St. George Spirits: Alameda's Craft Distillery and American Single Malt Pioneer
Updated: 26 minutes ago
St. George Spirits is a craft distillery in Alameda, California, known for gin, absinthe, brandy, vodka and whiskey. Its single malt was first released in 2000, making it one of the earlier American craft single malt makers.
In this guide
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St. George Spirits at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery / brand | St. George Spirits |
Country and region | California, United States |
Owner / operator | St. George Spirits, founded by Jorg Rupf |
Historical background | Wikipedia records that St. George Spirits was founded in 1982 by Jorg Rupf as an eau de vie distillery. In 1996 Rupf hired Lance Winters, a brewer and former nuclear scientist. A year later… |
Whisky identity | American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits |
Visitor planning | Check the producer's official site for current tours and operating hours. |
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At a glance
Location: Alameda, California, United States
Founded: 1982 by Jorg Rupf as an eau de vie distillery (Wikipedia)
Home: a 65,000 square foot former airplane hangar on the old Alameda naval air station, since 2004
Master Distiller: Lance Winters
First single malt release: 2000
Whiskeys: St. George Single Malt, Breaking & Entering American Whiskey and Baller Single Malt
The story
Wikipedia records that St. George Spirits was founded in 1982 by Jorg Rupf as an eau de vie distillery. In 1996 Rupf hired Lance Winters, a brewer and former nuclear scientist. A year later the two began distilling and ageing their single malt whiskey, first released in 2000.
In 2004 the company moved into its current site, a 65,000 square foot airplane hangar on the former Alameda naval air station. In December 2009 it released St. George Absinthe Verte, described as the first commercially available American absinthe since the 1912 ban was lifted.
Rupf retired as master distiller in 2010. That year the company sold its Hangar One vodka line to Proximo Spirits to concentrate on gin, liqueurs, malt whiskey, agricole rum and its Breaking & Entering whiskeys.
The people
Jorg Rupf: founder, who retired as master distiller in 2010
Lance Winters: master distiller, hired in 1996 after working as a brewer and nuclear scientist
Dave Smith: listed with the founders on the official Our Story menu; his role was not checked
The range
Wikipedia lists the following whiskeys with ABVs. Check the official site for the current range.
St. George Single Malt Whiskey: 43% ABV
Breaking & Entering American Whiskey: 43% ABV
Baller Single Malt Whiskey: 47% ABV
The distillery also makes gins (such as Terroir, Botanivore and Dry Rye), vodkas, absinthe, fruit brandies and liqueurs
Visiting
The official site has a Visit page and a public events page.
Hours, tour prices and booking details were not read. Check the official site before travelling.
How St. George describes itself
St. George Spirits calls itself America's original artisan distillery and says it has been creating spirits since 1982. Its stated philosophy is to make spirits unlike anything else on the market, with innovation, quality and integrity. Its range spans whiskey, gin, vodka, liqueur and brandy.
Founder: Jörg Rupf
Master Distiller: Lance Winters
Head Distiller: Dave Smith
Address: 2601 Monarch Street, Alameda, California 94501
Frequently asked questions
When was St. George Spirits founded?
In 1982, by Jorg Rupf, as an eau de vie distillery.
Where is the distillery?
In Alameda, California, in a former airplane hangar on the old naval air station.
Who is the master distiller?
Lance Winters, who joined in 1996. Rupf retired as master distiller in 2010.
Does St. George make whiskey?
Yes. It makes single malt and Breaking & Entering American Whiskey, alongside gin, vodka, absinthe and other spirits.
The distillery's own timeline
St. George's Our Story page says Jorg Rupf founded the distillery in 1982, when there were fewer than 20 distilleries in the United States, and ran his first batch of eau de vie on a 65 gallon pot still. It describes the company as the first small American distillery since Prohibition and names Clear Creek, Bonnie Doon, Westford Hill and Cap Rock Distilling among distilleries he helped start. Jorg grew up with Black Forest distilling traditions and focused on brandy from California fruit.
The page says St. George Poire William won the Destillata blind tasting in Austria. Lance Winters, a former nuclear scientist and brewer, applied in 1996 with a bottle of homemade whiskey as his resume. The first single malt went into barrel after experiments with different mash bills, and Lot 1 of St. George Single Malt Whiskey was released in 2000, which matches Wikipedia.
The distillery moved into its current site, a 65,000 square foot hangar at the former Alameda Naval Air Station, in 2004. Dave Smith joined as a distiller around then and is now head distiller. St. George Absinthe Verte, released in December 2009, is described as the first legal American absinthe since the 1912 ban. In 2010 the Hangar One brand was sold and Jorg Rupf retired after 28 years, with Lance Winters becoming master distiller.
Whiskey and wider range
Whiskeys named on the timeline include Breaking and Entering Bourbon, built from barrels the team selected from Kentucky distilleries, and Baller Single Malt Whiskey, described as a California take on Japanese style Scotch whisky. The distillery also makes gin, vodka, liqueur, brandy and California Umeshu.
Visiting
The distillery is at 2601 Monarch Street, Alameda, California. The site has a Visit page and public events calendar. Check it for current tours and hours.
Sources and gaps
Gaps: still types and capacity, current whiskey ABVs and tour prices were not read. The timeline page gives few dates in the text we could read, so years other than 1982, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2010 come from Wikipedia.
Further source read on 21 October 2026: stgeorgespirits.com home page.
Whisky Clan does not publish tasting notes in its distillery profiles.
What makes St. George Spirits distinctive?
American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits
St. George Spirits whisky bottle and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
St. George Single Malt | NAS / release dependent | Check bottle | American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits |
Baller Single Malt | NAS / release dependent | Check bottle | American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits |
Breaking & Entering American Whiskey | NAS / release dependent | Check bottle | American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits |
The table records named or historical expressions. Exact availability, strength and provenance can change; consult the producer for current details.
Explore related distilleries
Frequently asked questions about St. George Spirits
Where is St. George Spirits located?
California, United States.
Who owns or operates St. George Spirits?
St. George Spirits, founded by Jorg Rupf.
What makes St. George Spirits distinctive?
American craft distillery with malt whisky and other spirits.
Which whiskies are documented for St. George Spirits?
St. George Single Malt, Baller Single Malt, Breaking & Entering American Whiskey. Availability varies.
Can visitors tour St. George Spirits?
Check the producer's current tour and booking information; not all sites are open to visitors.
Sources and editorial notes
The original research and reference links have been retained. Current ownership, prices, operating status and visitor arrangements should be reconfirmed.
Image note: the cover is an illustrative whisky photograph from the Whisky Clan media library, not a photograph of this distillery or its products.
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Photo and source notes
Cover image: illustrative whisky photograph from the Whisky Clan media library. It does not show the premises of the distillery covered in this guide.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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