The time it takes you to find this place may be longer than your stay, but the trek is totally worth it. We came through for Claudia O's birthday. It took us quite a while to find this place because there was either construction going on or they forgot to put signs in. In any case, it was difficult because streetlights were scarce too. The hangar is setup with a bar along the wall of the entrance and the rest is the distillery. The lighting mixed with the machinery made it quite picturesque. I knew walking in, that this would be the type of place I would throw an event. Claudia had previously selected three of her favorite cocktails: the Fix Up, Raspberry Lemondrop and Creamsicle. Those were the 'specials' for the night. I'm not a fan of vodka, but the Fix Up was my fix. I left that night wishing I lived the bay area and in the need to find more spots like this. In other words, I'm a fan. read more

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Holy fucking awesomeness Batman! $10? To taste all those amazing vodkas? No wonder I've come here like 20 times. You may have seen Hangar One Vodka used in bars around the Bay area and if you're smart, you've given them a shot. They have interesting takes on traditional vodka flavors, for example where a regular citrus vodka is usually made with lemon, they instead use buddha's hand which a nuttier citrus. Instead of lime they use kaffir lime which has a more full bodied and less sharp essence of citrus. Hangar One is all around a great inventive twist to your normal vodka needs. So when they say I can come try their vodka's, liquors, and absinthe for low low tasting prices you can bet your ass I'll be there. All while staring out at one of the finest views across the water to the city of SF. Beautiful. read more

Spirits is a product of the ancient methods of distillation and these methods hasn't been changed since the 8th century (surprisingly). I assume the term came from a bunch of drunk distillers who were sitting down a table trying to figure out a name for what they just made: "Hey Thomash'.... Wasch.... wasch....whashall we call deez... hic! Deez watery thing I used to clean my nephew's bruise from an angry cow???" "I dunno... hic! Washabout... hic! Washabout Bark Juice?" "Bark Joosh?? hic! Thash shtoopid! Lets hav' a little class here. hic! Wait is this place haunted? I think I see ghosts! Wait I think I got it! How about 'Ghost Juice' ? hic!" "Ghost Joosh???! I can't sell this to Father Maxi and the monasteries and call it Ghost Joosh??! You do know those guys drink more wine than the entire city of.. Wait wait.. hic! Letsh call it Spirits! hic! Yeah Spirits!" So here we are.. ok I may have embellished a bit there. Anyway, Hangar One is a warehouse-type looking place, The outside was pretty bare, lots of open space and peeling paint. But inside, whooohooaa, brushed aluminum from the serving tables (or bars), shiny copper stills, lots of bottled ammunition Yes it is in an old naval base right next to a big lot where some people are testing cars (I think Pauly said they're Mythbusters but I can't remember if it was right, see what several tastings of vodka, liquor, whiskey and absinthe does to you?) We did have a private tastings thanks to Vy N. and amazingly enough we got to try around more than 15 types of infused vodka, coffee liquor, whiskey and even absinthe. They also provided us with some cheeses, bread and sushi (well it was prepacked sushi rolls from Costco but it was a nice thought). I do advise people to call them up and get a private tasting since you get a better view of the whole place, learn a lot more about Bark Juice...err I mean Spirits and get buzzed really early in the afternoon. read more

St. George Spirits - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

Bored and want to spend $10 tasting Vodka? Definitely hit up St George's. If you want a private tasting look into the pilot's lounge. It's a great room and you can enjoy vodka with friends sans randoms. The guy who gives the tour is hilarious. I really enjoyed his descriptions and jokes. read more

Part of the "One Hell of a Road Trip Series" See this list for the full story http://www.yelp.com/list_details?list_id=xdScBKkGSFymPq1tLK74qg L: How are you feeling, D? D: Dying .... R: Here, have a Banana Bear Claw D: ... okay. -45 mins later- R: Do you know how to get there? L: No .... R: *Shakes head and activates GPS* -The trio eventually arrive at Hangar One and realizes that it is in the area where the MythBusters conduct their experiments. *Cue mandatory Photo Ops- L: Soooo Bartender.. how does this work? R: *Returning from restroom* Holy Crap guys, did you see the size of that thing?? ... What?... why are y'all looking at me like that?? ..... Oh ... *Avoids eye contact by pretending to send text messages* and thinks... I was just referring to the Buddha's palm in the jar.... *grumble* L: SO, twelve shots of assorted Vodkas and liquors for 10 bucks? AND we get to keep the glass? SWEET! Let's do it - Two Shots later - Bartender: Okay, We are out fo the Pear Eau De Vie, so we are substituting it with our Basil Eau De Vie today R/D/L : BASIL?!? Bart: Yes, it's designed to go well with Bloody Marys, and other savory drinks R/D/L: *Shrugs and Downs it* Bad Idea .... R: I hope God strikes you down where you stand for making me swill that horrific beverage L: it's like you took some basil... rolled it up... crushed it... wrapped it in more basil... and just shoved it down our throats .. D: *Turns various shades of green from gangrenous to flourescent .... Makes the universal signal for 'No Mas!' and runs pell mell back to the car* Bart: Where'd he go? L: He died R: Next? Oh and umm.. Finish off my tasting with a Shot of absinthe, will ya? -12+1 Shots later, back at the car- R: Dude.... that was great, I'm nice and Mellow now. L: Yeah, that wasn't bad at all, - Holy crap what a bargain! $10 to sample almost every spirit they make, and you get to keep the glass. The staff is great and very knowledgable about everything they pour. Definitely a great place to check out at least once. After the tasting, I went to the main counter and picked up a bottle of Hangar One Mandarin, Hangar One Raspberry, Qi White, and Aqua Perfecta Raspberry. - R: Wow.... you should like, sign up for an online review site and totally use that as your review! L: Really? You think? R: Nah, who does that kind'a lame shit nowadays. L: Meh, true... definitely not us.... How are you feeling, D? D: I threw up .... R: Banana Bear Claw? D: ........ okay. read more

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I've been a fan of St. George's for a while, but haven't taken the opportunity to tour the brewery until last Sunday. I made reservations for my wife & I (recommended if you can plan it out), and drove in a little before our arrival time. The first thing we noticed upon entering the brewery was the smell of fresh herbs, specifically anis. The brewery stores all sorts of fresh ingredients, which permeate throughout the building. The tour lasted about 30 minutes, during which our tour guide Paulie entertained and enlightened us with his knowledge of alcohol and the distilling process. (If he's your guide, ask him about Darren!) Even if you've been on other brewery tours, you will definitely learn something new here. After the tour comes the tasting. The group is lined up alongside a bar, where the guide(s) come around and pour different types of liquor. We tried everything from pear brandy to straight vodka to raspberry liqueur to absinthe. Not everyone in our tour group liked all the tastings, but all of us found a few to our liking. At the end of the tour, you can buy a tasting glass, as well as a selection of bottles to take home. My wife chose a bottle of the pear brandy, while I chose a bottle of blueberry vodka. Overall, a great time to be had by all. I can't wait to visit again with my out-of-town friends and family. read more

the Hangar has evolved beyond vodka so it's "St. George Spirits". purveyor of whiskeys, gins, liquores, absinthe, etc. the pours now are not as generous as before re: the reviews. imbibes: basic training(15) 6 sips of spirits, 5 chosen by house, changes weekly. -botanivore gin -dry rye -raspberry liquer -absinthe - vodka -? on draught: -flavors are distinct, natural, not artificially introduced, actually made from fruits/spices on site. -blessing in disguise i took so long to get here. spirits are so good i would have been addicted in my youth. now i only drink in moderation. (yep. not more than a bottle a day of wine, before it was an 1/2 bottle of hard liquor)... read more

Well, okay, I work for Hangar One, so let me share what this place is like. We're in a big hangar on the old naval air station (hence the name of the vodka). We've been hand-distilling eaux de vie, liqueurs, and whiskey for the last twenty-five years or so, and a couple of years ago, we decided to translate our craft into vodka. We infuse fresh, delicious, and slightly weird fruit into wheat vodka then redistill it on our potstills. The result is a very smooth, intensely-flavored vodka with true, complex flavors, absolutely no additives. What's our tasting room like? Currently, for the ridiculously low price of $10/person, you can taste through whatever it is we're producing at the moment, which is likely to be about four or five vodkas, 3 eaux de vie, a single malt whiskey, and two or three liqueurs. And maybe whatever else we think you might find interesting. All of this while looking out across the tarmac at the San Francisco skyline, and into the main room of the distillery. At the moment, we only have the manpower to give tours to large groups who book ahead, but you can see pretty much everything from the tasting room. And if no one else is there, you might be able to sweet-talk the tasting room folks to show you around a bit. read more

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OMG! I'm not sure why it took me so long to visit this place but I'm glad that I finally went. This place has hundreds of reviews so I'll make it snappy! For $15 I got 9 shots (plus an extra one there was a birthday girl in our group so the dude threw in a extra one for us) Here's what we had: *Aqua Perfecta Pear Eau de Vie aka: Pear Brandy. -It was ok, tasted like pears, but not my fav. *Hangar One Straight -straight up plain vodka. Nice and smooooth, goes down like water! *Hangar One Buddhas's hand -you've seen that fruit/veggie that looks like an hand. Well the vodka had been infused with it and it was surprisingly sweet. One of my Fav's, will definitely get this one. *Hangar One Mandrin Blossom -Perfect mandarin flavor *Hangar One Kaffir Lime -Some referenced it tasting like skittles. Yea it did. My least favorite. *St.George Single Malt Wisky -Ummm, think back to when you were a kid stealing sips of your father/grandfathers wisky. *shudders* it was strong. *Aqua Perfecta Pear Liquer -Pears in a bottle YUM!!!! *Aqua perfecta Framboise Liquer -OMG if I coulda got my tongue down to the bottom of the shot glass I would've licked the whole inside. Talk about raspberry goodness! One suggestion for use was on waffles, ice cream, any dessert. I could sooooo see this on many of things. **Complimentary** Firelit Coffee Liquer -You could put this in your coffee and no one would even know. Very good. Final tasting *St.George Absinthe Verte -Now that I know how to drink it, I can tolerate it. You're suppose to pour it over ice,let the ice do it's thing release oils or something like that. It's suppose to turn white, like milk and it's ready to go. If you're not a fan of black licorice this is not for you. Oh did I mention it's 120proof!!! I can't wait to go back for another tasting, the tour I don't have to do. The tour guide was kinda boring, which made it less interesting. so a couple of off fell back from the group and went to eat out snacks, to soak up the liquer. Our tasting guide guy Pauly, was the BOMB and he was a cutie too! He even took a few shots with us, you can tell he really loves his job. So who want's to go for a tasting this weekend??? Remember if you have a group of 5 or more you have to make a reservation! read more

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Liquor: 4.0 Service 4.5 Food: UNK Ambiance: 4.0 Price: 3.0 Overall: 4.0 Another unexpected stop. We had planned to go to Hangar 1 Vodka, but they were closed for tasting. So, St. George Spirits it is. Our group did the guided tastings. Each tasting includes a selection of six of thier spirits that are all made onsite. Tastings are offered on the half-hour starting at noon. On Wednesdays-Saturdays, the last tasting of the day is at 6pm. On Sundays, the last tasting of the day is at 4pm. California law limits distillery tasting rooms to pouring a maximum of six 1/4-oz samples per guest per day. So you get to choose three selections from their vodkas and gins and three selections from their brandies, liqueurs, and absinthe. I tried: 1. Green Chile Vodka - This would perfect in a Bloody Mary 2. California Citrus Vodka - Aromatic and full of fresh citrus flavor 3. Terroir Gin - I'm not a gin fan, but this was good. It was woody with lots of flower tastes. 1. Spiced Pear Liqueur - Smells like heaven's apple pie. It would great in the Fall and Winter. 2. NOLA Coffee Liqueur - Vanilla, sugar, coffee. Very nice. 3. Absinthe Verte - As thier website says, "Real absinthe. No artificial ingredients, no gimmicks." Afterwards it feels like your tongue got a shot of Novocaine. The service was great from when we were met at the door all they was through the guided tasting. The hostess was humorous and explained how everything worked. Our actual tasting guide was knowledgeable about all the liquor and very friendly. I forgot her name. Rose? maybe. It's a little pricey, IMO, for 1.5 oz of alcohol for $15. However, it's not something I do often. I did hear from a friend who said St. George Spirits tend to be on the pricey side, but I can not confirm that. The interior is sleek and clean. The tasting room is not that large and it is all indoors. There might have been 20 people inside and the it was not that loud. Lastly, it is the same area and other wineries, breweries and distilleries. All within walking distance of one another. You can make a day out of just hoping from place to place. Plus, there is plenty of parking. read more

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Visited St.Georges to celebrate my brother's birthday with their tour and tasting and we loved it. I highly recommend the experience and spend a couple of hours learning about distilled spirits, sip the gins and take in the view of the SF skyline. read more

Semper Imbibio - Always Drinking This is a celebration to the love of spirits, the love of the craft, the love of drinking. It is told in legends that St. George slayed a dragon that had been plaguing a city and through his heroic effort, he returned food and drink to the people. Semper Imbibio St. George may you protect me from my roguish endeavors. I enjoy your whiskeys. Each lot carries a characteristic of its own. The hint of cocoa is always present. But I love how I noticed the darker flavors in your lot 6 compared to the lighter and almost milky lot 8. I enjoy your tequillas. I'm not a tequilla drinker but your Agua Azul made me curious. It was so smooth and had a very distinct earthy flavor. It is too bad you had to discontinue production due to the difficulty of breaking down a very tough, complete agave plant. I enjoy your raspberry liqueur, sweet and decadent, a perfect accompaniment to a dessert. I enjoy your Blue Bottle liqueur, strong and flavorful, a perfect way to end the night. I enjoy your vodkas. It says a lot when you can serve a vodka at room temperature. But I have to say I have been scarred by flavored vodka. Semper Imbibio St. George, your spirits must be enjoyed by all lovers of the craft. May they find their way to you. read more

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Peering through the hangar's glass doors at the trio of shimmering copper stills, surrounded by huge tanks and framed by stark, cavernous steel, concrete and redwood-ceilinged architecture, the effect was two parts Charlie and the Vodka Factory, one part military-industrial complex cathedral, and a splash of Alien -- the latter for the jar-preserved Buddha's Hand, the first citrus fruit that actually scares me a little. Tastings are $10 and boy do you get your money's worth. I think we calculated upwards of 8 shots worth before we stopped being able to calculate. These are truly exceptional vodkas. We began our tasting with a number of eau de vies, which were interesting enough if a bit challenging to the unfamiliar palate. But once we hit the vodkas we were unanimously blown away, from the incredibly smooth straight vodka to a number of exquisite infusions. After a bit of whiskey we wrapped up with a fascinating Lapsang Souchong infused brandy called Qi. They mixed it with condensed milk and called it a "Nepali iced tea", I think, to which Minerva raised a skeptical eyebrow at the obviously forced Orientalism. But regardless it was pretty tasty and went down like a chai latte after the approx. 10 tastes of straight liquor we'd had at that point. I'd had a brief introduction to the world of Hangar One before this, but now I am a true fan. I'm truly impressed by their product, passion and commitment to outstanding quality. Fitting that they've preserved the inscription from the facility's years under the Navy, written high up on the hangar wall: "Pride Through Professionalism". read more

St. George Spirits - Copper Pot Still - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

[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. :) read more

St. George Spirits - Part of the quirkiness of Hangar One! - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

Review of the Terrior gin only. I have not visited the distillery, but Ive had the Terrior Gin on occasion. I do have a soft spot for Hendricks, and this is a very different type of gin flavor. Its made from toasted coriander seeds, which are then mixed with the fir and sage. Then laurel and juniper get added. And then even more botanicals go in. So its a very aromatic and flavorful gin. I will say I have it around the Holidays more than other times, as its got a faint "Christmas" scent. But its good year round. While some may use this as an "everyday" gin I think of it more as a special occasion one. Its unique. Should be savored. read more

You'd never know it, but this is a totally baby friendly place! Not advocating for you to give your baby absinthe (well...), but we had the spiffy idea of bringing baby with us and do another tasting just for fun. We busted out our Ergo carrier, gave baby a pacifier, and check ourselves in for a tasting. They were so accommodating--made sure to get us in as early as possible for baby's sake (and ours...and maybe theirs?). Fun was had by all. We walked away with bottle of our two favorites-Absinthe and the Raspberry Liqueur...and one bottle of a new favorite, the Coffee Liqueur (which, we discovered, goes REALLY WELL with eggnog!). read more

I'm a whiney little baby when it comes to shots. When I went to Hangar One for their $10 tasting I thought I'd just suck it up since I took my boyfriend there for his birthday. After stalling for 10 min with their first drink and almost gagging I was ready to throw in the towel and find a way to get my money back.... Thankfully, the girl who was pouring my drinks convinced me to keep trying and even showed me how to drink the shots so that I'd taste the flavors but not so much the alcohol. Towards the end of the tasting I felt a little more sophisticated learning the ins and outs of vodka, wiskey and eaux de vies. Thank you Hangar One for making me more of an alcoholic than I already am. read more

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Such a disappointment on all fronts. 1. The tasting is hard to swallow. Literally. You have to taste liquors at room temperature without mixers. Yuck! 2. The tour...IS NOT A TOUR. It is a lecture. You stand in one spot and listen to a man speak. No walking. No touring. No exploring. Nothing! 40 minutes in, we decided we had to leave. We couldn't handle the idea of finishing the tour. It was unbearable. Nevermind the fact that you are stuck standing in one place on a hard cement floor....no mats, no chairs. VERY uncomfortable. Anyway. Bottom line. Don't come here. Horrible. read more

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Had so much fun at a birthday tasting this past weekend! I don't love spirits but it was a great time trying all the different types. The "bartender" (tasting man?) was super sweet. The location is great. Right next door to Faction. The interior is also really lovely. Lots of cement and iron. read more

I enjoy going to Alameda for many reasons that I won't bore you with. But now I have a new one - getting a little buzzed in a cool place with a great view. It used to be that the only good vodka was Russian vodka. Little did we know what was coming. When I started realizing that local flavor was the best - regionally grown produce, locally made beer, etc. I began to look for local alternatives to some of the worldly items I loved. When first hearing about Hanger 1, we figured to give it a shot. Good choice. It is definitely good quality and well crafted. I love the true craftsmanship of what they make, the unique infusions (Buddha's Hand citrus, Meeker raspberries from the Fraser River area, Kaffir Limes, etc.), and the variety of spirits. And with the local press that Hanger 1 gets, it's easy to forget that St George Distillery is more than Hanger 1. They also produce Whisky and liqueurs. And now Absinthe - woo hoo!!! Legal again in the US. So you can go to the store and buy some. But my recommendation is to get your ass out there to Alameda and visit them in person. For $10 you get to taste almost everything they have for sale while gazing across they Bay at the most beautiful city in the US. You are sitting at a place that you couldn't have gone 15 years ago - an aircraft hanger on a restricted naval base. You might get a tour of the facility that is right behind you - literally. You sit at the bar looking at SF and less than 10 feet behind you are the big hanger doors to the distillery. You will get some great conversation, interesting people, plenty of tastings of fine vodka and such, and a big ass smile on your face. read more

If I actually drank alcohol, I would absolutely love this place. My boyfriend and I came here for Claudia O.'s birthday party and we had a grand ol' time. It took a while for us to find this place (both of us have never been), but once we found it, it was a pretty cool set-up. My boyfriend is not much of a vodka drinker, but he said that he just became a fan of St. George Spirits. The private party was held in their tasting room overlooking the water on one side, the distillery on the other. The area was nicely lit and the bartenders were great. They were dressed in 1920s attire (the party was had a 1920s theme) and unbelievably nice. Chris, one of the bartenders, allowed us taste their Q1 which was a tea liqueur. Can you believe that? Alcoholic tea! I haven't heard such things. The bartenders were serving 3 different of cocktails which were all made with their alcohol - The Fix Up, Raspberry Lemon Drop and Creamsicle, with the Raspberry Lemon Drop being the best one according to Darshan R. All in all, we had a fantabulous time. Thanks Claudia O. for having your 2nd anniversary of your 25th birthday! LOL TIP - If you're planning to go here, try come by during daytime and with someone who's been here before. read more

Ever since trying their gin and falling in love with its herbaceous quality, I've been meaning to make it to St. George's distillery. From Berkeley, I would recommend finding someone to drive as the public transit situation would have taken quite a while and a few transfers. Your friend doesn't even necessarily have to abstain from the tasting portion of the tour (more on that in a second!) The tour was really well done although a bit dry in the beginning. The most interesting part for me was the story about absinthe at the end. The smear campaign against it/wormwood really worked as both my friend and I were misinformed about what exactly associated absinthe with "going crazy." Curious? Take the tour to find out more! The tasting portion was perfect--we learned exactly how to taste spirits and were poured just enough so that we got the flavor but weren't soaked in booze. Also the raspberry brandy smells like nori (toasted seaweed) for real! So cool. The cherry on the cake was the view of SF, unobstructed and directly across the bay. It was gorgeous as the sun was setting right when we started our tour and the light jazz that played in the background while the lights came out in the city made the tastings just that much more elegant. In the end, the tastings added up to maybe a shot of alcohol and so my friend was fine to drive. Just to be on the safe side, though, we drove just a few miles to the In-n-Out nearby to grab a burger and fries. Pretty perfect afternoon/evening in the Bay. read more

Just visited St. George for the first time yesterday for a friend's birthday and had so much fun! We took the ferry from the San Francisco Ferry Building and made it to Alameda super fast, I think 20 minutes total. The distillery is walking distance from there (about a mile). Our tour guide was knowledgeable and funny, a great speaker, and we learned a lot! Then you're all situated around the front bar, which has lots of nice natural lighting. Each person has six glasses and you're presented with around 14 different spirits. Between my partner and I, we were able to sample almost all fo them. The presenter was fantastic! Very knowledgeable and funny, great flow and energy. We tried everything -- gin, vodka, brandy, liqueur, whiskey, absinthe -- each one was so unique! My favorite was the pear brandy. For $20, I definitely think it's a good value. Something to note: This is first and foremost a factory. I was perfectly comfortable, but I wouldn't say it's a "cozy" environment, so just go with that in mind. Also, I was surprised how affordable the bottles are. There's a food truck and beer right next door for afterward, just to balance things out :) Overall, it was worth the trip out to Alameda. read more

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. read more

St. George Spirits - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been twice for their holiday open house. I was disappointed that the price had increased since the last time I went ($30 instead of $20) but once we arrived I realized that it was well worth it. We took BART and there was a party bus to shuttle us to the distillery. There was a line but they were extremely well organized and things moved quickly. With our $30 we got 3 mini-cocktails (all delicious), a wide variety of appetizers, and unlimited tastings of their vodkas and whiskey. Both are very smooth and can be enjoyed without being mixed. We paid extra to do the bourbon and absinthe tasting. Totally worth it. Everyone pouring was incredibly knowledgeable. There were many more options for appetizers this year and everything was spread out throughout the distillery so we never had to wait in long lines. Someday I plan to go and taste on a non-event day. A great place to take friends who are visiting since there's a beautiful view of the city from the tasting room. read more

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. read more

This is such a hidden gem. I've had this on my list since over a year ago and finally got to do it over July 4th weekend. I've only ever heard about this place once from a meetup group. They need to spread their word out more through other sources. I was disappointed to hear that you get less bang for your buck on the tours now. They used to give you dog tags and a free tasting glass. The glasses now cost $6 a piece and they wrap it in a hot dog bag. Not classy. Our tour guide was Lauren and boy, was she passionate about tour and alcohol. I've never learned so much in any other brewery/winery/distillery tour. I was taking notes like crazy. I never knew that gin and vodka were related. The peach vodka here smells amazing. If I ever bought the bottle, I would just smell it all the time, and never drink it! My favorite was the coffee liqueur. Can't wait to use that on ice cream or in a Russian Coffee as they recommended. The tastings were fun and our Sam was super classy with making the experience one to savor and enjoy. They sell their Gin line in pack of 3 for beginners. I also bought that. Packaging and bagging wasn't classy either. They just use old packaging boxes. Not the best if you're intending to buy a bunch for gifts like I intend to do when the holidays are around. The views here are stunning but the stupid fence obstructs it. There's also a brewery next door, but I had more than enough alcohol for a day. I finally tried Absinthe, and I didn't go crazy. Not a fan but glad to say that I've tried it once! read more

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. read more

St. George Spirits - Vodka...yeah...that'll work!!! - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

Do the tour! If you can, get a private tour with a group of 10 wed-fri at 5:30 to see the alcohol production in action. We had a group of 9 take it on on a Sunday at 1pm and it was definitely worth the time and money to get out here. It's a bit far but I highly recommend it for the unique small batch production they have. The tour itself was very informative and about an hour overall ending in a tasting of 6 different spirits. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and really provided a great overview of their unique selection. They have different offerings based on what's ready/available for sale. The factory itself is in an old airplane hangar and the equipment(particularly the stills) are really beautiful. The tasting allowed us to have 2 sets of tasting for a total of 6 different drinks. Share with another person to try pretty much everything (12 of 13). See the menu pic below for what was offered to us. The first tasting set had 6 options, 3 vodka and 3 gin.t he second set had brandy, liqueur and absinthe to choose from. Overall the flavors were very unique, with some of the best vodka I've ever had. I definitely didn't like everything there (gin, absinthe) but I have to say it was worth it for the ability to try so many different things. My favorites were the all purpose vodka, chili infused vodka, spiced pear liqueur and NOLA coffee liqueur. I ended up dropping over a $100 to take some home and to have to say it's worth it. Overall great experience, highly recommend stopping by. There's food trucks nearby if you get hungry too. Pokemon go fans: tons of pokestops and unique Pokemon here, caught an aerodactyl and ghastly. read more

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Lucky me! I have a friend who's a photographer and she happened to be shooting out at the St. George Distillery where Hangar One's distilled! I shamelessly invited myself along and she was kind enough to oblige. Once in Alameda, we were greeted by a stunning morning view of the City and one very cool dude, Lance Winters, the evil genius behind the amazing Hangar One, etc. products. It even says "Evil Genius" on his card. No joke. Once inside you see that the space is amazing! High ceilings crossed by steel girders. Grand, old windows. Shiny stills glistening in the huge space that once housed airplanes. Aside from the stellar view, the bar has cool artwork and neat little specimen jars of mandarin blossoms and Buddha hand citrus. That day was Mandarin Blossom bottling day, so a small team of folks were workin' that out. I totally felt like I was with the band that morning. I was even a little star-struck. Mr. Evil has a very commanding personality and we were all laughing and feeling at home in the lab. Then came the booze. Not one to abide by conventional rules of drink, and having been easily swayed by the charismatic distiller, I did my part by "helping out" and tasted some of Mr. Evils recent creations. He pours, I take a sniff. Pause. Sniff again. (surprise!) Sip. Delish! Unexpected! Bizarre! Fresh as fresh can be! I could tell you what he poured us, but I'd probably be banned from the site, possibly "disappeared"... I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if the evil genius didn't know people who knew people, 'cause he's just so damned friendly -- the sort of fella who would chat up anyone worth chatting up. Even the riff-raff. (we were there, after all) Taking one for the team of vodka drinkers everywhere, Winters tinkers and dabbles daily around his lab creating eau de vie, and vodka oddities and standards in a super-cute, mini-still. This is a guy who loves his job, and fortunately, he's got that inventive, creative, hyperactive-kid mind that makes you go "mmmm" with the finished product. At one point I'd revealed that I'm an acupuncturist and we started talking about herbs to treat hangovers. He asked if I thought the herbs could be made into a cocktail. Hmm. Prevention and cure in the same glass as the antagonist. Interesting. On par with the medicinal herb idea, that day he was toying with mushrooms, and as the earthy, boozy, porcini-inspired scents wafted around the lab I started to think that his proposal might be possible... Seriously, though, I really am not sure I'm allowed to discuss what I tasted that day, but let me tell you, it would make a fantastic 'tini fit for your next Pad Thai or Prik King... Hello! On the record, we did taste the new pepper vodka that's being released maybe as I write. Sounds like good a good start for a bloody Mary, yes? Sadly, all good things must end, and at the end of a most successful photo shoot we all toddled out into the bright, post-rain noon sun, the only thing on our minds being "How in the Hell are we gonna get on the guest list for the next Hangar party?!" ...and we all want for Lance to be our new BFF. read more

St. George Spirits - baby buddha's hand - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

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Maybe tastings used to be free once upon a time without the tour... No longer. A tasting of 5 liquors is $15. What?! For five? That's $5 a taste folks.....a taste that's an ounce at most. The liquor is superb. High quality, smooth, unique. But worth it?!! No effing way. read more

Cool place to visit when you're in the Bay area, making unique higher end liquors with unique flavors. The tours here are very informative and the staff is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their product, I recommend checking it out. read more

What better way to bond with your team at work than with a few tastings of spirits and a tour? I forgot what our tour guide's name was, but she was awesome. She was super informative, entertaining and kept us interested on how spirits were made throughout the whole hour (ok... half hour... I arrived late, but I still enjoyed it). And then to the tastings. I'm not a big drinker, but I have to admit that if she poured me a few more sips, I probably would have bought one of each bottle. We tried about 5 spirits. We tried a pear flavored one, coffee, and even one that pretty much tasted like a tree (yeah, a tree), but my fave was the Raspberry Liqueur. I kind of regretted not buying a bottle when I left, but I guess even more reason to go back and try some more. Overall, great tour and even better tasting! read more

St. George Spirits is on the Island of Alameda, in hangars where the navy once resided; that's cool, right? I don't know I was never in the navy but i had an uncle who was, he said it was where he learned to be a man. I however had to learn how to be a man from the interweb. Back to the lecture at hand. Touring distilleries and breweries is cool but it really drives home how much I enjoy a drink because you start getting the guided tour all that seems to be important is tasting at the end. During the tour the nice guide tried to portray their operation as a party led by a mad scientist. I guess that's cool but it also sounds too simple. TOO SIMPLE. It's all good here and the staff is cool and friendly and likes to chat, especially the tasting pourers. I got to try vodkas and absinthe and some liquor that was mas dulce. I enjoy the local aspect and the liquor and that in the end is what matters, right? read more

St. George Spirits - St George Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

Boyfriend and I (along with his best friend) seriously just ended up here on a whim one Saturday after gorging ourselves on dim sum on Park Street. You could just see how the little lights lit up in the boys' eyes when they heard that they did liquor tasting ("Because we've DONE wine tasting, and beer tasting, but not LIQUOR tasting~!") along with a tour of the distillery inside. So of course we had to go. We popped in and asked for a place for 3. And the woman at the podium asked for my name, and what time our reservation was. Oops. We don't have one. She took it in stride though (all the people here are so friendly!), and slipped us into the next tour anyway, though she advised us to book a tour next time to guarantee spots. The tour itself was pretty neat, with the guy explaining the tools and the ingredients, as well as dispelling popular myths about absinthe and other types of liquor-y things. But what the boys were really waiting for was the tasting promised at the end of the tour. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of liquor. Mix it in my drinks so I can't taste it and I'm happy, but even I had to admit that there was more to the liquor than just the "alcohol" taste I attribute to hard liquor. But the two boys were in heaven, savoring the tastes and following the tasting tips our server was giving out as she refilled our glasses with vodka, gin, absinthe and water. Boyfriend and I also ended up buying two little souvenir glasses to go -- we couldn't resist. Boyfriend is now a huge fan of Hangar 1 alcohol, and we own a few bottles of their vodka and their gin, with an eye to purchase their absinthe next. Their bottles really aren't that expensive, and I think if Boyfriend could have a bottle of every single thing that St. George creates, he would be one happy camper. read more

St. George Spirits - Tasting board from when I went over the summer. - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

$15 for a tour and tasting?! It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Also, the tour guides are funny and you end up learning a lot, at least I certainly did. The drinks are strong and the people that work here are really knowledgeable. You can also bring snacks in if you don't want the snacks they're offering. If you don't know about alcohol and you're looking to learn more about it, definitely sign up for the tour. You may even walk out with a bottle of their brand Hangar 1. Also, the one that I enjoyed the most tasted like raspberry cheesecake. I don't like cheesecake but for some reason this drink was like having a dessert. There's also an excellent view of the bay from inside this building. read more

Still a fan, but not loving it as much as back in the day. The new tasting room has been updated and you need reservations to come in for a $15 tasting. It comes with dog tags (which made the Marines I came here with laugh and shudder) and an effervescent 15 minute tour of the facilities. Despite all my visits here, that was the first tour I've ever gotten and I did learn something new. I remember when we'd get large generous pours of about 9 different liquors (3-4 of which would be the vodka) this time it was 6 different ones all very precisely controlled by the pour spout. While this place still has its charms (largely the staff), the corporate watch dogs have definitely laid down their influence. Less walking in and chatting with the staff ... and instead tasting room is organized in waves as 1 wave clears out the rest of the folks wrapping up the tour are ushered in. Efficient for sure, though not a typical word for me to use when liquor tasting. Hangar 1 Vodka is still distilled out of this location - but not for too much longer. I'm very curious to see what they use the opened up capacity for .... Their gin is good - but that's a tough market and very niche (lots of people don't like gin), Absinthe could become a poster child - but I don't see double digit growth from Absinthe. Their B&E Whiskey isn't bad, but that's not even distilled on site ... So what's next guys?? I'm curious. I'm predicting either a new gourmet / premium vodka or wine .... read more

As distilleries go they happen to specialize in my least favorite alcohols: Gin, Brandy, Absinthe, and Rum. This tour was a gift from a friend, so we went in with open eyes. The tour lasts about 45 minutes, with tasting afterwards. Our guide was cool and down to earth, and I felt it was the right mix of educational and entertaining (without feeling strained). They also have a giant shark! After the tour even I was interested in gin which is going some. The tasting was nice- people complain that the pours are not as big as wine pours but if they were I doubt anyone would be able to drive out of there! Also there's more alcohol by volume in spirits so a little goes a long way. I told our guide I was not fond of gin so he let me substitute with the coffee liqueur, which was by far my favorite (followed by raspberry). Environment was friendly and relaxed. No pressure to buy anything. They're right next to faction brewery as well. We popped our heads in there but the line was too long :/ Faction seems to have bbq on the weekends in case you get a little tipsy on your tours. read more

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With some very good friends in from out of town, I thought this might be a fun prelude to dinner and a bit off the beaten tourist track...it was a hit in all respects. You can reserve a spot for the tour on their website, which includes a tasting, for $20, a more than reasonable price given the fun we had and the 6 samples of their decidedly delicious offerings. Our tour guide was fun, cheerful, and very knowledgeable about the entire product line and the distillation process. She was full of fun facts (takes thirty pounds of ripe bartlett pears to make one bottle of their pear brandy. No, absinthe wasn't banned in this country because of wormwood, but because there were no regulations and much of the imported stuff was adulterated with a variety of bad, toxic things). I have been a fan of their Gin and more recent Vodka offerings, and was glad to learn they have several other products. The tasting was fun, you get to choose two each from three different product groupings, and the commentary about each was interesting. Combined with a great view of the San Francisco skyline from an angle you don't usually see, it was something that I will keep on my list for future visitors. read more

St. George Spirits - Distilleries Near Me - Alameda, California

Came to St. George on a Sunday for the tour & tasting. Had a wonderful experience! Definitely learned a lot about the general ideas of distilling & creating fine spirits. The tasting was wonderful afterwards -- I learned more about St. George gins that I was already a fan of and also discovered new alcohols that I hadn't experienced before. I would recommend trying the absinthe. read more

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