Photo by Lauren DuBro
Photo by Spencer Pernikoff
Meredith Barry
Gerard Craft’s Niche Food Group is getting into the spirits business, a venture that Craft been considering for some time. Assisting on the project is Meredith Barry, a passionate mixologist and former bar manager at Taste. Since Taste has yet to reopen and indoor dining in St. Louis County is at a standstill during the pandemic, Craft says, “We had both the time—and the talent—to push the La Verita Distilleria project forward.”
The name La Verita, meaning “the truth” in Italian, is also the mantra of Niche Food Group, which celebrates the simplicity and quality of ingredients in all its endeavors.
Courtesy Jean Carnahan and GoodfoodSTL.com
The pizza oven at Gerard Craft's Pastaria in Clayton
Photo by Lauren DuBro
Beginning tomorrow, La Verita Distilleria will begin selling bottles of small-batch spirits that follow the mantra, highlighting the brilliance of simple ingredients. Ozark Nocino is a seasonal offering made with Missouri black walnuts, as are citrus-based products, Meyer Limoncello and Arancello Rosso (made with Meyer lemons and blood oranges, respectively). Father’s Fernet, named for Craft's father’s love of Fernet, will be a year-round offering.
Future products include “different ‘cellos” and “vermouths based on Missouri wines.” The first is a collaboration with Bethlehem Valley Vineyards, which will benefit Magnificent Missouri.
For the moment, the “distilleria” aspect represents the future of La Verita, not the current production methods. Craft and Barry begin the process with a base grain alcohol and add fruits, herbs, roots, and spices to create the infusions. Non-alcoholic options will also be available for the initial rollout, including Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange variations.
The timing of La Verita’s launch, at a time when pre-made cocktails are also a popular offering for many restaurants, is apt during the pandemic. “If you think about it,” Craft adds, “spirits like amaros and digestifs were historically marketed as medicines, so offering them at this particular point in time seems strangely fitting.”
