Chris Klug is the founder of Gothic Gin, a premium spirits company that grew out of an unplanned gin-making class he took in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter while on a bucket-list trip during a medical leave in 2018. After the gin he made in that class won a blind tasting competition, he decided to launch a company, drawing on a career that had spanned technology, consulting, international business, and food and beverage work.
Based in Petaluma, California, Klug's team blends traditional London Dry Gin methods with more modern production techniques, using a 1,000-liter copper still and a distinctive vapor-infusion process featuring eucalyptus and Valencia orange peel. The company commits 5% of its profits to charitable causes and prioritizes sourcing from carefully vetted suppliers.
Gothic Gin has picked up several industry honors, including recognition as Best American Contemporary Gin at the World Gin Awards, and has expanded its distribution into Australia and parts of Europe alongside its U.S. presence. During the pandemic, Klug also directed support toward homelessness relief efforts in San Francisco.
