History

Barber Lee Spirits is a small craft distillery in Petaluma, California. Founded by two families—the Barbers and Lees—in 2017 in an old brick warehouse from 1910 in a historic part of Sonoma County. The doors opened to the public in 2019 with their flagship single malt rye, moonshine, and absinthe. Since then, noble wheat- and corn-based products such as apple brandy and rum have been added, and the company has won several awards, including Double Gold (SF World Spirits Competition) and Double Gold (Sunset Magazine Spirits Competition). Barber Lee focuses on being a grain-to-glass distillery, where the entire process—fermentation, distillation, aging, and bottling—takes place under their own roof.

Production / Manufacturing

The distillery operates according to traditional methods and prioritizes sustainability. They use the finest ingredients such as malted rye, heirloom corn, raw sugar syrup, and organic herbs and fruits. The entire production is handmade without computers, and they have their own special copper still called Two Headed Monster, which combines an alembic head and a four-plate whiskey column for maximum copper contact. About 90% of production is whiskey (rye and bourbon), but they apply the same care to smaller projects such as apple brandy, absinthe, and rum.

The company creates a full grain-to-glass experience: everything is fermented, distilled, aged and bottled under their own roof. The residual waste is utilized in an environmentally friendly way; spent grain from the mash feeds local farmers' cows and pigs, and grape skins or herbs from other projects are composted. The leather labels are made from recycled leather, and all waste and resources are managed with a focus on sustainability.

Products / Whisky range

Barber Lee produces a range of products, several of which are whiskey-based: - Single Malt Rye (100% Malted Rye) – 45% ABV, 750 ml. A rich and spicy American whiskey with notes of rye bread and bakery spices, aged 3—4 years in new, heavily charred American oak barrels. - Heirloom Corn Bourbon – 45% ABV, 750 ml. Made from non-GMO Bloody Butcher and Hopi Blue corn grown in California, blended with malted grains (malted barley and malted rye) and aged 3—4 years in new casks. - Bottled-in-Bond Reserve Rye – 50% ABV, 750 ml. A single-barrel specialty, aged 2—3 years and further 3—4 years in the barrel. - Cask Finished & Store Pick Whiskies – rare single-barrel projects where the whiskey after maturation of 3 years is finished in used casks (Port, Zinfandel, maple syrup, etc.) and bottled at 60% ABV+; some of these cask-strength releases are sold through retail partners. - Apple Brandy – 42% ABV, 750 ml. Distilled apple brandy from Gravenstein apples from a nearby organic/produce-focused area, aged in new strong casks to impart apple and oak notes. - White Rum – 40% ABV, 750 ml. White rum distilled twice from piloncillo sugar, with rich caramel and roasted sugar notes. - Absinthe Blanche – 65% ABV, 375 ml. Eight herbs, triple-distilled red wine as base; distilled completely clear and colorless, with herbs and flowers in the aroma and flavor. - Moonshine – 50% ABV, 375 ml. Clear whiskey straight from the distillate with full body and notes of almonds and light spice.

Visit / Experiences

The distillery is located at 120 Washington St, Petaluma, CA 94952. Opening hours are Wednesday–Sunday (typically 4–10, 4–10, 4–11, 4–11 and 2–8 respectively), and there is a full cocktail menu, spirit tastings, beer and wine service, and light bites. Reservations are available but not required; for groups of seven or more, it is recommended to contact info@barberleespirits.com to arrange. Tastings of their spirits and cocktails, and a barrels-aging experience near the aging warehouse are also offered. Happy Hour with cocktails for $11 runs Wednesday–Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and service ends 30 minutes before closing time.

Philosophy

Barber Lee Spirits places a strong emphasis on tradition and sustainability: the use of non-GMO and organic grains and ingredients, reuse and composting of by-products, and that the entire process takes place under their own roof. Hospitality and craftsmanship go hand in hand, and they focus on manually controlling the entire distillation process and the flavor signatures in each batch.