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Stark Spirits Distillery

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Stark Spirits Distillery
Company typeLLC
FoundedApril 4, 2013
HeadquartersPasadena, California, USA
Key people
Gregory Stark, Karen Robinson-Stark
ProductsWhiskey, Rum, Gin, Brandy
WebsiteStark Spirits

Stark Spirits Distillery is an artisan distillery in Pasadena, California, that produces a range of alcoholic beverages under the direction of Head Distiller Greg Stark. The microdistillery is owned by husband and wife, Greg Stark and Karen Robinson-Stark. It is Pasadena's first microdistillery. Stark Spirits is a Certified Craft Distillery, certified by the American Distilling Institute.[1] The Pasadena microdistillery is known for producing hand-crafted small batches of whiskey, rum, gin, and brandy. Stark Spirits Distillery also offers in-person tours allowing people to get an intimate experience with their spirits.

History

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The still area. 7BBL Kettle/Mash/Lauter tun, 1000L Hoga pot still, far right is a 55G Pot with Dragon still components used by Stark Spirits Distillery of Pasadena, California.

Distillery planning started in late 2011. In 2012, the location was identified near the Craftsman Brewing Co. TTB approved and issued its license November 21, 2013. The CA ABC approved and issued its license December 21, 2013.[2]

Stark Spirits facility is less than 1200 square feet and is essentially a nano-distillery because of the annual production capacity.Here are some key details about Stark Spirits Distillery:

Whiskey: Stark Spirits is known for its American Single Malt Whiskey, a product that reflects the growing interest in American craft distilleries producing high-quality single malt whiskies. They also produce California Peated Single Malt Whiskey, which has a distinctive smoky flavor.

Rum: Stark Spirits' rums, particularly their Silver Rum and Gold Rum, are also well-regarded. They craft both light and dark versions, catering to different preferences for cocktail mixing or sipping.

Gin: Their California Citrus Gin, as the name suggests, incorporates local citrus flavors, making it a refreshing and vibrant option for gin lovers.

Aquavit: Stark Spirits produces a Scandinavian-inspired spirit, known as Aquavit, which is flavored with caraway and other herbs. This is a relatively unique offering in the U.S. market and showcases their experimental approach to distilling.

Brandy: They also distill a brandy that reflects their focus on traditional methods, using carefully selected fruits to achieve balanced, smooth flavors.

Stark Spirits has garnered attention for its dedication to quality and craft, despite its small size, and their products have been praised in various reviews for their craftsmanship and flavor profiles. They are part of the growing craft distilling movement in California, which emphasizes local ingredients, sustainable practices, and small-batch production. 

At full production capacity, including the bottling of barrel-aged rum and whiskey, the distillery can manufacture fewer than 5000 cases annually.[3][4]

Greg Stark is the head distiller and Karen Robinson is the assistant distiller. Greg started his distilling business after many years of making home-brewed wine and beer.[5][6]

Stark Spirits received recognition as a certified craft distillery because it meets the criteria of being owned by the distiller, manufactures and bottles all its products, and produces less than 50,000 cases a year.[7]

Awards

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  • 2015 Bronze Medal Packaging - ADI[8]
  • 2016 Best of Category & Silver Medal - Overproof Rum - California Silver 151 Rum[9]
  • 2016 Silver Medal - Sunshine Orange Brandy[9]
  • 2016 Bronze Medal - Peated Single Malt Whiskey[9]
  • 2016 Bronze Medal - California Gold Rum[9]

Products

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Current Spirits

Future spirits

Where to Buy Stark Spirits

References

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  1. ^ "Craft Spirits Database". American Distilling Institute. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  2. ^ ""Bai Niao Chao Feng": Artisan Spirit and Elegy". 2018 International Conference on Arts, Linguistics, Literature and Humanities. Francis Academic Press. 2018. doi:10.25236/icallh.2018.51. ISBN 9781912407965.
  3. ^ Dupuy, Lisa (6 November 2014). "Capturing California in a Bottle". Arroyo. Southland Publishing. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  4. ^ Farner, Donald S. (November 1982). "A Fascination with Falcons The Falcons of the World Tom J. Cade R. David Digby". BioScience. 32 (10): 811. doi:10.2307/1308978. ISSN 0006-3568. JSTOR 1308978.
  5. ^ Brode, Bruce. "1996 Mayfair Winners". Maltose Falcons Homebrew Club. Maltose Falcons. Retrieved 10 July 2002.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Todd. "Founding Members". Crown of the Valley Homebrew Club. Crown of the Valley. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
  7. ^ Masunaga, Samantha (16 October 2015). "California distilleries get into spirits of handcrafting". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Judging of Craft Spirits". American Distilling Institute. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d "Judging of Craft Spirits". American Distilling Institute. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
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