You enjoy a tricked out beer now and again.
So you'll probably be as intrigued as we were by
Charbay Whiskey, a craft whiskey made from
hand-distilling great-tasting bottle-ready beer.
Master Distiller Marko Karakasevic, who comes from a long line of spirits makers (he's the 13th generation),
is making his mark with a semi-homemade technique of whiskey making—instead of the usual process of
fermenting corn, barley, rye and wheat into a beer substance that is then aged, he goes straight for the
quality stuff off the bat by taking premium beer from a secret Northern California microbrewery and boiling
it down. Then he takes his time distilling it—six weeks of around-the-clock shifts (late work hours
finally put to good use). The result is an intensely concentrated whiskey with those beloved beer
tones.
Take your pick from the
Whiskey II, a malty nine-year double copper pot whiskey distilled from
pilsner, hitting the shelves next week (if you're willing to part with $350 per bottle), or the crystal
clear
Doubled and Twisted, possibly the world's lightest whiskey, made with India Pale Ale and only
barrel-aged for a day—it's got the proof of moonshine with a smooth beer profile.
Confusion never tasted so good.
VITALS
Charbay Whiskey
2200 Fillmore St
Pacific Heights
San Francisco, CA 94115
1-800-637-0292
website