By Kathy Chouteau
A ‘spirited’ new business has swung open its doors in the Marina Bay neighborhood and it’s inviting the community in for a taste.
Dissident Spirits, an independent distillery that focuses on “local, high quality and sustainable craft spirits,” has opened up a new tasting room at its production site at 855 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 28, in Richmond, in the same shopping plaza as The Artisan Kitchen & Café and Armistice Brewing Company. And the best part? Right now the tastings a few days a week are free, per distillery co-founder Oliver Gothe, who operates the business with Adrian Willey and Samuel Pierce. Recently, Derrick McFerran also signed on to head up the tasting room.
According to the distillery peeps, they produce classics like gin, vodka and rum, as well as small-batch spirits like its barrel-aged Rose Gin and Peated Gin. Currently, Dissident’s for-sale product list features spirits with some familiar names, like Marina Bay Vodka, Peppercorn Gin, Monterey Pine Gin, Brickyard Cove Silver Rum, Cypress Point Gold Rum, Collina Ricca Amaro and Barrelhouse Gin.
In the near future, Dissident plans to release barrel-aged rums and brandies, and eventually, whiskies. Community engagement events and social media contests are also on the horizon, per the company.
Gothe, who also works as a Bay Area analyst, said the distillery is “so excited to be an official part of this community,” and that they “believe communities deserve engaging places to gather and create shared experiences. For us, our spirits and new tasting room provide that opportunity.”
Again, tastings at Dissident Spirits’ tasting room are currently free. The Tasting Room’s hours are Fridays from 3-8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. It’s located at 855 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 28, in Richmond. Learn more here.
Taproom Manager McFerran said “he really believe(s) in the labor of love these guys have undertaken to launch the distillery and the steps they’ve gone through to produce such an amazing product.” He added that he’s “looking forward to building this brand with them in Richmond, a place I’ve come to love.”
