Local entrepreneurs/distillers want you to have your cake and drink it too

Vista CA— With the motto hedonistic sustainability, Misadventure & Co., a Vista-based spirits company, today unveiled Misadventure Vodka. This premium, craft vodka is a world-first made from un-used baked goods — turning what the environmental community calls “food waste” into a clean, smooth, sippable vodka.
Founded by agricultural economist Samuel Chereskin with artist bartender Whit Rigali, Misadventure & Co. developed a way to turn baked goods into a remarkably smooth vodka that is also gluten free, despite its delicious, gluten-full origins.
“We want to elevate the status of vodka to a spirit whose merits can be enjoyed on its own, and elevate the issue of food waste to something people can fight with fun,” said Chereskin, co-founder and CEO, Misadventure & Co. “We believe in hedonistic sustainability—the idea that you don’t have to sacrifice to do good to the world. Misadventure Vodka is the perfect embodiment of this idea.”
Chereskin has dedicated himself to improving food systems globally as well as locally. He is active in non-profits dedicated to feeding San Diegans such as the North County Food Policy Council. Co-founder Rigali, whose great grandpa was an actual bootlegger in Springfield, MA, spent the last 10 years bartending in North County San Diego. His experience created the consumer and bartender focused name of the company.
“The greatest stories are not about success or winning, but follies and mishap,” said Rigali. “It’s the tales of falling down, dusting yourself off and trying again that we cherish here at Misadventure & Co.”
After four years of development and testing in a cramped garage, the two founders discovered a way to convert baked goods such as cupcakes, muffins, baguettes, etc. into vodka. Baked goods contain usable starches that can be converted to sugars, that are then eaten by microscopic yeast and turned into alcohol.
Each bottle contains approximately 2 pounds of baked goods and is batch distilled. This process is slower than large-scale industrial stills and creates a much more refined and elegant product.
“Precious resources are used to grow, package, transport, and sell food, but a large portion of it never reaches human mouths and is, instead, thrown away,” explained Chereskin. “Misadventure Vodka extends the useful life of these foods.”
Every year American consumers, companies, and farmers throw away 40 percent of food grown in the US, therefore wasting $218 billion, or 1.3 percent of U.S. GDP, growing, transporting, and disposing of 50-60 million tons of food that never gets eaten. Food that is grown here in the United States but is never consumed fills 21 percent of our landfills (according to ReFED.org and The National Resource Defense Council).
The team gets 100% of its baked goods from local food banks. These are excess products that do not take food from hungry mouths. The company also supports local food-related charities through partnerships and product donations. As part of the company’s mission to help educate the public on food waste, Misadventure & Co. gives talks and features food waste statistics and resources on its website.
Served throughout San Diego County in bars and retailers including The Compass, Mission Avenue Bar & Grill and many others, Misadventure Vodka has a vintage-style label and comes in a distinctive wine-style bottle. Each bottle retails between $20 to $25 per 750 ml.You can buy your own bottle of Misadventure vodka at http://misadventure.co, just click on the ORDER NOW button. Contact Misadventure here and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.