Gin · 47.0% ABV
Star Keeper Gin
Price
$$$$
Availability
CA
Order size
1+ cases
12 bottles per case
All gins start with a base spirit that is typically grain-based and manufactured to be as flavorless as possible. Star Keeper Gin's base spirit is instead made from clementines, purpose-distilled to subtly retain some of the character of its source fruit. It's a gin in the classic style, built with pink peppercorn (native to Southern California) and pistachio alongside quintessential gin botanicals like juniper, coriander, cinnamon, and angelica, using two varieties of juniper (common juniper and its earthier, local cousin, Sierra juniper) for warmth and balance.
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All gins start with a base spirit that is typically grain-based and manufactured to be as flavorless as possible. Star Keeper Gin's base spirit is instead made from clementines, purpose-distilled to subtly retain some of the character of its source fruit. It's a gin in the classic style, built with pink peppercorn (native to Southern California) and pistachio alongside quintessential gin botanicals like juniper, coriander, cinnamon, and angelica, using two varieties of juniper (common juniper and its earthier, local cousin, Sierra juniper) for warmth and balance.
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The Brand
The Spirit Guild
Los Angeles, CA
Est. 2012
The Spirit Guild is dedicated to celebrating the fruits and flavors of California through the traditional art of distillation. Its tasting room and distillery sit in Los Angeles' Arts District, on a site where the state's first commercial vineyards and orange groves once thrived, just blocks from the Los Angeles River. Both flagship spirits, Star Keeper Gin and Vapid Vodka, are distilled entirely from clementine citrus grown in California's Central Valley rather than the neutral grain base most gins and vodkas start from, which is also what makes both bottlings grain-free and gluten-free. The company's manifesto: create magical communal experience, redefine traditional distillation methods, and share the innovative spirit and natural abundance of California.
View brand profile →The Founder's Note
Founder Miller Duvall was born and raised in agriculture; his family has farmed in California for six generations. Working as a bartender in San Francisco, he noticed that despite the dozens of bottles behind the bar, none of them were truly Californian. He set out to build a line of spirits made entirely from California produce, capturing the flavors of the orchards and fields he grew up around. Over several growing seasons he fermented and distilled whatever was available to him, often with the generous support of neighboring farmers, and The Spirit Guild was born.
How It's Made
Head Distiller Andrew Lardy grew up around brandy and home cooking before a detour into neuropsychology research. "I wanted to taste my research," he explains, "and I was far better at bootlegging hard cider." He graduated from Fresno State's Viticulture and Enology program in 2013 and spent four years making wine from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles, co-founding Wonderwerk House of Fermentation in 2017. That fall he moved to Los Angeles to apprentice under founding distiller Morgan McLachlan, and became Head Distiller in 2019. He is an avid cook, a die-hard hockey fan, and a champion of the distillery's mantra, "All is Possible!"
Tasting Notes
The nose is balsamic, full, and juniper-forward. Spicy notes of pink peppercorn carry across the tongue, yielding to a bright citrus finish. A silky texture and slight lingering sweetness come through from the clementine base spirit.
Cocktail Applications
Fifty-FiftyRecipe
- 1 ounce Star Keeper Gin
- 1 ounce dry vermouth
- 1 dash orange bitters (Regan's)
- 1 strip of lemon zest
Chill a cocktail goblet, coupe, or small martini glass. Fill a mixing glass with ice, add the gin, vermouth, and bitters. Stir and strain into the chilled vessel. Express the lemon peel over the drink and place it on the rim of the glass. Serve immediately.
Gin + TonicRecipe
- 2 ounces Star Keeper Gin
- 4 ounces Fever Tree tonic water (or 2/3 ounce John's Premium Tonic syrup plus 3 1/3 ounces Fever Tree soda water)
- 1 lime wedge (or 1/2 a key lime)
Chill a cooler tumbler or double old-fashioned glass. Fill with ice and build the drink in the glass; if using the syrup, mix it with the gin before adding the soda. Score the lime wedge and place it on the rim of the glass. Serve immediately.
TesseractRecipe
- 1 1/2 ounces Star Keeper Gin
- 1/2 ounce Aperol
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice
Chill a cocktail glass. Fill a shaker with ice, add the gin, Aperol, and grapefruit juice. Shake and double-strain into the chilled vessel. Express grapefruit peel over the drink and place it on the rim of the glass. Serve immediately. Credit: Morgan McLachlan.
The Bird of Paradise FizzRecipe
- 3 ounces Star Keeper Gin
- 1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
- 3/4 ounce Chambord (or 3 teaspoons 50-brix raspberry syrup)
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- 1 ounce club soda (or more to taste)
- 3 dashes orange flower water
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- 1 strip lime zest
Chill a tall glass. Fill a shaker with cracked ice, add the gin, cream, lime juice, egg white, and Chambord. Shake and pour unstrained into the vessel, leaving room at the top. Add the orange flower water, top with soda, and stir. Serve immediately. Credit: Charles Baker, The Gentleman's Companion, 1939. Originated at the Stranger's Club, Panama, circa 1920.
The Last WordRecipe
- 2/3 ounce Star Keeper Gin
- 2/3 ounce Green Chartreuse
- 2/3 ounce Maraschino liqueur
- 2/3 ounce fresh lime juice
Chill a sour glass or coupe. Fill a shaker with ice, add the gin, Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. Shake and double-strain into the vessel. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Credit: Ted Saucier, Bottoms Up!, 1951. Originated at the Detroit Athletic Club, USA, circa 1920.
