Led by a group of experienced restaurateurs who came up with the idea over drinks at a bar years ago, a new Long Beach distillery will be pouring locally made spirits.
“We’re doing something we’ve dreamed of years ago. About 15 years ago we all sat down at a bar somewhere and we came up with this crazy idea for a concept called Broken Spirits on a napkin and here we are now,” said Isaias Hernandez, who co-founder Broken Spirits Distillery, which held its grand opening in downtown Long Beach on Friday, May 31.
Hernandez opened the distillery along with business partners Josh Bentrem and Juan Hernandez. The trio are also behind the popular Smoke & Fire, which has locations in La Habra, Paramount and Pomona, as well as Anaheim’s Villains Brewing.
The new spot is located in a prominent 3,900-square-foot corner spot that previously housed Portuguese Bend, another distillery and restaurant that opened in 2019 but closed in 2023.
Broken Spirits will be pouring ryes and bourbons as well as vodka, gins and barrel-aged Aquavit, all under the supervision of master distiller Max Stecca.
“This is a passion for all of us. I’m very much a whiskey drinker myself and it’s one of the oldest cultural traditions. We broke bread, and after we broke bread we started drinking beer and then alcohol. And for us it’s all a social experience,” Hernandez said.
The whiskeys on the current menu were made by Stecca at his former distillery in Santa Ana. He is now currently making the first batch of whiskeys at the Long Beach facility, which should be ready in about four years, Hernandez said.
The spirits on the current menu include a rye whiskey with a cherry profile and creamy finish, a wheated bourbon, which are known for their smoother and sweeter profiles. Broken Spirit’s version will have hints of vanilla, caramel and toffee flavors. The drink menu also includes a cask strength bourbon, which is typically a stronger whiskey. They’re also making a barrel-aged aquavit,…
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