Stark Spirits Distillery Hosts Private Tour for Pasadena Chamber as Kick-Off to Round 4 of SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge

The Stark Spirits Distillery Tour was hosted as a part of the Taste of Pasadena. –Courtesy photo

Local artisan distillery showcases beverages and explains distilling process to guests

A select group of Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Board members and friends enjoyed a private tour of Stark Spirits Distillery in Pasadena on Sept. 12 as a kick-off for the final online round of voting in the SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge. Distillery owners Greg and Karen Stark toured guests around the distillery, explaining the process of turning grains into liquor. At the end of the tour, guests were treated to a private tasting of Stark Spirits.

Stark Spirits Distillery is Pasadena’s only distillery making artisan liquors including rums, whiskeys, aquavit, gin and their signature Sunshine orange liquor. Greg Stark’s passion is single malt whiskeys, while Karen enjoys making gin.

Stark Spirits Distillery is located in 1400 square feet in an industrial park in Pasadena. Their equipment includes a handmade copper Hoga still from Spain. “We’re intentionally staying small so that we can be close to every aspect of the distilling process to ensure everything we make is something that we want to drink and enjoy,” Mr. Stark said that evening.

The Stark Spirits Distillery tour and tasking kicked of the final online round of voting in the SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge, a six week cocktail competition hosted by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the City of Pasadena. Voting is live online at www.pasadenarestaurantweek.com/vote until Tuesday, Sept. 19.

Information on Stark Spirits Distillery can be found at www.starkspirits.com.

“Stark Spirits Distillery very generously hosted a small group of Chamber Board members, family and friends for an entertaining and informative tour of their operations,” said Chamber CEO Paul Little. “We learned a lot about the process of making artisan spirits and really enjoyed the special tasting of some of Greg and Karen’s favorites.”

The SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge culminates in a live taste-off at the Rose Bowl as part of the Taste of Pasadena on Sept. 28, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets to the Taste of Pasadena, which includes food tastings and a chance to sample the four finalist cocktails, are $30 in advance and $50 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased atwww.pasadena-chamber.org/forms/taste-of-pasadena and will be available until Sept. 26.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Taste of Pasadena event at the Rose Bowl on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. No more than 500 tickets will be sold to the Taste of Pasadena in the Court of Champions in front of the Rose Bowl. No long lines. No waiting for food and drink.

Entertainment will be provided by Dance Syndicate.

Past participants in the Taste of Pasadena have included local favorites El Cholo Cafe, California Pizza Kitchen, Chick-fil-A, Copenhagen Pastry, Du-Par’s, Clearman’s Galley, Hilton Pasadena, Lucky Baldwins Pub, Madeline Garden Bistro, Nekter Juice Bar, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pasadena Sandwich Company, POP Champagne and Dessert Bar, Simply Cupcakes of Pasadena, Stark Spirits Distillery, Stonefire Grill, White Horse Lounge and Whole Foods Market.

This is hosted in conjunction with the SIP-tember Finale and cocktail tasting. At the end of the event, we will tally votes of the live cocktail tasting and announce Pasadena’s Favorite Cocktail for 2017.

The City of Pasadena, The Rose Bowl, and the Pasadena Star-News sponsor the event.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce is a business service member organization that works to ensure the prosperity of its members through a variety of offerings including referrals, networking, workshops and seminars, events and much more. The Chamber serves 1450 member companies.