itstargetnews
Jason Momoa told FOX Business that his brand Meili Vodka is created to “sip naturally” without any additional ingredients.
Based in Long Island liquor brand was inspired by a crime-ridden New York City of 1975 to present consumers with a dark, grainy yet refined product that was unique among spirits.
In a propaganda campaign, plainclothes New York law enforcement officers approached tourists with pamphlets titled “Welcome to the City of Fear: A Survival Guide for Visitors to New York City.” as crime rose and police warned visitors to leave.
“We were drawn to the old Gothic style architecture New York City,” Christopher Davis, managing member and partner at Fear City Gin, told FOX Business.
CBD & THC-INFUSED MOCKTAIL BRAND SOLD IN STATES WHERE CANNABIS PRODUCTS ARE LEGAL AS INDUSTRY GROWS
Fear City Gin is made with sugar kelp from farmers in New York State and white sage from farmers in Baja California. (Fear City Gin/Fox News)
The leaflet provided unsuspecting visitors with a survival guide advising them to stay off the streets after 6pm, avoid public transport and stay in Manhattan as police protection was “inadequate”, among other things orientations
“We wanted something that spoke to the rawness of New York,” Davis said.
Sustainability was a top priority for the team at Fear City Gin and the deep amber colored glass is made from recyclable glass bottles.
“There’s so much waste that we just wanted to make sure, first and foremost, that we were as responsible as possible,” Davis said. “It was something that was important to all of us as partners.”
Fear City Gin’s bottle cap is made from Southeast Asian buffalo bones. (Fear City Gin/Fox News)
To add another layer of originality to the product, the team shopped around before settling on Southeast Asian buffalo bone material to craft the bottle caps.
“It’s a more expensive product, but I think it’s really important to stand out on the shelves,” David told FOX Business.
Placed in the premium category, the small batch gin retails for $39.99.
As for the gin, the botanical that Davis describes as “very smooth, slightly sweet and salty,” includes white sage, an endangered species from Baja California, located in northwestern Mexico.
“We partnered with a really good farm in Mexico that makes sure they’re farming within the guidelines and makes sure they’re practicing sustainability,” Davis said.
DRY CLIMATE IN CALIFORNIA IDEAL FOR THE CULTIVATION OF AGAVE, RESPONDING TO THE DEMAND FOR SPIRITS
Fear City Gin’s logo is inspired by a crime-ridden New York City in 1975. (Fear City Gin/Fox News)
Cultivation of sugar algae by the farmers in Long Island Sound is a key ingredient incorporated into the Fear City Gin production process.
“Gin is known to be a fairly untapped canvas,” Davis said. “It’s pretty unmatched for anything you want to do creatively.”
He added that Fear City’s partnership with Matchbook Distilling Company allowed for a collaboration with kelp farmers in Greenport.
“We fell in love with the idea of using sugar algae” Davis said. “There are some farmers who do really great things. They’re engaging in a practice called regenerative aquaculture, which is basically a way of looking at sound beds that improves water quality and supports marine life in the area.”
Other botanical ingredients added to the distillation process include rosemary, juniper, cumin, angelica and coriander.
Fear City Gin is a spirits brand based in Long Island, New York. (Fear City Gin/Fox News)
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT FOX BUSINESS
At the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings competition in San Francisco, Fear City Gin won two awards, including best of show in the country and a gold medal.
Davis said Fear City is proud to acknowledge that a minimum of 75 percent of its ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, grains and honey, are sourced from New York State.
“It’s a spirit marked by New York,” he said.
The future of Fear City’s spirit expressions includes hyper-limited spirit releases in collaboration with breweries or wineries.
“Maybe only 100 bottles,” Davis said.
