Hotaling & Co., the San Francisco outfit behind Junipero Gin and Old Potrero Rye, is shutting down its Pier 50 distillery and laying off its in-house distilling staff by the end of February, cutting off years of pot-still production inside city limits as the company shifts those brands to contract production.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Hotaling told employees the Pier 50 facility is closing and confirmed it has let go its entire distilling team. The outlet reports that Hotaling is looking for a contract distiller for Junipero, that Old Potrero is already being distilled and aged under contract, and that Junipero and Old Potrero sales were up about 9% and 10% fiscal year-to-date through January, based on company figures.
Company Keeps San Francisco Address, Changes Focus
Hotaling says it will keep its headquarters in San Francisco while pivoting toward importing and marketing its portfolio instead of producing spirits in-house. Hotaling & Co. lists brands such as Nikka, Hine Cognac and Luxardo, and shows its office at 550 Montgomery Street in San Francisco.
Last Bottling Run and Departing Crew
Last Tuesday, workers, along with a small group of former employees and bartenders, gathered for what the company called the final Junipero bottling run at Pier 50. Some guests helped sign and pack bottles as the line shut down for good. Head distiller Kevin Aslan wrote on Instagram that he will no longer be involved with Junipero, Old Potrero or Hirsch after next Friday.
What the Closure Signals for SF Spirits
For San Francisco, the shutdown is another sign of local production giving way to contracted partners as brands chase broader distribution and tighter cost controls. Local outlet 48 Hills has traced Hotaling’s lineage back to Anchor Brewing and followed the distillery’s move to Pier 50, highlighting how closely these labels have been woven into the city’s cocktail culture.
