COUNTRY :
United States
REGION :
San Francisco
PRODUCTION :
Bitter beverage enthusiasts and Bay Area locals Max Rudsten and Ben Flajnik came together create the first San Francisco fernet and launched Fernet Francisco in 2015. Both had a beverage background and wanted to create a product that celebrated San Francisco’s love of fernet (the city drinks 25% of the US consumption of fernet and you will find more fernet on tap than anywhere else in the country). Master distiller–and biochemist, winemaker, and bartender–Farid Dormishian rounds out the team with his twenty years of experience. Like traditional Italian amaros, the trio will not reveal the full list of 12 local herbs, but will confirm that they use rhubarb, bay leaves, orange peels, and mint. Their distinct botanical list is macerated in local grape-based brandy and organic grain spirit.

Manzanilla
Region: San Francisco, CA (distilled in Richmond)
Base: organic grain spirit and local grape-based brandy
Process: the original formula. maceration 4-6 months. a mix of herbs macerated in brandy is distilled to concentrate aroma. spearmint and peppermint vapor infuse the base distillate. the final blend is the macerated base spirit, distilled herbs, oils extracted from the mint, and chamomile tea (used to reduce the ABV to bottling strenth), and sugar.
Sugar: organic cane, demerara, or turbinado sugar
Botanicals: chamomile, bay leaves, orange peel, mint, rhubarb
ABV: 40%

Ruibarbo
Region: San Francisco, CA (distilled in Richmond)
Base: organic grain spirit and local grape-based brandy
Process: rhubarb takes center stage in this slightly different set of herbs than the Manzanilla (no mint or chamomile is used). the maceration time is longer at 6-9 months.
Sugar: organic cane, demerara, or turbinado sugar
Botanicals: rhubarb, bay leaves, orange peel, +
ABV: 40%

Cask-Aged
Region: San Francisco, CA (distilled in Richmond)
Base: organic grain spirit and local grape-based brandy
Process: barrels are exchanged with Scribe Winery, 7 Stills, High West, and Willet distilleries, and Almanac brewery. The barrels are filled with a version of Fernet Francisco that has been modified slightly to match the specific barrel and rested for 1-2 years.
Sugar: organic cane, demerara, or turbinado sugar
Botanicals: chamomile, bay leaves, orange peel, mint, rhubarb
ABV: 40%