St. George

Introduction:

Initially, Rupf focused on making fruit distillates, following the German example. In his early years, he successfully produced and sold these products. The work on a Single Malt whisky began in 1996, even though the term ‘American Single Malt’ wasn’t officially established then. Master Distiller Lance Winters, a former brewer, used his brewing experience to create the mash bill for St. George Single Malt. It included barley roasted to different levels, with the more roasted grain adding hazelnut and cocoa flavors, and some unroasted barley for beech and alder notes. The first batch was bottled in 2000, followed by various editions experimenting with ages (4 to 22 years) and different cask types, like used Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, Brandy, Rum, or Sauternes casks.

On the other hand, Baller Single Malt is influenced by Japanese methods. It’s made from 100% American barley, distilled in fruit stills, and matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and French Wine casks. After initial aging, the malt is filtered through maple charcoal and further finished in casks that previously held Japanese plum liqueur Umeshu, made from Californian – grown ume fruit, a type of Japanese apricot.

Two Whiskeys were released under the name B&E (Breaking & Entering): B&E Bourbon, a blend of different Bourbons, and B&E American Whiskey, a mix of Bourbon and Rye. Not all spirits come from their own distillery, hence the deliberate name choice, reflecting how they incorporate spirits from other producers.

The Gin:

St. George distillery produces four distinct gins: Botanivore Gin and Terroir Gin, along with rye – based versions – Dry Rye Gin and Dry Rye Reposado Gin.

Terroir Gin captures the essence of California’s terroir, incorporating separately distilled pine needles and sage, while bay and juniper berries add aromatic notes. Botanivore Gin’s name stems from ‘carnivore’, with juniper, bay berries, and fresh coriander in the aroma basket, and 16 other botanicals, like citrus peel, star anise, and cardamom, steeped in the copper pot still overnight, creating an aromatic gin.

The two Rye Gins are crafted from a rye base spirit. Dry Rye Gin features 50% juniper berries, accentuating juniper’s peppery character, with black pepper, caraway, coriander, grapefruit, and lime peel. Dry Rye Reposado Gin, a cask – aged variant of Dry Rye Gin, matures in French and American oak Wine casks that previously held Grenache Rosé, Syrah, and Tannat.

Dave Smith distills all the gins using a 1,500 – litre copper pot still. Dry Rye Reposado Gin is aged in Wine casks at Blacksmith Cellars, owned by Dave’s brother, Matt Smith.

History:

In 1982, German Jörg Rupf founded a small distillery and initially managed it alone. He had arrived in the United States as Germany’s youngest judge under the Ministry of Culture. Coming from a distillery family in the Black Forest, Rupf brought experience in distillation and spirit – making. Using a 250 – litre Holstein pot still, he ventured into crafting spirits from pears, raspberries, cherries, and kiwis – a novel concept in the USA at the time. Despite being a newcomer, his products gained recognition and even competed favorably with those from Austria in competitions. In 1997, after years of experimentation, Rupf and his new distiller, Lance Winters, successfully distilled their first Single Malt Whiskey. By 2000, they launched the Malt, which faced initial resistance but eventually gained traction. The distillery’s growth led them to move to a larger space, a 6,000 square meter aircraft hangar, in 2004.

Over time, Rupf mentored several budding distillers, resulting in collaborative creations such as Absinthe, Agave Schnapps, and Rum. In 2010, Rupf retired, passing the reins of St. George distilling to Lance Winters and Dave Smith. In 2011, St. George introduced their Gins Botanivore and Terroir, along with the inaugural Breaking & Entering Whiskey. Subsequent years brought forth additional Gins, Rums, and Liqueurs.

Visitor information:

St. George Spirits
2601 Monarch Street
Alameda, CA 94501
Tel: +1 510 7691601
Email: info@stgeorgespirits.com