Love this place! Josh and Sarah are fantastic owners! I would totally recommend it to anyone that likes distillery's! This places is top of the line!
Adam K.
The absinthe was so fun to taste. It turned colors when you add ice, and had a great taste!
Lon.food.travel
I was about to visit a different spirits place when our server at Matrix Winery said he liked and recommended Young & Yonder Spirits. I like recommendations from locals.I would pick 4 spirits for my tasting. The choices of absinthe and amaro intrigued me, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to taste them straight. I was lucky enough that there was just enough pour from the lime vodka so I chose lime vodka, gin, bourbon, and corn whiskey. The lime vodka was yummy and would be great for mixing drinks. I really liked the H.O.B.S. gin. It stands for Harbor of Broken Souls. Nice name, but with the juniper taste and ABV at 50%? This would be perfect for mixing since it’s a higher ABV. I was so curious how it would taste that I ordered an H.O.B.S. Gin and tonic for my wife. Yep, it tasted great. I’m a whiskey guy and I like bourbon. However, I actually preferred their corn whiskey. Perhaps because it’s 80% corn so it was extra sweet. The only complaint I had was that each pour was very little. It’s great that they use Glencairn glasses for tasting, but wish they had been more generous with their pours.As a home mixologist, I had a nice chat with the bartender about their gin, their local bitters. It’s the great conversation that takes the experience to another level. Buying a bottle would waive the tasting fee? Great. I got that H.O.B.S. gin that I really had my eyes (and taste buds) on! I would use 1 oz of their gin and another oz of Tanqueray to make a gin and tonic. Maybe next time I would come back and taste the absinthe.
Lon H.
I was about to visit a different spirits place when our server at Matrix Winery said he liked and recommended Young & Yonder Spirits. I like recommendations from locals.I would pick 4 spirits for my tasting. The choices of absinthe and amaro intrigued me, but I wasn't sure I wanted to taste them straight. I was lucky enough that there was just enough pour from the lime vodka so I chose lime vodka, gin, bourbon, and corn whiskey. The lime vodka was yummy and would be great for mixing drinks. I really liked the H.O.B.S. gin. It stands for Harbor of Broken Souls. Nice name, but with the juniper taste and ABV at 50%? This would be perfect for mixing since it's a higher ABV. I was so curious how it would taste that I ordered an H.O.B.S. Gin and tonic for my wife. Yep, it tasted great. I'm a whiskey guy and I like bourbon. However, I actually preferred their corn whiskey. Perhaps because it's 80% corn so it was extra sweet. The only complaint I had was that each pour was very little. It's great that they use Glencairn glasses for tasting, but wish they had been more generous with their pours.As a home mixologist, I had a nice chat with the bartender about their gin, their local bitters. It's the great conversation that takes the experience to another level. Buying a bottle would waive the tasting fee? Great. I got that H.O.B.S. gin that I really had my eyes (and taste buds) on! I would use 1 oz of their gin and another oz of Tanqueray to make a gin and tonic. Maybe next time I would come back and taste the absinthe.
Rona S.
My second visit here after almost a year and I see things have changed. Prices are up and serving size for the flights is less than before. it made me sad because my first visit here was pretty great and memorable :( Me and my friend came here on a hot Saturday afternoon in hopes to buy some lime vodka bottles to take home. Unfortunately, no lime vodka apparently been out for two months and hopefully will be in stock again soon :(. Staff was attentive and friendly and we were told to sit anywhere we would like. The sitting area is huge, you got the bar area and many sitting areas around. I just wished it wasn't so bright with all the lights for a more comfy ambience. We went ahead and ordered a flight of 4 to share. We picked gin, lime vodka, bourbon whiskey and corn whiskey. We noticed a huge difference on the pours on the flights, was just a sip compared to last times generous pours. After that, we got some cocktails. The cocktails were delicious! The menu was different from our last visit which was nice, love trying new cocktails. My friend did order an old fashioned again but she said the one she had before was better, i think maybe because they put corn instead of bourbon this time. Also ordered one of the summer specials, boozy root beer. You get a choice of bourbon, gin or corn whiskey so i picked bourbon. It was okay, i wish the root beer was a bit stronger (think A&W root beer) but the ice cream was super delicious so it was still all good Overall still had a good experience even with the more expensive drinks. Lovely staff, delicious cocktails, and just a fun time with my bestie
Shannon B.
Very cool vibe. We were excited to try their spirits. Staff was very disinterested in us. No up front explanation of what to expect. Everything we tasted was good, but nothing exceptional. The absinth was very unique, and we were given basic instructions on how to change it with ice. We finished with amaro. All I can say is I wish I had some forewarning.All in all, just a mediocre experience. We paid out tasting fees and left without buying anything. May have been a better experience with a more guided tasting,
Daniel Castillo
Went for my first time on Friday and I’ll definitely be coming back. Perfect place to enjoy a cocktail!
Emily L.
I was looking for a new tasting experience that was out of the norm and stumbled upon this spot! I gravitate towards cocktails when drinking so I was pumped to find that they make cocktails with their spirits on top of the tastings! In my tasting I went with the lime vodka, bourbon, absinthe and amaro. Woah that lime vodka is dangerous! It was so nice. No chaser needed. Could drink that straight. I gladly went home with a bottle of it! The bourbon was nice and smooth. It was my first time trying absinthe ever and I don't think I'm a fan. I don't love licorice flavor so makes sense haha. It also had a spice kick with it. Lastly the amaro was something I have never heard of but was good! Slightly bitter, slightly sweet. A great liqueur for an aperitif! I also ordered the February special cocktail-Ludus. This was amazing! It was their gin, guava juice, lime juice, grenadine and orange liqueur. So good I need to replicate this at home!Such a great experience off the beaten path to discover! Located in a warehouse strip off the side of busy downtown Healdsburg. Spacious indoor seating with a funky fancy vibe.
Jason F.
When business owners successfully achieve their dream like husband and wife team Joshua and Sarah Opatz have done so with artisan craft distillery Young & Yonder Spirits in Healdsburg, then they have to be celebrated in every way possible. Located in a warehouse area near downtown Healdsburg with the epicenter of wine country that is Sonoma County as their backdrop, Young & Yonder Spirits produces organic craft spirits and cocktails, which sets them apart from all of the wineries and wine tasting rooms that dot the valley. Started a decade ago in a small warehouse in nearby Cloverdale, the Opatz's began their distilling journey by being a hobby and that interest eventually turned into a passion, learning about distilled spirits production, even though they had careers in nearby San Francisco. In 2017 they would move to their current home, a large tasting room and production facility in Healdsburg, where they continue to innovate, all the way from grain to their bottle by utilizing novel techniques to create everything from distilled vodka, gin, whiskeys, absinthe and amaro that any cocktail lover would enjoy. I had previously discovered Young & Yonder Spirits through a special event that was personally hosted by owners Joshua and Sarah in which we received a tour of their distillery and sat down to a liqueur tasting and pairing event in their massive warehouse space which also serves as a bar and lounge area and thought this would be a great place to sit back and relax with a cocktail in hand before a nice lunch or dinner at one of downtown's Healdsburg's chic restaurants.I finally got that opportunity thanks to a friend who caught wind of another event that Young and Yonder was hosting this past winter in which they partnered with another local vendor, in this case Healdsburg Bagel Company and served two of their fabulous cocktails handcrafted with their organic liqueur that were perfect for brunch. My friend and I were sold when we found out that they were offering when we found out that the cocktails that they were serving were their Irish Coffee made with bourbon, coffee, sugar and cream, and their Bloody Mary Bar which featured either their classic vodka or their lime vodka, and all of the traditional fixings that would make their eyeopener pack a certain punch. Plus they also had mocktails available for those who didn't want to partake in the libations of the afternoon. Clearly we weren't the only ones who were interested in this fantastic event that lured in both club members and newcomers alike as when my friend and I arrived their entire space was packed with customers. But we didn't panic that there would be no room for us, as the staff at Young & Yonder Spirits smartly put out a few more stools for us to put our cocktails and food on, so we could take everything in. And what we did take in were their fabulous cocktails handcrafted down to the detail at their bar area, as my Irish Coffee was a warm delight with enough froth to coated the back of my throat just the way I like it, and my friend loved playing Bloody Mary maker with their festive build your own cocktail bar.These libations were more than enough but we also had three varieties of bagels to choose from as well. Credit for those must go to the team at Healdsburg Bagel Company for putting out such a delightful spread of Mini bagels topped with house made schmear, house cured lox, red onion and dill garnish; Pastrami on Rye with house made rye bread, topped with house made pastrami, deli mustard and pickled red beet cabbage garnish; and my personal favorite their Mini Spinach and Mushroom Knishes made with organic mashed potatoes, caramelized shallots, mushrooms, spinach and served with all of the horseradish aioli that anyone could spread over your entire plate. My only caveat would be that the latter bagel would have tasted amazing when served warmed up. When combined with the Bloody Mary's and Irish Coffees, we were floating in brunch cocktail heaven, much of which had to due to the precise cocktail
Becky G.
Amazing! The spirits and cocktails were top notch, and the women serving us were super friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend
We enjoyed the tasting of all 7 spirits and then vodkas and whiskeys were amazing. I even came home with a bottle of gin. The atmosphere is trendy and the drinks are tasty and classy.
Ricky R.
This place is cool. Great vibe and a fun drink experience. Plus a great plan with free tasters if you purchase something. Plus absinthe. Definitely worth a visit. The ladies running the shop were very nice. The area is cool and its easy to find and hang for a bit.
Luciente G.
We had a great experience here. Our friends are members and we're excited to bring us. We had tried the lime vodka at their house the weekend before and it was delicious! At the tasting room Hubs had a flight and a Bloody mary. I had a paper plane and a couple others. Very cool spot.
Marianne Dresser
Wonderful spirits & cocktails and excellent service at Y&Y's beautiful, spacious tasting room. I stopped by after a cycle ride in Sonoma, interested in their amaro, and it did not disappoint—absolutely delicious, citrusy, mildly bitter digestif that really expands the category of amari. Cocktail maven Darrian was at the bar and not only tolerated but welcomed and responded to my many questions about the range of spirits, liqueurs, etc. they offer. I also sampled the H.O.B.S. gin, and the bourbon and corn whiskies. All were very good—but the gin was astounding, such a great-tasting gin even at quite high-proof. I signed up for the club and left with two new bottles for my home bar, looking forward to trying out some new cocktails with these fine spirits. A great experience, if you're anywhere near Healdsburg don't miss it.
Chris H.
Kind of hard to review since you wouldn't serve us. Showed up at 4:40pm was seated and starting to order when second employee walked in and said sorry we are closed. Place was empty kind of a bummer really want to have a drink.
Love this place! Josh and Sarah are fantastic owners! I would totally recommend it to anyone that likes distillery's! This places is top of the line!
The absinthe was so fun to taste. It turned colors when you add ice, and had a great taste!
I was about to visit a different spirits place when our server at Matrix Winery said he liked and recommended Young & Yonder Spirits. I like recommendations from locals.I would pick 4 spirits for my tasting. The choices of absinthe and amaro intrigued me, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to taste them straight. I was lucky enough that there was just enough pour from the lime vodka so I chose lime vodka, gin, bourbon, and corn whiskey. The lime vodka was yummy and would be great for mixing drinks. I really liked the H.O.B.S. gin. It stands for Harbor of Broken Souls. Nice name, but with the juniper taste and ABV at 50%? This would be perfect for mixing since it’s a higher ABV. I was so curious how it would taste that I ordered an H.O.B.S. Gin and tonic for my wife. Yep, it tasted great. I’m a whiskey guy and I like bourbon. However, I actually preferred their corn whiskey. Perhaps because it’s 80% corn so it was extra sweet. The only complaint I had was that each pour was very little. It’s great that they use Glencairn glasses for tasting, but wish they had been more generous with their pours.As a home mixologist, I had a nice chat with the bartender about their gin, their local bitters. It’s the great conversation that takes the experience to another level. Buying a bottle would waive the tasting fee? Great. I got that H.O.B.S. gin that I really had my eyes (and taste buds) on! I would use 1 oz of their gin and another oz of Tanqueray to make a gin and tonic. Maybe next time I would come back and taste the absinthe.
I was about to visit a different spirits place when our server at Matrix Winery said he liked and recommended Young & Yonder Spirits. I like recommendations from locals.I would pick 4 spirits for my tasting. The choices of absinthe and amaro intrigued me, but I wasn't sure I wanted to taste them straight. I was lucky enough that there was just enough pour from the lime vodka so I chose lime vodka, gin, bourbon, and corn whiskey. The lime vodka was yummy and would be great for mixing drinks. I really liked the H.O.B.S. gin. It stands for Harbor of Broken Souls. Nice name, but with the juniper taste and ABV at 50%? This would be perfect for mixing since it's a higher ABV. I was so curious how it would taste that I ordered an H.O.B.S. Gin and tonic for my wife. Yep, it tasted great. I'm a whiskey guy and I like bourbon. However, I actually preferred their corn whiskey. Perhaps because it's 80% corn so it was extra sweet. The only complaint I had was that each pour was very little. It's great that they use Glencairn glasses for tasting, but wish they had been more generous with their pours.As a home mixologist, I had a nice chat with the bartender about their gin, their local bitters. It's the great conversation that takes the experience to another level. Buying a bottle would waive the tasting fee? Great. I got that H.O.B.S. gin that I really had my eyes (and taste buds) on! I would use 1 oz of their gin and another oz of Tanqueray to make a gin and tonic. Maybe next time I would come back and taste the absinthe.
My second visit here after almost a year and I see things have changed. Prices are up and serving size for the flights is less than before. it made me sad because my first visit here was pretty great and memorable :( Me and my friend came here on a hot Saturday afternoon in hopes to buy some lime vodka bottles to take home. Unfortunately, no lime vodka apparently been out for two months and hopefully will be in stock again soon :(. Staff was attentive and friendly and we were told to sit anywhere we would like. The sitting area is huge, you got the bar area and many sitting areas around. I just wished it wasn't so bright with all the lights for a more comfy ambience. We went ahead and ordered a flight of 4 to share. We picked gin, lime vodka, bourbon whiskey and corn whiskey. We noticed a huge difference on the pours on the flights, was just a sip compared to last times generous pours. After that, we got some cocktails. The cocktails were delicious! The menu was different from our last visit which was nice, love trying new cocktails. My friend did order an old fashioned again but she said the one she had before was better, i think maybe because they put corn instead of bourbon this time. Also ordered one of the summer specials, boozy root beer. You get a choice of bourbon, gin or corn whiskey so i picked bourbon. It was okay, i wish the root beer was a bit stronger (think A&W root beer) but the ice cream was super delicious so it was still all good Overall still had a good experience even with the more expensive drinks. Lovely staff, delicious cocktails, and just a fun time with my bestie
Very cool vibe. We were excited to try their spirits. Staff was very disinterested in us. No up front explanation of what to expect. Everything we tasted was good, but nothing exceptional. The absinth was very unique, and we were given basic instructions on how to change it with ice. We finished with amaro. All I can say is I wish I had some forewarning.All in all, just a mediocre experience. We paid out tasting fees and left without buying anything. May have been a better experience with a more guided tasting,
Went for my first time on Friday and I’ll definitely be coming back. Perfect place to enjoy a cocktail!
I was looking for a new tasting experience that was out of the norm and stumbled upon this spot! I gravitate towards cocktails when drinking so I was pumped to find that they make cocktails with their spirits on top of the tastings! In my tasting I went with the lime vodka, bourbon, absinthe and amaro. Woah that lime vodka is dangerous! It was so nice. No chaser needed. Could drink that straight. I gladly went home with a bottle of it! The bourbon was nice and smooth. It was my first time trying absinthe ever and I don't think I'm a fan. I don't love licorice flavor so makes sense haha. It also had a spice kick with it. Lastly the amaro was something I have never heard of but was good! Slightly bitter, slightly sweet. A great liqueur for an aperitif! I also ordered the February special cocktail-Ludus. This was amazing! It was their gin, guava juice, lime juice, grenadine and orange liqueur. So good I need to replicate this at home!Such a great experience off the beaten path to discover! Located in a warehouse strip off the side of busy downtown Healdsburg. Spacious indoor seating with a funky fancy vibe.
When business owners successfully achieve their dream like husband and wife team Joshua and Sarah Opatz have done so with artisan craft distillery Young & Yonder Spirits in Healdsburg, then they have to be celebrated in every way possible. Located in a warehouse area near downtown Healdsburg with the epicenter of wine country that is Sonoma County as their backdrop, Young & Yonder Spirits produces organic craft spirits and cocktails, which sets them apart from all of the wineries and wine tasting rooms that dot the valley. Started a decade ago in a small warehouse in nearby Cloverdale, the Opatz's began their distilling journey by being a hobby and that interest eventually turned into a passion, learning about distilled spirits production, even though they had careers in nearby San Francisco. In 2017 they would move to their current home, a large tasting room and production facility in Healdsburg, where they continue to innovate, all the way from grain to their bottle by utilizing novel techniques to create everything from distilled vodka, gin, whiskeys, absinthe and amaro that any cocktail lover would enjoy. I had previously discovered Young & Yonder Spirits through a special event that was personally hosted by owners Joshua and Sarah in which we received a tour of their distillery and sat down to a liqueur tasting and pairing event in their massive warehouse space which also serves as a bar and lounge area and thought this would be a great place to sit back and relax with a cocktail in hand before a nice lunch or dinner at one of downtown's Healdsburg's chic restaurants.I finally got that opportunity thanks to a friend who caught wind of another event that Young and Yonder was hosting this past winter in which they partnered with another local vendor, in this case Healdsburg Bagel Company and served two of their fabulous cocktails handcrafted with their organic liqueur that were perfect for brunch. My friend and I were sold when we found out that they were offering when we found out that the cocktails that they were serving were their Irish Coffee made with bourbon, coffee, sugar and cream, and their Bloody Mary Bar which featured either their classic vodka or their lime vodka, and all of the traditional fixings that would make their eyeopener pack a certain punch. Plus they also had mocktails available for those who didn't want to partake in the libations of the afternoon. Clearly we weren't the only ones who were interested in this fantastic event that lured in both club members and newcomers alike as when my friend and I arrived their entire space was packed with customers. But we didn't panic that there would be no room for us, as the staff at Young & Yonder Spirits smartly put out a few more stools for us to put our cocktails and food on, so we could take everything in. And what we did take in were their fabulous cocktails handcrafted down to the detail at their bar area, as my Irish Coffee was a warm delight with enough froth to coated the back of my throat just the way I like it, and my friend loved playing Bloody Mary maker with their festive build your own cocktail bar.These libations were more than enough but we also had three varieties of bagels to choose from as well. Credit for those must go to the team at Healdsburg Bagel Company for putting out such a delightful spread of Mini bagels topped with house made schmear, house cured lox, red onion and dill garnish; Pastrami on Rye with house made rye bread, topped with house made pastrami, deli mustard and pickled red beet cabbage garnish; and my personal favorite their Mini Spinach and Mushroom Knishes made with organic mashed potatoes, caramelized shallots, mushrooms, spinach and served with all of the horseradish aioli that anyone could spread over your entire plate. My only caveat would be that the latter bagel would have tasted amazing when served warmed up. When combined with the Bloody Mary's and Irish Coffees, we were floating in brunch cocktail heaven, much of which had to due to the precise cocktail
Amazing! The spirits and cocktails were top notch, and the women serving us were super friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend
Restaurantji Recommends
We enjoyed the tasting of all 7 spirits and then vodkas and whiskeys were amazing. I even came home with a bottle of gin. The atmosphere is trendy and the drinks are tasty and classy.
This place is cool. Great vibe and a fun drink experience. Plus a great plan with free tasters if you purchase something. Plus absinthe. Definitely worth a visit. The ladies running the shop were very nice. The area is cool and its easy to find and hang for a bit.
We had a great experience here. Our friends are members and we're excited to bring us. We had tried the lime vodka at their house the weekend before and it was delicious! At the tasting room Hubs had a flight and a Bloody mary. I had a paper plane and a couple others. Very cool spot.
Wonderful spirits & cocktails and excellent service at Y&Y's beautiful, spacious tasting room. I stopped by after a cycle ride in Sonoma, interested in their amaro, and it did not disappoint—absolutely delicious, citrusy, mildly bitter digestif that really expands the category of amari. Cocktail maven Darrian was at the bar and not only tolerated but welcomed and responded to my many questions about the range of spirits, liqueurs, etc. they offer. I also sampled the H.O.B.S. gin, and the bourbon and corn whiskies. All were very good—but the gin was astounding, such a great-tasting gin even at quite high-proof. I signed up for the club and left with two new bottles for my home bar, looking forward to trying out some new cocktails with these fine spirits. A great experience, if you're anywhere near Healdsburg don't miss it.
Kind of hard to review since you wouldn't serve us. Showed up at 4:40pm was seated and starting to order when second employee walked in and said sorry we are closed. Place was empty kind of a bummer really want to have a drink.