Where we fit in

At Treecraft Distillery, we believe that necessity is the mother of all invention. Equal to our obsession with distillation, is our devotion to innovation and improvement. Our methods of distilling are as unique and inspiring as our flavors. When it comes to distilling, we believe that there are many ways to do it better. Thankfully, our way of doing it better is also good for the environment, our community and anyone fortunate enough to taste from a batch of our intelligently crafted artisanal spirits.

The Distillery

Treecraft Distillery is located on historic Treasure Island in the a former Naval Firehouse occupying the former ambulance bays. The distillery is housed in approximately 1,800 square feet of the overall building. The distillery also has an additional 1,800 square feet of outdoor or yard space in a partially covered courtyard and behind the building which will be used as an event space with gardens in the back.

The Still

Like the story of building a Treehouse, the story of our pot still is a good example of how Treecraft Distillery has turned lemons into Lemmoncello.  Our still was assembled from bits and pieces we purchased, parts which were handed down from other distilleries, repurposed items and lots of sweat and tears. Our still (One of the largest in northern California) is a one of a kind original creation consisting of a 500 gallon kettle with a whiskey helmet, lyne arm, six plate whiskey column and a twenty-one plate vodka column. We borrowed technology typically used by the biotech industry to enable our columns to sit at a height where you can see all the activity while the still is running.

The Fermenters

The fermenters at the distillery are a combination of open and closed top stainless steel tanks, ranging in size from 250 to 1,000 gallons. We are also working on some new, one of a kind innovative fermenters which should be completed by the end of the year.

Energy Efficiency

Our process steam is produced by a 50 HP Low-Nox natural gas Clever Brooks steam boiler. Our process cooling is supplied by a combination of a Chillking 20 ton dual circuit glycol chiller, operating with a 10 ton air chiller [ambient]. The air chiller is one of the innovations that the distillery uses to maximize our energy efficiency, by using ambient San Francisco Bay air, to reduce our cooling load, resulting in lower energy consumption.

Grain Milling

Our inline grain milling system is also a technology pilot, using a sheer-blender-pump to explode the grain as it circulates through the pump and mash-tun. Use of the sheer blender eliminates the need for several capital-intensive pieces of equipment, and makes the distillery much safer, by reducing the amount of grain dust created by traditional roller or hammer mills.