Edible Sacramento Fall 2022

densely populated areas such as Roseville. In other words, there just weren’t enough licenses to go around. An annual lottery de termines which establishments get them, but his name has never beendrawn. “We were never able to get a license, but we wanted to have a full bar. We’re a Mexican restaurant. We wanted to have real margaritas,”Wise says. Distilling his own spirits had always been a goal forWise, andhaving a distillery on the premises meant he also could serve mixed drinks to customers. So when the opportunity came up to expand next door, he took it. Part of the challenge was build ing out the space to meet current building and fire codes. Distilling is considered a hazardous activity, as the vapors it produc es and the alcohol itself are highly flamma ble. As such, distilleries must be equipped with increased fire prevention and pro tection implements such as sprinklers, fire doors, ventilation systems, and explo sion-proof electrical fittings. Wise began the process right before the pandemic, but worker shortages and supply chain issues caused the project to move at a “piecemeal pace.” It got completed in Au gust 2021, and Nixtaco reopened the next day as aMexicankitchen anddistillery. Nixtaco, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2021, released its first vodka earlier this year, under the name Emilia, in honor of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. The product has already won several awards, including a silver at the 2022 SIP Awards and a gold at the Denver International SpiritsCompetition.Nextup? Gin andperhaps a blendedwhiskey. “We are in the midst of a revolution in the Mexican gastronomic scene, as well as a revolution in craft distilling,” Wise says. “We will continue to work on our portfolio and develop newproducts.” Midtown Spirits Midtown-spirits.com NixtacoMexicanKitchen &Distillery Nixta.co Dry Diggings Distillery Drydiggings.com California Artisanal Distillers Guild Cadistillers.org

Some of those early provisions have been slowly chipped away, thanks, in part, to the e orts of the California Arti sanal Distillers Guild. Led by Cris Stell er, owner of Dry Diggings Distillery in El Dorado Hills, the group was formed in 2012 with the goal of leveling the play ing field for small-time distillers. Unlike brewers and winemakers, distillers were not permitted to sell their products on site, which simply wasn’t financially feasible. “The first big thing we did was to get tasting rooms open so owners would be al lowed to pour samples,” Steller says. In the early days, it was nearly impos sible to enact change. The three-tier sys tem was the status quo, backed by lobbies far more powerful than the average small business owner. But the guild began get ting larger and stronger, and lawmakers started listening. “Before 2015, it was really diŠcult to get a distillery going in California. You couldn’t make something and sell it. You had to have a distributor,” Steller says. “But distributors don’t always want to car ry small brands like mine unless they have a following. But how do you get a following without a tasting room?” Steller credits a growing interest in craft spirits and craft cocktails as the impetus behind the loosening of laws. The first craft distillery in California, St. George Spirits, opened inAlameda in 1982, ushering in what Steller calls the “second wave” of craft distilling. But it wasn’t until the resurgence of craft cocktails in the late 1990s and early 2000s that the industry really took o . “When craft cocktails started making a comeback, the public started to support it,” he says. The most recent legislation the guild is pushing for, SB 620, which was still pend ing at the state legislature at press time, would further loosen the laws, extending the now-expired emergency direct-to-con sumer shipping allowances within the state as well as to states with reciprocity agreements. It would also raise the sale limit from 2.25 liters to 4.5 liters per cus tomer, per day. Steller said this bill would further allow smaller distilleries to com pete with largermanufacturers.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS The stringent requirements have made it extremely difficult for many aspiring dis tillers to set up shop in the Sacramento area. One exception isMidtown Spirits, the first distillery to openwithin the city limits since Prohibition. It was founded by Dave Abrahamsen and JasonPoole, who also run Sacramento’s Preservation and Co., which makes cocktailmixes and garnishes. MidtownSpirits isn’t just a distiller; it’s also a full-service restaurant. It produces several house-made spirits, including gin, vodka (with versions made with corn or locally grown rice), and a cold-brew co ee liqueur. The business also offers infused vodkas, with flavors including cucumber, strawberry, berry, and dill pickle. Poole says one of the biggest challenges for distillers is finding the right space. Zon ing ordinances, building codes, and fire codes all dictate the required size, location, and safety features of a manufacturing facility. Luckily, Poole and Abrahamsen didn’t need a brand-new permit. Rather, they were able to amend the one they al ready had for their existing business. Despite opening Midtown Spirits at the height of the pandemic, theyweathered the storm. In fact, they actually benefitted from it: They were able to build a patio to o er outdoor dining, a permit for which is often diŠcult for distilleries to obtain. Poole and Abrahamsen say they just want tobeon the sameplayingfieldas other manufacturers of alcohol and hope to pave theway for thosewith similar ambitions. “We’re proud to be the first ones here, but we certainly won’t be the last. We’re excited to build an industry around it,” Poole says. “People are exploring, learning, and enjoying spirits the same way they do withwine or beer.” PLANNING A PERFECT PAIRING In Roseville, Patricio Wise is producing vodka from his distillery adjacent to his restaurant, Nixtaco. Although he’s had a li cense for wine and beer since opening the restaurant in2016, securing a liquor license has been more challenging. Wise says the number of licenses issued is based on popu lation. BecauseeasternPlacerCounty is rel atively rural, it skews the numbers formore

Ediblesacramento.com 27