If you're a spirits geek, then it's no question whether or not you love brandy. The question is: how much? If you're true blue (or true amber, really) then you've probably got your ticket to the Craft Distillers conference on brandy this weekend at the St. George/Hangar One distillery on Alameda. If not, this is your final notice to get with it and get your ticket. Guests will include such heroes of American distilling as Steve McCarthy of Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery. Panel discussions such as "American Eau de Vie," and "The Tradition of Apple Brandy Production in the US" will be running throughout the day. For details go here.
If you aren't necesarily a hardcore geek, but still love spirits with a somewhat stalker-ish intensity, you'll want to attend Sunday's tasting called "Meet the Maker," which can be attended with the purchase of a separate ticket from the conference in general. Pretty much everyone who's anyone in craft distilling in the US, from California's own Germain-Robin to Tuthilltown Spirits of New York State will be there and everyone in between. Tickets are $40 and sales start at 1 with the Hangar One doors opening at 2. If I were you, I'd skip the morning mimosa and go straight to the hard stuff. Purchase your round trip ferry ticket to Alameda in advance, just to make sure you're taken care of.
