a good way.
The short version is that the product is outstanding, the people are cool, the tour is worthwhile, and the view admirable. Anyone who considers themselves a vodka connoisseur should visit, and Bay Area folks can feel good about supporting an outstanding local business.
The long version, the full context for this most deserving of five-star reviews, goes all the way back to when I was in portfolio school, where my instructor worked at the ad agency (Clarity Coverdale Fury) that helped launch Belvedere and Chopin, the first ultra-premium vodkas in the U.S. He and his colleagues went over to Poland to find a good distillery, researched all the other vodkas, and so forth--months, if not years, of work.
So he was an expert, and would rant periodically about Grey Goose (crap, but great promotions; did you know that "grain neutral spirits" means they can put whatever they want in there, i.e. whatever grain's cheapest? It's produced at the same place as the swill vodka they sell for 7 Euros. At H1, however, they specify they always use wheat), Absolut (not good, but of course the trailblazer in branding what was formerly a faceless liquor category), and other vodkas.
Inspired by him, since then I've done extensive blind tastings myself to compare various premium vodkas out there: Ketel One (best for the money), Skyy (the first to make a shtick of multiple distillations--though actually that strips personality, and H1 is only distilled once!), van Gogh, Stoli, and others. But after trying Hangar One though, there's no going back.
Dude. Duuuuuuude. Whoa. I mean, like, really. Totally.
If you drink vodka, come here for a tasting. If you DON'T drink vodka, come here and you will be converted. Everything everyone else says in their review is true: $10, 12 tastings, one of them tastes like smoke, all of them taste like awesome.
You will be drunk. You will be happy. You will need someone sober to drive you home.
I had a great time here. The only downside was trying to find the actual hanger on the base. Even though there were signs, I still managed to get lost. The tour guide was very knowledgeable; because of him I now have a deeper appreciation for vodka. I also love they distilled and bottled their spirits locally. I'm all about drinking my view. My only advice is to bring some food. They sell chips and corn nuts, but you might want to have something heavier on your stomach. Oh yeah and the hanger has an awesome view of San Francisco.
Hangar One blows me away: 12 tastings of high quality vodka, brandy, whisky and more for one incredibly high payment of....$10. All while the bartenders play good tunes and describe the fascinating process behind making this top-shelf liquid courage. The liquors are infused with fruits such as mandarin orange, raspberry, lime and the one and only chipotle fruit (this was the only one I didn't really like, but I'm sure it's better mixed than by itself). All of it goes down smooth, and although I'm not really a vodka drinker and have no experience with anything above the Grey Goose price point, this is definitely the best vodka I've had.
If you make it through all 12 samples, unless you're a full blown alcoholic, you will be fit shaced and shouldn't be driving (take the ferry!), let alone leave your party. I made the mistake of blowing through my "shots" too quickly. By the time I finished my ninth, "Erik was no longer Erik" (Harlow 1868); the vodka had taken hold. As the Hangar One Gods slipped the most elegant and lightweight pair of vodka goggles over my head and eyes, I unabashedly started to joke and flirt with some hoochie mamas in the group next to mine. Fortunately my friends pryed me away as soon as my NEW best friends busted out a bottle of Hangar One's Absinthe.
If you find yourself in Alameda, this place and Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge (over on Lincoln) are two MUST-TRY spots!
I'll keep this brief, since you can get plenty of play by play in all the other reviews, but YOU MUST GO! It's pretty much a moral imperative.
Lance is a superlative host whose hospitality is only matched by his hilarity and spirit...but then again, I suppose that's the booze talking.
There's so much more to this place than vodka...you never know what goodies they'll have hiding in the back.
rye, 5-year apple brandy, and something just a bit more out of left field:
http://tinyurl.com/p9fwq5
For Mother's Day (the day before the actual holiday) I decided to take myself out for a date to the one place I have been DYING to visit for a long time.
When I got there I cried out "Honey, I'm hooooooome!" ::laughing::
EVERYONE who knows me knows I love Hangar One vodka. I do not "prefer" it - I LOVE it! I am notorious for begging my 5 star rated restaurants to carry it so that I can be a regular in their establishment - that is how seriously I take Hangar One and my martinis.
I have been a fan of this hand made vodka since my first taste of that now infamous WASABI VODKA! ::laughing:: I graduated on to "straight" and never looked back because all the other "Premium" vodkas were shit and I knew it. I do not need ANYONE telling me what I should like - I have a nose, a tongue, eyes, and a brain. I know what I like and I will not settle. Hangar One is the vodka for me because I pick quality over quantity and Hangar One is a solid quality vodka!
Andie, the "Vodka Vixen" had me completely captivated as she skillfully weaved "stand-up comedian/hot teacher" combo to a mosh pit of "students" held rapt by the WIlly Wonka-ish equipment. All I know is she filled my brain with so many factoids on top of the ones I already knew. I swore there would be an SAT style test at the end and I was gonna pass it because she was THAT GOOD and it was THAT ENTERTAINING!
To prove I am an apt pupil by sharing highlights of what she taught me or I already knew here it is - post tasting of 12 shots:
* Syphillis is not good no matter what they say on Craigslist. (Andie said this one you have to be there to appreciate the context in which she utilized that one - i'm not even kidding, she is that awesome!)
* Alcohol = good times
* Alcohol abuse = wasting perfectly good alcohol
* Those frosted bottles that call themselves "Premium", ask
yourself how does what's in the bottle taste. BAD stuff inside (I agree!)
* If you smell it and it doesn't smell good, don't drink it (I agree!)
* All this talk of "filtering, triple filtering, charcoal filtering" is BS - ask
yourself WHAT are they filtering out of this vodka I am about to
drink? Hangar One is not trying to filter anything out of that bottle of
hand made yumminess!
* Hangar One straight is produced with Viognier grapes grown in Lodi
and wheat (but I am wheat intolerant! ::gasp::)
* Vodka was made well before the discovery of potatoes so why do
"purists" claim "true" vodka is made out of potatoes? Vodka can be
made out of strawberries or anything really!
* The infused flavors of Hangar One ALSO contain the fruit that was
infused for (Andie's words) "added deliciousness" ::laughing::
* Most vodkas have one strong note - Hangar One is a "symphony in
your mouth because of the delicious fruit - in it's entirety, in each
hand made bottle" (I am literally quoting Andee verbatim).
* Drinking St George Spirits is a great way to get your 5 servings of
fruits and veggies each day because they pack a LOT of fruit into their
bottles!
The tour was free, but if there were a fee, I would have been more than happy to pay for it because it was THAT GOOD - Andie is AMAZING!!
The tasting was everything I could ever want and soooo much more! I loved tasting the vodka I have loved for years and years ("Straight") because for some reason, it made me all teary eyed and goose-pimply because this taste is so familiar to me, I would know it even just by scent. I liked trying infusions even thought they are not my favorites with the exception of one: Chipotle . That is a staple for my Bloody Marys - you can ONLY get Chipotle through the tasting room. I loved the music and how it got progressively louder as the tasting went on because we were a lively bunch, as I am sure all the peeps probably get in there! It is all that love in the bottle coming out!::laughing::
Interestingly enough, I had no desire to buy Absinthe. Andie gives a great talk about that and Laudinum in the sugar cubes in the olden days that I already knew about which is probably why I was unimpressed to buy it. PLUS, I know what wormwood is used for today ::ahem:: and it ain't to hallucinate.
Bought a t-shirt to show my love and a case of my beloved vodka and aperitifs!
Oh, I am such a fobby girl, I packed a lunch before going and lo! They have picnic tables outside with umbrellas that made for a fine post tasting lunch! There is also ample parking, so make it a day for you and your sweetheart to try delicious handcrafted spirits passionately made here in the Bay Area.
I have loved Hangar One for years and now that I have visited the distillery, I can honestly say they truly do EVERYTHING right, and that is why they garner 5 well earned stars from me for product, tour, and tasting! Thank you for being my pre-mother's day present to myself!
* I posted my photos of my visit here to my personal gallery. Guess what I am drinking on Mother's Day? ::laughing::
I DON'T LIKE VODKA...
But I LOOOOOVE Hanger One...even the non-flavored kind...
GO HERE! Take the ferry, enjoy the walk to and from, and then eat at Taylor's Refresher in the Ferry Building to lessen your drunkenness when you get back...lol
The staff is really friendly and super groovy...great music...fantastic booze...
Loved the flavors, but especially liked the regular vodka...very smooth...
I want to go to an open house...cocktails, tastings, music, food and more! If you hear about a St George Spirits open house and have the day off---GO!
I wish I could give this place a 10, cause I would in a heart beat. I saw the reviews on it and they were spot on. This is one of the coolest places I've been to and they have THE BEST line of liquors going. They are so versatile, it's freakin' SICK!!!!! Everything here was good... Naw, it was AMAZING!!!! My wife doesn't drink liquor, because she says it has too much of a grainy/alcoholy/burning taste to it. Well, she absolutely loved their liquors. It's so smooth, it's dangerous. The absinthe was OFF DA CHAIN! I am so hoping we can find this back in Chucktown when we get back. If not, I am demanding they start carrying it.
The coolest thing though, is that one of the bartenders, Sasha, is from Chucktown! Here I am, 3,000 miles away and the chick behind the counter is from Chucktown! We even knew some of the same people! What a small world indeed. If you are ever in NorCal, make it a point to come here. You will be very glad you did. I bet my wife on it!
We came here on a warm Saturday afternoon thirsty for the taste of vodka! There are some picnic tables out front of the distillery so we had a nice little picnic prior to our tasting to fill our stomachs up. For $10 you get a plethora of tastings, for $15 you can top off everything with a tasting of absinthe. Naturally, we opted for absinthe at the end! Your pourer will take you through brandy, vodka, whiskey, different sweet liquers, then absinthe. Everything is served at room temperature so that you can really taste the alcohol...and you really do. I am pretty sure I made a sour face after each tasting. So classy and refined of me. The tour is pretty lengthy but gives you a great history of the distillery as well as booze making facts. My husband enjoyed it since he brews his own beer. After about 45 min of being on my feet the whole tour, I got pretty tired and restless. Overall, it's a very fun experience and a great way to get together with a group of friends and try something unique.
On a sunken Monday night I poured myself the first slow slug from the 375ml bottle of the St. George single malt whiskey given to me by a now fleeted lady who handed it as a going away gift. My fridge in this Brooklyn apartment is on the fritz jolting the freezer to a record high 38 degrees and I'm sifting through semi frozen burritos and bagels encased in bags soaked in water droplets. There is no saving the ice in the tray as I stare at it.....the bubble trapped underneath and punching for the surface which is a thin chip layer about 3 millimeters down from the plastic siding. I brake a few of the chips off with my fingers and place them in the glass....the smaller ones dissolving almost immediately....that nearest whiskey turning a little more opaque than the surrounding drink. A quick swirl of the glass as I make my way towards my room and sort my way past done laundry and into the seat facing my desk which is littered with collage material and letters gone unsent. A quick sip immediately because I love making a grand entrance and stealthy notes of oak cask and dark chocolate slosh around while subtle and more shy vanilla notes graze by and finish. The rest of the chips melt and the taste becomes a bit more calm and I'm thinking "man I've really found it." There are the days of Jameson and Knob Creek when one is lost in the mood or the old tale song of the man in the back of the room trying to save his soul. Then there are these days that I've found myself in awash in the complexities of the finer things of life in a craft that spans for ages.
I take a quick refreshing gulp and pour myself another...this time pouring a few droplets of water from an emptied out Gatorade bottle.....because let's face it....one of us has to breath and I'm the one catching short sighs and gasps in my ten by twelve sized room with the cigarette and incense smoke floating about my head. The bottle is half done and the fan by my shelf is vibrating the tabletop....the liquid inside the bottle doing quick subtle ripples inside. And by the time the clock struck one that bottle would be reduced to just that......that soft peaty soothing comfort resting in the glass eyed memyself staring at the computer screen.
Every man in life needs to find his poison. And St. George might be mine.
This place is so fan-damn-stastically fun, it's ridiculous!! I wish I could give it more stars for the awesome service we received here. I came here with eight friends for a birthday celebration yesterday and we all had the BEST time! And I don't even like vodka! :)
I arranged this by calling a week ahead of time and booking a private tasting table, complete with your own knowledgeable pourer. For parties of 12 and under, they have you at a table in the tasting room. For parties of 12 and more, they'll put you in the distillery warehouse. And if you do end up in the distillery warehouse, just be aware that your tastings will cost $15 per person. Otherwise, the standard tasting is $10 pp.
The first thing I noticed was that everyone that was working in this place looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves and that just created a great vibe already. We joined the 1pm tour, expertly given by Andy, which was super informative and very entertaining! Then went and paid for our tasting before going to our table with Brad as our pourer. Let me be completely clear here, you WILL get pretty tipsy and for $10, this is an awesome value. Brad was tons of fun! We tried so many types of yummy flavoured vodkas and liquers... Most of them didn't even taste alcoholic - it just tasted like juice! Then at the end, you get to keep the little shot glass :)
We all walked out with at least one bottle of alcohol, and matching t-shirts, ha! Yep, THAT'S how much fun we all had!! We all joined the "Drinking Squadron," and you should too!!
I highly recommend this to everyone!! Just wish they had a club (a la wine clubs) so they can send me a bottle a month :D
P.S. Grey Goose, I don't think we can be friends anymore. I've just realised that you can't give me what I need.
Do the tour. It makes the experience more interesting, you'll enjoy your visit more when you have a better understanding of why this vodka is special and delicious. Brad was fun, and the vodka vixen, I think her name is Andy (Andie?) was informative, humorous, and personable.
Five stars for the chipotle vodka. I'm going to make the most kick ass bloody marys ever. EVER.
I agree with the rest of the reviews! It's a fun way to spend the day; go for the vodka tastings and… Read more »
Missed the tour, which I'm sure is great. But the tasting session is well worth the $10 you spend. I'm not a big vodka fan, but I came here for a buddy's birthday toast earlier today. It's also in my home town, so I had to show some love.
Anyways, about 12 tasters, not limited to vodka; some whiskey, brandies, and sweet pear and raspberry liquors going on. Nonetheless, great range of St. George spirits and Hangar One vodkas. The lime vodka stood out and tasted like a really strong liquid skittle. The whiskey had some kick and grab (yes, I felt both). Despite being a whiskey drinker, I couldn't take more than a sample- too roasty. The surprise was the Chipotle vodka with habenero and other goods...very spicy, and different.
I walked out with my tasting glass, a good buzz, great laughs with friends, and an immediate hunger for a Nations burger!! Check out the hangar in A-town!
Came in for a quick visit and had the complementary tasting of the Qi White Tea Liqueur. It was quite good and the bartenders were very nice. When I get a chance to head back, for sure I'll be doing the full tasting.
I first became acquainted with Hangar One at a charity event for work. After an embarrassing f-bomb in front of the boss I decided that the best thing to do was go talk to the vodka booth. For business purposes only of course (I was tweeting about the event...)
I walked over and asked them if they tweeted. They looked at me like I was crazy but gave me some excellent quotes. Then it was time to sample to goods. Mmmm...kefir lime vodka you were so delicious on that hot awkward day.
So after the event, I couldn't stop thinking about this great vodka. I wanted to try all of them. As chance would have it, my best friends came to visit last weekend and in my research I found this: http://7x7.com/content.... $10 tastings at St. George Spirits?! I'm there!!
It turned out to be an even better deal than expected. We arrived in time for the tour (which I HIGHLY recommend) and discovered that for ten bucks you get to sample 12 spirits. The vodka vixen led the tour. Amazing. I didn't think I could learn that much about distilling, infusions, and sexual innuendos in one hour! Needless to say, I was ready to taste.
My friend took meticulous notes on each taste - I just put a happy face next to the ones I liked: Keffir Lime vodka, Chipotle vodka, the St. George Single Malt Whiskey, and the Aqua Perfecta Pear Liqueur. One of my friends thought that the Qi Black Tea Liqueur tasted like smoked cheese. I would have loved to try the Chipotle vodka in a bloody mary and had more time to sip on the Single Malt. C'est la vie - next time I'm at a fancy bar I'll ask for it.
All in all, a fantastic way to spend the afternoon!
I've heard of food tastings, wine tastings, and even beer tastings....but VODKA tasting? That's what I thought before coming in. And just the idea of coming in at noon from a late night of drinking just seems like torture. But this was for my friend's birthday and it was very much worth going for. The idea of it was although intimidating, but also something definitely worth checking out.
We had the private group tasting and it was very well structured and took place behind the glass windows. We had about 12 tastings for only $15 I think and if you think about it, it's a really good price to get for about the equivalent of 6 shots. The infused vodkas were tasty and put a new twist on what I normally take in for shots of vodka. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Never would i sip on it, but this experience has taught me otherwise. There was one whiskey (they made that too I guess) but it was very smokey and I could just imagine kicking back with a bbq rib in hand and sippin on that. It's great how each taste makes you think of a particular something.
(http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
In the end, even after battling a hangover, it wasn't enough. We went for another round of tasting, this time with tequila. (yes, why of all?) and it was actually good. It's not your average cuervo gold or stuff like that, although it wasn't patron either, but I certainly did not complain. They also have ABSINTHE! if you like the herbal taste, its definitely worth trying, and it's also fun just to watch how it's served because you're suppose to let it turn milk as it mixes with ice. Who knew?
I'm really a bourbon man. Been drinking the shit almost daily for the past 6 years.
Okay, fine--it *has* been daily, alright? I'm functional!
But after just *one* visit to St George Spirits' distillery, I know more about vodka (a booze I had dismissed as "tasting like Scotch tape") than I do about my beloved brown, sour corn mash spirit.
It's amazing the difference Between Popov and Hangar One.
They make some nutty shit here--like the Qi lapsang souchong tea-infused vodka drink (like drinking a bbq grill--there's a certain light under which that sounds pretty f'ing good). And they also have the very first domestic post-ban American absinthe. Distilled right here in the East Bay (eat it, West Bay, i.e. SF).
The tastings are best during the week--you get the pourers all to yourself and can dedicate some CPU cycles to processing the vast amount of information about vodka, brandy, and distillation that they will--with just a little encouragement--barrage you with.
You must go here. These folks are grade-A, world-fucking class. And they're only *kinda* pushy if you don't buy anything when the tasting ends.
GREAT place to visit!!! A friend planned a bday party here for her BF, and it's the PERFECT place to do a birthday thing. It's unique, b/c most people have never gone "liqueur" tasting, and they probably will never go again. hahaha.
We had a big group of 18, and they accommodated us with a private tasting on a table set up in the warehouse part of the distillery. They explained everything to us about each alcohol, and SURPRISINGLY, many of them were really really good!! As a background, my college years have caused me to have a gag reflex so sensitive, that even if I drink water that I think is vodka, I will heave. hahaha. TMI? My favorite was a "buddha's hand" vodka...SO tasty.
My boyfrend and I stayed and watched the tour as well (the rest of the drunken group retreated to the bar early), which was really cool and taught me a lot about the vodka making process. I suggest everyone try this once in their lives!!! Also, on a nice day, this is a GORGEOUS way to see SF from across the bay :)
My love for Hangar One should be carved onto the side of a proverbial tree. Every spirit that's distilled is utter perfection. The tasting menu is well thought out, starting with the brandies, moving through vodkas, tea liqueurs, then single malt whiskey and the added tequilas for an extra $10 (total $20). Just a few weeks ago St. George's released the first absinthe produced in the US since 1912. Remarkable. Upon exit my friend literally purchased the entire list. These guys make it easy to go local.
It's also a small miracle I can type right now.
An essential destination for any lover of spirits. Located in an warehouse area on the water of… Read more »
Went back to the Hangar yesterday to do a tour/tasting with some friends who hadn't been and it was EVEN BETTER THAN LAST TIME. The tour was led by the "Vodka Vixen," who was kind enough to shoot me a nice message on Yelp after my last review, and she is absolutely hilarious. The tour was frought with puns and innuendo, both of which I really appreciated. It seemed like everybody appreciated her sense of humor, actually. There's nothing funnier (or more tragic) than "alcohol abuse." Take the tour and see what I mean.
Right now they have some awesome seasonal stuff. Last time they had raspberry vodka, which they are now sadly sold out of, but they have replaced it with spiced pear vodka. In the words of the bartender who poured for my group, "it tastes like Christmas." One of my friends remarked that the spices made it taste a bit like Chai, which didn't seem too far off to me. I had to buy a bottle, of course.
And to Reina G: Since you disagreed with me about how much booze is included in the tasting despite my insisting that I actually asked the bartenders, I got a little bit more information. If you do the tasting, they will give you a 1oz glass, which they will fill about 1/3 of the way each time. 10 servings * 1/3 oz = 3.3 oz. A shot has 1.5 oz of liquor, so you are getting about 2 shots worth. AND, in case you were not already convinced that the tasting is not that much booze, two of the bartenders agreed that the amount of alcohol you get is about equivalent to ordering one martini at a bar. If you do the absinthe tasting or the tequile (which is delicious), you may become more drunk. If you take the tour, though, you will find out that the goal of Hangar One isn't necessarily to get you drunk, but to provide alcohol with rich flavor that you can truly appreciate... while you get drunk.
Just to be clear, I think that the tasting is great and didn't feel like I really had to have more booze at 2pm. I just included it to show that it is perfectly safe to drive to the Hangar (depending, of course, on your ability to handle 2 shots) so you don't have to deal with the ferry.
I love Hangar One Vodka. It's all I drink, so a trip to the distillary seemed like an obvious move… Read more »
Skip the Sam's trip next weekend and hop on the ferry to Alameda for the vodka tasting. Make sure you arrive with the number of people you specified or they'll give you a bit of grief...
They give you the shots rapid fire so it's a bit rough. No chasers though, as it's "not a bar, you're here to taste it." They let you sample 15 different liquors, all are unique and absolutely delicious. Some (the orange blossom) are a bit more delicious than others (chipotle)....but that's for you to decide.
Ok, so I didn't actually do the tasting here. This review is based solely on the tour and watching hordes of other people do the tasting and get fu**ed up.
A bus load of drunkards arrived just as we did. As any self-respecting drunkard (do those exist??) would, they all went straight for the extensive vodka/assorted spirit tasting (mmm....spirit tasting). We, in turn, ran for the tour in the warehouse next door.
About 80% of what the tour guide (who does the whole tour like the Crocodile Hunter on crystal meth...but in a fun way) was saying was inaudible because of the bastards next door. As most people do, they got increasingly louder as they got increasingly drunker.
When the tour was finally over (it's about an hour), the drunkards would NOT leave. After someone talks about how great booze is for an hour, all you want is booze. PRONTO. The drunkards took about 45 minutes to finally clear out of the bar as we loomed over them like vultures circling a dying elephant in the Sahara.
The moral of this story is:
A) Don't volunteer to be the designated driver--take a cab, ferry, rickshaw, what have you...just don't drive. Oh and Derek S.: you lie! This is a hell of a lot more than two shots worth and you WILL get drunk. Especially if you do the absinthe tasting too.
B) Call ahead and ask if they have any buses coming for the tour that afternoon. If so, get wasted on vodka at home, preferably with friends.
I did like this place BTW. It has that cool, yuppie warehouse feel that I so covet. I just wish I could have imbibed that sweet, sweet nectar. I plan to return for the much talked about "open house" where I hear they mix cocktails. Can't wait!
Twelve tastings with 1/2 shot of each = 6 shots for $10. And this isn't Safeway brand vodka or anything, this is good stuff.
Not a bad way to get s#@#-faced within an hour.
It's an additional $10 for tastings of other premium liquors they offer.
Despite this being called a "tasting room", it was delightedly absent the attitude and limited hours of a winery in Napa. They're open till 7:00PM and the staff are great. Music in the air runs from Journey to Lauryn Hill. Amazingly St. George Spirits does more than just vodka. We were able to taste fruit liquors, whiskey, their flavored vodkas, and (for add'l $10) some $70+ dollar tequila made from the whole plant (instead of squeezing the juice out and discarding the rest). There was a funny little info card with the story on how they broke chainsaws and even a wood chipper in their attempts to find a machine suitable to break down those tough fibers.
Absinthe is available here, served with ice instead of the stereotypical sugar cube. The reaction causes the green-tinted liquor to go cloudy as the oils in the Absinthe become agitated from the watery ice. If you want the history they're happy to recap it for you.
Free tours are available once a day so make sure to check the website and time your trip.
The staff here were great, they knew their stuff, and it was really easy to see that they were enthusiastic about their job and loved being there. We weren't pressured to buy anything, although for those that do, it's a bit cheaper than retail. Just one note, the area does get a bit creepy at night. There are a lot of boarded up and run-down buildings all over the place.
Overall, a fun place to explore or bring friends for an enjoyable nightcap. Just make sure to drink the glass of water they provide and take it easy between shots.
Very, very cool place. For only $10, you get the chance to taste pear brandy (fantastic!!), raspberry brandy, malty whiskey, straight Hangar One vodka (which goes down so smoothly - I hate vodka but enjoyed this), citron "buddha's hand" vodka (which they called very appropriately, nature's lemon drop), raspberry vodka, kaffer lime, mandarin blossom, chipotle vodka (AWESOME!). I think I may be missing something in there, but you get the point. The bartenders were very informative, explained each vodka briefly.
The building in itself is a very cool spot. It's in the middle of nowhere, a part of an abandoned naval base. I would never have known about this place if my friend had not brought me. I could go on and on about this place, but I really think you outta just try it out. Here's their website: http://www.stgeorgespi.../
VODKA TASTING?!?!
I'm not big on drinking alcohol but for an alcohol tasting, this experience was pretty awesome. =) Thank you St. George Spirits & Hangar One!
This was our last destination on our visit up north (before going to the airport) and it was a lot of fun even though we had to rush through the tastings. It's a little hard to find but nothing a map cannot fix! =) It's held in an old naval air station - home of the Firebirds. On the outside it looks like an old abandoned warehouse but inside it's pretty cool. Behind the building there's the runways that were once used - my friend told me that this is where "Mythbusters" sometimes do their outdoor tests.
There is a tour which we started but it was taking a bit longer than we expected. The "tour guide" was very funny and entertaining so it's too bad we had leave that early...but it is probably more than we really need to know about making vodka - or is it?
On to the tasting! It costs $10 to taste 12 different liqueurs which is a good deal in my opinion - plus, you get to keep the glass that you used for the tasting. Here's the tasting menu we tried that day:
Aqua Perfecta Pear Eau de Vie
Aqua Perfecta Framboise Eau de Vie
Hangar One Straight Vodka
Hangar One Buddha's Hand Citron Vodka
Hangar One Mandarin Blossom Vodka
Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka
Hangar One Chipotle Vodka!!
St. George Single Malt Whiskey
Qi White Tea Liqueur
Qi Black Tea Liqueur
Aqua Perfecta Pear Liqueur
Aqua Perfecta Framboise Liqueur
I did not down the alcohol...I barely let it hit my lips to taste but you certainly have the option to drink it all. Chipotle was interesting...it really had that flavor to it - very odd and not pleasant tasting. =) My favorites that we tried were the Buddha Citron Vodka, Kaffir Lime Vodka, White tea liqueur, Perfecta Pear Liqueur and the Perfect Framboise Liqueur (the best one!). The framboise had a sweet, raspberry flavor to it - I would actually buy a bottle of that stuff!
In addition to the normal tasting, you can do special tastings. My friend opted for an absinthe tasting for an additional $10 I believe. I stayed away from that one but it's interesting that when absinthe is added to ice, it turns cloudy on its own. You actually have to wait for the two to mix completely before tasting it...I have no idea what it's like but the supposed hallucinogenic effects didn't seem to hit my friend - it probably made him sleepy if anything. =)
Overall, it was a really fun experience. It would be a lot of fun with a large group of friends to do a private tasting. As you drink, they tell you about how that liqueur is made and it's pretty interesting to learn about what you are drinking. I would go again but I'd probably share my tasting since I barely take in the alcohol. =)
Oh good lord. They do distill a fine spirit! It's delicious, it's creative and it's in a neat setting.
She Says:
I've never had a vodka tasting before so I don't know what the standard is but I had a fabulous time! Hanger one is our new favorite vodka of choice!
The tour isn't much of a tour but more like a overview class on the makings of vodka, brandy, and other spirits. It was very interesting... although we skipped out at the aging process. We knew that at the end of the tour, most of the 30-40 ppl there with us would raid the tasting bar so we split for a head start.
The company is a small one, with only 11 full-time employees. In turn, they are like a family, really know their stuff, and love their job. Their enthusiasm is infectious! Some of them I warmed up to more than others but I have no complaints what so ever.
Regular tasting is 12 spirits (2 Brandies, 5 Vodkas, 1 whiskey, 2 tea liqueurs, and 2 fruit liquors) for a sweet ten bucks. It's served room temp. for pure flavor which I respected (but will take it at home CHILLED). The half shot tastings were more than enough to get a light weight like me toasted, especially downing one after another. Luckily, the nice ladies next to me offered me a few crackers to take the edge off. I also admit on skipping the Whiskey and giving parts of my tastings to He Says. LOL. I especially liked the Mandarin, the Qi Tea, and the Pear Liqueur. Very tasty.
We ended up taking in some fresh air and walking around the building. We also ended up bringing home a few bottles, two tasting glasses, famished bellies, and big smiles. Next time, I'm totally bringing a picnic, or at the very least, my own crackers!
He says : An awesome way to drink a lot of high quality spirits including my favorite, Hanger One Vodka, for a very small price of $10. Don't come here on an empty stomach like She Say and I did. There's a great taqueria a short ride away!!
My friends and I found out about St. George Spirits at Hangar One by accident when we went to a favorite bar and saw they had absinthe. US made absinthe! We saw the address was local in Alameda. Wow! One day we'll go visit this place!
We went for the tour with the Vodka Vixen, Andy. Super cool, funny girl- knew a lot about the process and all the different drinks they make. There is a lot of standing in one place though. I did actually learn stuff- which is a good thing.
Then the tasting: right after the tour- head directly to the bar right away, or you're gonna be waiting a while to get some drinks. This place needs a few chairs just for that reason. Otherwise, find some people that are almost done with their tasting and pounce on their space once they leave.
10 dollars to taste about 15 different Eau de Vivre, Vodkas, Whiskys was a great deal and definately gives you a buzz. They give you a glass of water to sip to fight off the buzz, and to rinse the different tastes. I paid the extra cash to taste the absinthe and it was well worth it.
Bring food with you! Something simple like cheese and crackers etc. Or bring a lot to eat outside at the picnic tables. We were lucky the bar had breadsticks, but we were still hungry.
Beautiful view of the bay! I love my absinthe souvenir :)
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