With all the concern about the carbon footprint of products, local spirits play a leading role at many San Francisco venues. The city is fortunate to have a handful of distilleries nearby, including Anchor Distilling Company, Distillery No. 209, Hangar One, St. George Spirits and Napa’s Domain Charbay. “We are lucky to have a strong local heritage of wine, beer and spirits producers,†explains Greg Lindgren, partner of Rye, Rosewood Bar and 15 Romolo in San Francisco, adding that it’s natural to want to support local businesses.
“We have massive support for local spirits and local distillers [and they support us],†notes Erick Castro, bartender at Bourbon & Branch. “We really push a lot of their products because they open their doors to us, and help us learn about the spirits. We give them feedback and serve as a sort of research group for them on their products.â€
Brian Sheehy, co-owner of Bourbon & Branch and co-founder of beverage consultancy, Future Bars, notes that the partnerships with local distilleries run deep. “We send our mixologists out there to discuss the trends with them, and they will help us in making some of our own bitters,†he says, noting that homemade bitters will be big in his bars this year. “We also have a local partnership with Small Hand Foods, a local producer of mixing syrups.â€
This emphasis on local distilleries complements the focus on fresh produce.
“In San Francisco, the whole stereotype is us being into fresh produce,†says Castro. “How could we not be given that we are privy to so much great produce around here? Everyone competes for the best juices and fruits.†Castro’s Kentucky Buck cocktail, priced at $12, features Bulleit Bourbon, lemon juice, homemade turbinado simple syrup, strawberry, ginger beer and Angostura Bitters.
“Using fresh produce allows us to take something old and make it new again,†concludes Castro. “There is still a respect for the classics.â€
Related Stories
Global Mixology