You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
| BREW<br />
Sip<br />
& Mix<br />
BY BRANT MYERS<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER OLSON<br />
recently had a virtual sit down with Abe Stevens,<br />
the founder, owner, chief mop operator, and more<br />
importantly, the distiller at the Humboldt Distillery in<br />
Fortuna. We chatted about the health of California’s<br />
waterways, the versatility of sugar cane, carrot juice<br />
bloody mary recipes, and why I like traditional rum<br />
and colas so much. Stevens’ team sent me four bottles<br />
of their flagship spirits, so I sat down with my flock<br />
of Glencairn glasses as we walked through the history Iof distilleries in America and how his philosophy has shaped his<br />
business model and is reflected in every bottle. Readers, please note<br />
that I will do most anything for free alcohol, including waking up at<br />
six in the morning to write an article after drinking straight hooch<br />
for nearly two hours the day before.<br />
As you’ve likely gleaned, Humboldt Distillery is located in Humboldt<br />
County, a place notorious for one thing: Humboldt fog, an amazingly<br />
creamy blue cheese. But we’re not here to talk about cheese. Maybe<br />
go back a few pages and ask Jamie Lewis. Anyway, where were we?<br />
Yes, Humboldt County where Stevens has a family history going<br />
back five generations. He left there for college in Chicago where<br />
he received degrees in chemistry and biochemistry before pursuing<br />
a career in the pharmaceutical industry. So, if there’s anyone well<br />
qualified to make a mean Painkiller it would be Stevens. He bounced<br />
around various professions and eventually landed back on the lost<br />
coast. Like most hobbyists in the alcohol game, he dreamed of doing<br />
it professionally and that’s how Humboldt Distillery was born.<br />
After chatting for some time, I was really impressed with Stevens’ philosophy<br />
on sustainability, especially when it comes to preserving fresh and salt<br />
water health. Being located between both, and utilizing their water from<br />
old growth redwood forest watersheds, the distillery is eco-conscious in<br />
their footprint while serving the community through the sourcing of local<br />
ingredients and setting aside proceeds from each bottle sold to the California<br />
Coastkeeper Alliance. I like that, it’s the same coastline we have here in <strong>SLO</strong><br />
County. I also like their bottle art, a lot. At first glance, I assumed it was just<br />
a nod to their coastal location but the vibrant crab and pelican labels take on<br />
a new meaning when you attach it to their conservation efforts. They want<br />
to be clear, there is no crab in their vodka. I had a lobster saison once and<br />
suggested he add crab sometime. I think there was an issue with our phone<br />
connection, as it went silent for a bit afterwards.<br />
I went through tasting two base spirits with<br />
a variant of each. The first was their flagship<br />
vodka made from organic certified sugar cane,<br />
this neutral spirit has taken home many medals<br />
including the Bartender Spirits Award Double<br />
Gold and Vodka of the Year. I’ve gone through<br />
a few vodka tastings in my career and this was<br />
about as clean and neutral as they come. A great<br />
compliment to any cocktail, or sipped casually<br />
while wearing a fur coat in an ice bar, it was<br />
smooth and didn’t have a lingering aftertaste I’m<br />
accustomed to, a character that Stevens notes<br />
comes from using sugar cane as opposed to >><br />
BRANT MYERS is a beer<br />
industry veteran and<br />
founder of <strong>SLO</strong> BIIIG, a<br />
hospitality consulting firm.<br />
78 | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | APR/MAY <strong>2021</strong>
Change language