Hangar 1 Introduces Fog Point, a New Vodka Made from San Francisco Fog
Hangar 1 Vodka is launching Hangar 1 Fog PointTM,the first ever spirit to be made with San Franciscan fog-caught water. In the face of the California drought, and given fresh water is the most precious ingredient in vodka (over 60% of it), Hangar 1 Vodka has launched Hangar 1Fog PointTM to build awareness of this innovative, alternative water source,with exciting future applications in the Bay Area and farther afield.
Many consider fog to be a scourge of San Francisco, its extraordinary beauty overlooked by mundane problems: plane delays, bridge advisories, and a general lack of visibility. Yet where others see issue – or can’t see at all – Hangar 1 sees an innovative solution in Mother Earth’s cloudy quilt, and a means to raise awareness around an alternative water source for California’s host of local farms,wineries, and distilleries. In 2016, Hangar 1 is supporting the organization FogQuest to harness the power of the Bay Area’s hydrating haze, by capturing and repurposing it with man-made ‘fog collectors’ that have been strategically positioned throughout San Francisco, including at Sutro Tower.
Hangar 1 Fog PointTM is a true fog to bottle vodka. It begins high above the Pacific Ocean, where minuscule water particles coalesce in clouds of vapor, before skimming across the San Francisco Bay and directly into the grasp of a fog catcher. The particles gather along the catcher’s netting, collecting into droplets of water that gravity pulls into a liquid pool at the base of structure. Hangar 1 takes this sustainably sourced water – purer than that from bottled and tap – and blends it with the vodka’s distillate, cutting it to provide proper proof and unique taste. The result is mankind’s first ever fog-based vodka.
The vodka is created with another North California partner, Bonny Doon, whose biodynamic wine is used to create the vodka distillate. Equally committed to environmentally friendly agriculture, Bonny Doon utilizes a fully sustainable winemaking process that ensures its wines – and in turn, Hangar 1 Fog PointVodka – offer maximum quality with minimal human footprint. The result is a wonderfully fresh (and gluten free!) sipping vodka with a remarkably unique flavor profile: a round and floral nose with vanilla,cream and honey suckle, a velvety mouthfeel with tasting notes of vanilla, citrus, and pear, and a finish of warm floral and pepper. The bottle itself reflects the project’s innovative technology, with a netted neck wrap and a cartographic back label charting the locations of each San Francisco-based fog catcher.
“Hangar 1 Fog PointTM is the first of many Hangar 1 initiatives designed to return favor to our foggy home in Alameda – a home which makes our pioneering distillation approach and our dedication to local agriculture and fresh ingredients possible,” says Head Distiller Caley Shoemaker. “At our distillery, we take a fresh approach to vodka. Our quest is to continue to discover cutting-edge innovations, working with our local partners in the Bay Area to inspire new vodkas made of California.”
“Fog presents a unique solution to one of California and the world’s most pressing problems,” saysFogQuest’s San Francisco volunteer Chris Fogliatti. “In partnering with Hangar 1, FogQuest is aiming to raise awareness around alternative, sustainable water sources.”
