Gold River Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Gold River Distillery in Rancho Cordova is a small, local distillery that produces spirits under the Wheel House name. The facility is centered around a hand-built side-mount column still with separate columns for gin and vodka, designed by the founder. The distillery combines small-batch production with a tasting room, where visitors can taste the products and see the self-built equipment.

History

The history of Gold River Distillery is closely linked to founder Greg Baughman, who personally designed and built most of the distillery's column stills in the summer before production began. Local welders contributed specialized work to complete the construction. The distillery's first commercial product was an American Dry Gin in the Wheel House series; subsequently, the range has expanded to include vodka, absinthe, and several types of whiskies such as corn whiskey, bourbon, and malted rice whiskey. The site highlights its position in local history as the first legal distillery in Sacramento County since Prohibition, and tasting room activities have made the production visible to the local community.

Raw Materials and Production

The centerpiece of production is a hand-built side-mount column still in a small-batch setup, which includes both a gin column designed for botanical distillation and a vodka column for neutral spirits. The still's construction was carried out by the founder with assistance from local welders. The distillery produces a range of spirit types in the Wheel House family, including corn whiskey and a malted rice-based expression. Processes such as mashing, fermentation time, and aging practices are not elaborated, but small-batch operation and hand-building of their own equipment are clear production characteristics.

Whiskies

The Wheel House label forms the backbone of Gold River Distillery's range. The series began with an American Dry Gin and has been expanded with Sacramento Vodka and Absinthe Verte, followed by whiskies named as Wheel House Drowning Oak Corn Whiskey, Wheel House California Bourbon, and Wheel House Malted Rice Whiskey. The products are presented as craft-made in small batches, and the tasting room serves as the point of sale for bottles.

Visit the Distillery

The distillery welcomes visitors to its tasting room, where you can see the hand-built still and taste the Wheel House products. The visit includes the possibility to purchase bottles to take home. Information about scheduled guided tours, booking procedures, and regular opening hours is published periodically by the distillery, and the tasting room is actively used for tastings and direct sales.

Philosophy and Craft

Gold River Distillery focuses on craft and local ties: its own design and construction of equipment, production in small batches, and a product portfolio that draws on local distilling traditions. Building and using their own equipment is a central element of their approach to production.