San Diego Branded 619 Vodka To Open Distillery, Tasting Room & Restaurant In North Park

October 31, 2016

619 Vodka, which launched in May 2012, is embracing a change in California law to grow its company. After recently relaunching the brand with a lineup of flavor infused vodkas, one of San Diego's first craft distilleries has taken over the spaces at 3015 & 3019 Lincoln Avenue in North Park to open Six One Nine Spirits Distillery & Tasting Room, anticipated to debut in by the end of 2016.

619 Vodka was started by Nick Apostolopolous, a longtime software architect that gave up his day job to pursue his passion. Also the host of radio show “Nicksology’ on ESPN 1700AM, which centers around and is dedicated to cocktails and spirits, Nick has become a leader in San Diego's growing craft spirit distilling industry. He has fought for and is now taking advantage of a recent change in California state law with regard to spirit manufacturers operating a tasting room and selling their product straight to the consumer. The passage of California's Craft Distiller’s Act of 2015 paved the way for the opening of his North Park facility.

Under California's new law, which only came into effect in 2016, distillers who obtain the newly established Type-74 liquor license are now allowed to sell three 750-ml bottles to any consumers who participate in an on-site tasting, limited to three per customer per day. Prior to the law, purchasing a bottle at a distillery was not legal unless there was an on-site liquor store owned and operated by a separate party. The new law also allows distilleries to serve cocktails, host on-site private events, and to open a restaurant on premises just like breweries and wineries have been able to do - all prohibited prior to 2016. It's speculated that this change in law will result in a golden-era of spirit distilling in California.

Six One Nine Spirits Distillery & Tasting Room has obtained the requisite Type 74 license and is currently building out its North Park space adjacent to Crazee Burger. The location will have all the necessary equipment for distilling, as well as a restaurant and tasting room space for sampling and purchasing bottles for takeaway. 3019 Lincoln will house the distillery, production area and kitchen totalling about 1000 square foot of space, and 3015 Lincoln will be the tasting room, retail area and restaurant with totaling 1350 square foot plus the patio area. The restaurant will serve a new American menu (think burgers, pasta, salads) using locally sourced ingredients when possible, and in addition to 619 Vodka concoctions, will have a bar menu with other local spirits, craft beer and wine. Apostolopolous hopes to soft open by the end of the year with a grand opening tentatively scheduled for early 2017.

619 Vodka is handcrafted in small batches using cane sugar to produce a premium, gluten free spirit that gains its purity from being 5x filtered and distilled twelve times before ending up in the bottle. This year the company launched a series of infused vodkas. Unlike many of the other brands on the market that use artificial flavors, 619 sources only fresh, local ingredients for their spirits. Flavors like the scorpion pepper uses peppers grown on a farm in Fallbrook. The coffee vodka is made with beans roasted by Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. In the future, 619 Vodka intends to introduce new and seasonal varieties like strawberry basil and watermelon mint, all made using whole ingredients. Currently, 619 Vodka is only available for purchase at Old Town Wine & Spirits and most area Keg N Bottle locations, as well as in cocktails at many local bars and restaurants, including Pardon My French in Hillcrest, Social Tap in downtown and College Area, U31 in North Park, and others.

For more information about 619 Vodka, call 619.940.6456 and visit 619vodka.com.