Golden Beaver Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Golden Beaver Distillery in Chico, California, is notable for heavily using Calrose rice as the base material. The result is a portfolio of rice-based whiskies, moonshine, and other spirits, as well as a public Park Avenue Still House in town. The distillery combines local ingredients with craft production and donates a portion of its proceeds to nature restoration.

History

The history of Golden Beaver Distillery began in 2010, when Kris Koenig, during a stay in Edinburgh, came into contact with Scottish whisky education and extensive tastings, an experience that sparked the idea of becoming a distiller. Since then, the company has taken an unconventional path for American distilleries by making Calrose rice a core element in production. That unique raw-material philosophy has shaped the lineup and led to a range of rice-based products. The distillery has grown to include two physical locations in Chico: the main distillery on Browns Valley Drive and Park Avenue Still House, which serves as a public venue with a food partner, live music, and spirits sales. As it has grown, Golden Beaver has also earned several industry awards for selected products.

Raw Materials and Production

Golden Beaver bases its spirits on locally grown Calrose rice alongside traditional American grains such as corn, wheat, rye, and barley, depending on the product. For the soju-styled product Bība, roasted rice malt is used, and Bība is produced with a double pot distillation, which is highlighted as part of the product's character. Several of the distillery's whiskies and moonshine are explicitly labeled as "distilled from rice" and thus appear as rice distillates rather than classic corn-based bourbon. The production is artisanal and works with small batches and single-barrel releases, and the company highlights the rice's flexibility in the distiller's workflow, as well as the fact that rice-aged spirits often become drinkable faster than some corn-based alternatives.

Maturation and Cask Types

The distillery uses oak casks in the aging process, including bourbon barrels for a number of Pacific Flyway releases. Calrose-based distillates are described as suitable for aging and said to mature faster than corn-based mashbills; the company specifically notes that rice can be drinkable after about a year, whereas corn often needs two to three years to mellow. Single-barrel releases such as Bourbon Barrel #52 are highlighted as examples of working with individual casks.

Whiskies

The range includes several rice-based spirits: the Pacific Flyway series (including straight whiskey and single-barrel bourbon-barrel releases), Beaver Likker Moonshine (rice-based), Honey Run (honey-flavored whiskey) and a single-barrel rye under the name Chico Creek. In addition, the distillery produces Bība, a double pot-distilled rice spirit in a soju style, as well as vodka and gin on a rice basis. Products are sold via an online shop and at Park Avenue Still House; several releases appear both as staple items in the range and as limited single-barrel releases.

General Flavor Profile

Visiting the Distillery

The public can meet Golden Beaver at both the distillery address on Browns Valley Drive and at Park Avenue Still House in Chico. The main distillery is open on weekdays during the day, while Park Avenue Still House is open in the evenings and on weekends and offers food from a fixed food partner as well as live music. Online sales outside California are temporarily paused, and currently only local pickup is offered for California residents. On-site shop sales take place, and Park Avenue serves as a venue for events and tastings in connection with the food service.

The stated hours are Golden Beaver Distillery (Browns Valley Dr.): Monday–Friday 10:00–15:00. Park Avenue Still House: Wednesday–Friday 16:00–22:00, Saturday 14:00–22:00, Sunday 11:00–20:00. Park Avenue and the online shop have special rules for pickup and shipping.

Philosophy and Craft

Golden Beaver focuses on craftsmanship, local ingredients, and a clear raw-material identity by highlighting Calrose rice as a central ingredient. The company combines traditional American recipes with rice-based techniques and simultaneously supports nature restoration through donations to relevant organizations, which is an integrated part of their corporate profile.

Sustainability

Donations to habitat restoration for sustainability in regional ecosystems (Occidental Arts & Ecology Center WATER Institute).
Support for waterfowl through contributions to the California Waterfowl Association.

Awards and Recognitions

• Gold Winner (2021, Gold, High Lakes Vodka)

• Gold Winner (2022, Gold, Bība Soju - California Style)

• Platinum Award (2021, Platinum, Beaver Likker Moonshine)

• Gold Medal (2021, Gold, Honey Run Honey-Flavored Whiskey)

• California Moonshine Distillery of the Year (2021, Distillery of the Year)

• Asian Spirits Winner (2022, Winner, Bība Soju - California Style)

• Best of Class Soju/Shochu (2023, Best of Class, Bība Soju - California Style)

• Silver Award - American Whiskey (2024, Silver, Pacific Flyway Straight Whiskey)

• Gold Award (2024, Gold, Pacific Flyway Bourbon)

• Gold Winner (2025, Gold, Pacific Flyway Bourbon Barrel #52)