Mare Island’s Redwood Empire Bar and Eatery to close

VALLEJO — The Redwood Empire Bar and Eatery on Mare Island will close its doors on Oct. 4, one year after it opened to the public.

The whiskey distillery Redwood Empire, located on 1095 Nimitz Ave, will continue operating in the historic buildings and remain open for private tours, tastings, classes, and events upon reservation. 

The company, founded by Derek Benham, opened its first whiskey distillery in Graton, in the Russian River Valley, in 2015. In 2019, the first barrels were ready for bottling. In 2025, Redwood Empire purchased Savage & Cooke’s distillery on Mare Island and moved their operation to the new, larger location, tripling their production from four barrels a day to 14.

Redwood Empire vice president of marketing Andrew Floor said that the distillery opened the bar and eatery in May 2025 to create community. But a year later, they realized that the restaurant was taking resources away from their core business. 

“We are in the business of making California’s best whiskey, and a whiskey that can challenge other whiskies across the country,” Floor said. “We are not restaurateurs. And we decided that what was most important for us was focusing on delivering the best possible whiskey experience whenever people came here, through education, information and experiential offerings.”

Floor said that closing the bar was a tough decision. “It’s obviously having a very human impact in terms of our team,” he said. Seven employees will be affected by the closure.

The bar had also become popular with patrons, including the well-attended drag shows run by Ariel Fantasea. 

According to Floor, in the future, when there is more foot traffic in Mare Island, Redwood Empire aspires to reopen daily for drop-in visits, but for now, they will focus only on reservations.

Tours last 90 minutes and include the barrel room, production room, and the rooftop balcony. They end with a guided tasting of six whiskies. A blending  masterclass taught by master blender Lauren Patz will take place in November. Private events can be booked year-round. 

“We can provide the space and the guests bring everything in or we can make it more turnkey,” Floor said. “We have relationships with caterers that can provide full service.” Floor said that they’ve hosted all kinds of events at Redwood Empire, from weddings to high school reunions and holiday parties.

“The location and the event space are stunning, and we want to make sure that we open it to as many people as possible,” he said. “Hopefully building bridges, literally and figuratively, from the other side of the Bay to get people out to Vallejo.”

He added that the company is talking to the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation about hosting rotating historical exhibits, so people who tour Redwood Empire can learn not only about whiskey but also about Mare Island’s Naval history.

Redwood Empire is currently recruiting for a community and whiskey club leader who “will continue to build the whiskey experience and our community in a way that stays true to our business and puts whiskey at the forefront, not burgers and beers,” Floor said.