Is there such a thing as a California-style whiskey? Finally, the answer is yes
Lou Bustamante
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Earl Brown inspects whiskey aging in 200-liter barrels at Wright & Brown Distilling Co. in Oakland.Paul Chinn / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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Earl Brown produces whiskey at Wright & Brown Distilling Co. in Oakland.Paul Chinn / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
Bay Area distilleries have been producing whiskey for decades, and today there are roughly 20 local distillers who make, age and sell their own whiskey — some of them world-class. Yet the Bay Area doesn’t have a well-defined local whiskey style in the same way that it has carved out a distinctive personality for wine, beer and craft cocktails. There is no expectation that a distiller here will use a certain type of grain, or age the whiskey in a specific sort of barrel, as is the case with categories like bourbon and Tennessee whiskey.