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Whiskey · 49.5% ABV · 50 Months

Charbay

Charbay Stout Whiskey

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Availability

45 states

Order size

1+ cases

12 bottles per case

In 2011 Master Distiller Marko began distilling whiskey from Bear Republic's Big Bear Black Stout, a dark beer made with five malts and Centennial and Cascade hops at 8.1% ABV. Distilled from fully brewed, bottle-ready stout in a custom Alambic pot still and aged in French oak barrels.

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In 2011 Master Distiller Marko began distilling whiskey from Bear Republic's Big Bear Black Stout, a dark beer made with five malts and Centennial and Cascade hops at 8.1% ABV. Distilled from fully brewed, bottle-ready stout in a custom Alambic pot still and aged in French oak barrels.

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The Brand

Charbay

Charbay

Ukiah, CA

Est. 1983

Charbay was founded in 1983 in Ukiah, California as Domaine Karakash, becoming the 177th licensed distillery in America. The Karakasevic family traces its distilling heritage back 13 generations to 1751, when the House of Karakasevic was honored by the Austrian-Hungarian imperial court of Empress Maria Theresa for its wines and brandies. In 1987 the winery was renamed Charbay, a name combining Chardonnay and Brandy after the family's first Dessert Chardonnay. Still independent and family-owned, Charbay is committed to old-world European distilling knowledge paired with American creativity, producing whiskey, vodka, brandy, rum, and liqueurs without cutting corners on time.

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The Founder's Note

Charbay was founded by Milorad (Miles) Karakasevic, who immigrated to North America in 1962 after earning degrees in Enology and Viticulture from the University of Belgrade. Miles designed the first American-made Alambic Charentais pot still in 1993 and was named America's first Grand Master Distiller in 2010. His son Marko, the family's 13th generation distiller, joined in 1995 and has been Master Distiller since 2009. Marko revolutionized flavored vodka in 1998 with the first U.S. vodka made from 100% real fruit and later pioneered whiskey distilled from fully brewed beer.

How It's Made

Charbay distills in a handmade 660-gallon copper Alambic Charentais pot still built by the Prulho family in France. Each batch is run twice: the first distillation builds the body, and the second selectively captures the best part of the run. Master Distiller Marko Karakasevic manually switches between heads, hearts, and tails by taste and smell rather than automated cuts, a process that can take multiple days of continuous attention per batch.

Tasting Notes

Palate: baking spices, roasted coffee, chocolate malt, vanilla, orange zest, and mint. Finish: dark malt, brown spice, bitter chocolate, lingering dry oak.

Specimen Notes

CoffeeChocolateVanillaSpiceHopsMalted Barley