Holiday spirits: Three local spots highlight the best alcohol gifts 

San Luis Obispo County's local breweries, distilleries, and wineries make the perfect spots to sit down, have a drink, and think about what to give friends, family, or co-workers for the holidays.

Taking such a break may help you conclude that the perfect gift might just be a good ol' fashioned drink. Lucky for you, there are ample places to choose from—you've likely got a local spot just down the street from your house. But just in case you need a little help finding one, here are a handful of options.

Central Coast Distillery

Located in Atascadero and run by husband and wife Eric and Anna Olson, Central Coast Distillery creates all its own liquor and spirits from scratch.

"I believe we're the only one in the county that does this," Anna told New Times. "We make our own mash, everything comes from soup to nuts, and when it comes to our agave spirits, we forage for those ourselves from the Paso Robles area. We harvest, roast, or smoke them, and the whole process takes us hours."

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• Courtesy Photo By Anna Olson
• EVERYTHING INCLUDED Central Coast Distillery offers personalized holiday baskets with recipes included to make your favorite drink at home.

When the holidays roll around, Central Coast Distillery offers limited edition drinks for those looking to get in the spirit.

"We do cranberry cosmopolitans, specialty eggnog, and even hot chocolate with bourbon," Eric said. "We can also do private events and parties."

While it's fun to go in and grab a seasonally inspired cocktail, the distillery also sells holiday baskets that include every ingredient needed to make a cocktail at home. This could be the perfect gift for the mixologist in your life.

"It's very personalized. If someone comes in to get a basket, we take into consideration what that person likes to drink so that way it's unique and the alcohol is fresh," Anna said. "We try to include a recipe of their favorite drink and how to make it, and it comes in a Christmas box with a big bow around it so it can look great under the tree."

5804 Traffic Way, Atascadero; (805) 901-6094; [email protected].

Oak and Otter Brewing

Started by two friends in January 2020, Oak and Otter Brewing Company in San Luis Obispo produces a peppermint stout during the holiday season.

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• Courtesy Photo By Lindsey Roddick
• LIMITED EDITION Oak and Otter Brewing Co. recently released its holiday special peppermint stout that tastes just like a York Peppermint Patty.

Dylan Roddick and Anthony Poncey bought the brewery from 7 Sisters Brewing after years of working in Downtown SLO.

"I wanted to be the brewer, [Anthony] wanted to be the front of the house guy so we got an investor and we rebranded and remodeled the business," Roddick told New Times.

Even though the most popular brew at Oak and Otter Brewing is the West Coast IPA, customers might want to hit pause on their usual beverage and dive into the holiday spirit with Roddick's custom stout.

"It's kind of roasted with the chocolate in the stout, and then I just add a little bit of peppermint, and it tastes like a York Peppermint Patty," he said. "It feels just like Christmas."

You can snag a 16- or 32-ounce growler of the specialty stout or anything else on tap or pick up some Oak and Otter merch, such as hats, shirts, or jackets. The brewery also offers holiday trivia nights on Thursdays where Roddick says they focus on pop culture holiday events while their chef occasionally crafts a holiday menu.

"Last year we did a French dip, and people loved it so we'll probably bring that back during the week of Christmas from the 18th to the 22nd," Roddick said.

181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, SLO; (805) 439-2529; [email protected].

Center of Effort Wines

Located in Arroyo Grande and owned by Bill and Cheryl Swanson, Center of Effort Wines is a 40-acre property that produces Rhone style wines and boasts an outdoor kitchen, putting green, and views of the Edna Valley.

Their most popular wine is the 2018 pinot noir, and Culinary Director Lindsay Carrol told New Times the winery likes to celebrate the holiday spirit.

"We always do our holiday open house in our tasting room, where we do samples and food tasting," she said. "We also have gift packages with really nice gift wrapping."

The winery recently released two new wines: Lagrassa, which is a dessert red wine, and a sparkling rosé called Effort Essence.

"Lagrassa is a really awesome holiday selection while Effort Essence is better for New Year's," Carrol said.

The next event at the winery will be a New Year's Eve brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

2195 Corbett Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande; (805) 781-9463. Δ

Reach Staff Writer Samantha Herrera at [email protected].