The first Fernet from the Bay Area.

The friendship of Max Rudsten and Ben Flajnik began over a toast with a shot of Fernet. Not a total coincidence since they were both really into this Italian bitter Spirit that’s based on a grape distillate and originates in Italy. It’s usually crafted with several herbs and drunk as a digestif. Rudsten was working on his own recipe and Flajnik was traveling the world, looking at various methods at famous distilleries. The two Bay Area locals created the first locally-crafted Bay Area Fernet.

Fernet Francisco 9th Release is a limited release that’s part of their Cask series. They don’t disclose the entire recipe but we do know this: it’s crafted with grape Brandy and local hand-picked herbs and botanicals, including rhubarb, gentian root, orris root, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, fresh orange peel, peppermint, spearmint, angelica root, and German chamomile. This intriguing Spirit is aged in Willett Bourbon casks for 6 months and it comes out at 40% ABV as a rich, complex, and oaky Fernet. Toast with it neat or use it in your cocktail.