Visiting a vodka distillery has never been a part of my “things I want to do list” even after I got to LA. Funny enough, I was invited to a zine and podcast launch that was being hosted by a vodka distillery called Our/Los Angeles. Intrigued, I showed up to see what a vodka distillery is like and to find out what business a liquor company has in podcasts and Zines.
The Our/Vodka brand is a unique collaboration between a global spirit brand (Pernod-Ricard) and local people in cities around the world. Each distillery uses the same global recipe but sources local ingredients based on their surroundings, thus giving bottles of vodka a unique taste. They keep their bottles small at 375 ml and perfect for sharing. Our/Los Angeles is a partnership between Pernod Ricard and Los Angeles creative entrepreneurs Anton van der Woude and Rupert Runewitsch, both UK Natives who have found their own versions of home and life in LA.
When I arrived, Tumaca was serving food out of their truck outside and folks were mingling around and checking out the Zine gallery in the back. Each Zine was dedicated to a letter that spelled out “Los Angeles,” which would also be a podcast topic. For example, the podcast and Zine “L” is about Lowriders in LA and their history. I headed to the bar to try one of the signature cocktails for the night. While I was sipping on that, Anton came over and talked a bit about his journey and how Our vodka is so good even vodka haters enjoy it. As one of those vodka haters, I was quite impressed by how light and flavorful the vodka was. Dylan Horley, Our/Los Angeles brand ambassador, suggested that I try the Chocolate Old-Fashioned next time I visit.
Ultimately, Our/Los Angeles is using their platform as a brand to tell the stories of and celebrate the unsung heroes of Los Angeles. That’s what their distillery is about, celebrating the beauty of the resilient folks of this city. Attendees were able to experience a live taping of the first episode of the podcast, a Q&A conducted by podcast hosts David Charles and Courtney Nichols, with the brand’s 28 year old distiller, Samantha Hochhauser and special guest Gary Baseman.
Gary Baseman shared about how living in LA influenced his world and experiences and how he explores the “beauty of the bittersweetness of life” through his work. The biggest nugget of truth I took away from the evening was Gary’s advice to LA’s newcomers (that’s me). It takes 2 1/2 years to truly know if you want to settle somewhere. It takes 1 year to settle in and find your bearings. At 1.5 years, you’re creating deeper relationships with people and finding your go-to places. At 2 years, you’ve grown accustomed to your life and are able to take the last 6 months to decide if you want to stay or start the 2 1/2 year cycle over again somewhere new.
While I may be new to the city and not the biggest fan of vodka, Our/LA gave me a warm welcome into what being a part of a community of LA could feel like and a different perspective than my usual aversion to vodka. I look forward to buying a bottle of Our/Los Angeles vodka to share with some friends as we tune into the inaugural season of Our/Los Angeles podcast to hear more about the people that make LA the beloved diamond in the rough many of us call home. And if you’re ever in Downtown LA, stop by their distillery to see the refreshing spin Our/Los Angeles has put on vodka for yourself.
Our/Los Angeles is now available anywhere you can stream and download podcasts.