Beachwood Distilling Verified listing

Beachwood Distilling might have overtaken the former Liberation Brewing Co. space in Bixby Knolls in 2022. And indeed, they served as an excellent taproom addition to a neighborhood already rife with solid beer. (Hey there, Ambitious Ales!) But what we’ve truly been waiting for is the culmination of their distilling process.

We’re talkin’ rums. Gins. Vodkas. And yes, way more than that.

“I am not here to be the next Tito’s,” said co-owner Gabe Gordon, who shares the space with his wife Lena, his longtime business partner, and master brewer Julian Shrago. “And I am okay with that because there’s not going to be this immediate market for Beachwood Vodka. But what I can do is control everything that goes into here,” he said, pointing toward a handmade tiki mug from Etsy.

Gabe has decided to make everything in your glass in-house on every level the space is capable of.

Yes, that Negroni you’re sipping on? You’re not drinking a highly branded gin or Campari. You’re drinking Beachwood gin and, yes, Beachwood “Campari.” And don’t think Gabe and his crew didn’t dive into the absurd details of concocting this OG spirit. Campari—invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy—and many other aperitivos get their distinctly beautiful red color from carmine dye, derived from crushed cochineal insects.

“At first, we had the flavor on point, but there was something off with the color,” Gabe said. “And then Harrison [McCabe of Beachwood’s Blendery] discovered cochineals. And voila, we have ourselves a perfectly hued negroni. Still a little bummed we haven’t perfected our vermouth, so for now, we are using mass-produced vermouth, but we’re getting there.”

Tonics, liqueurs, cordials, bitters, syrups, and cold-pressed juices—Beachwood Distilling wants to create and control every step that goes into a cocktail made in-house. This has been a longtime reflection of Beachwood’s dedication to craft.

For Brian Addison's full feature on Beachwood Distilling, click here.