SAINT LOUIS, MO, APRIL 29, 2020 --- With the vibrant Saint Louis bar and restaurant scene being torn apart by the COVID19 crisis, local breweries and a new whiskey distillery have united to help those in need. They designed a limited edition Common Bond whiskey that uses beer brewing ingredients to create a single malt whiskey that will be aged for one year in Missouri oak barrels.

The pre-sale of each $45 bottle of Common Bond Single Malt donates fifteen dollars directly to the Gateway Resilience Fund, which distributes checks to service industry workers who have missed over a month of regular income due to COVID19. Purchases also provide immediate cash to breweries to cover operating expenses during this difficult time.

“Distilling whiskey teaches patience, but we knew we needed to move with speed on this project,” explains Nick Colombo, one of the Founding Members of Switchgrass Spirits who spearheaded making hand sanitizer and distributing it to first responders and at risk communities in Saint Louis. Now Switchgrass Spirits is focusing on the Common Bond charity project to support the service industry which is struggling under COVID19.

Customers can safely and easily purchase a bottle of Common Bond Single Malt from their favorite local breweries online starting Friday, May 1, 2020. They will receive a commemorative “Common Bond” certificate from Switchgrass Spirits in the mail reminiscent of a World War II war bond. In one year customers can redeem their certificate for a special edition bottle of hand-crafted Missouri made whiskey just in time for Father’s Day 2021.

This grassroots fundraiser was started by Switchgrass Spirits, a young distillery on the northside of Saint Louis, in collaboration with Urban Chestnut, Civil Life, Earthbound, Heavy Riff, Center Ice, Wellspent Brewing Co., Ferguson Brewing, and Perennial Artisan Ales.

“You don’t have to be a millionaire to make a difference,” Sarah Miller from Switchgrass explains, “we know it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless during this time. We created Common Bond as a way for Saint Louis residents to feel good and get involved in directly helping their own community with a hopeful eye towards the future.”

Pre-orders for bottles of the Common Bond Single Malt will begin on Friday, May 1st. Orders may be placed through our online store.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How do I get my bottle?

Visit the brewery you originally purchased the Common Bond from on June 18, 2021 to pick up your unique bottle.  Show them your state ID and they will give you the bottles you purchased just in time for Father’s Day!  

Could you mail it to me?

We are sorry we cannot mail it to you, you have to pick it up in person with your ID.

Can I get my bottle of Common Bond Single Malt whiskey earlier than June 18, 2021?

No, it has to age a year before we can bottle and release it.

Why aren’t all the Saint Louis breweries involved?

We had to move quickly to get the program started to help those in need, so we had to limit the scope to a few breweries who already had working relationships with Switchgrass Spirits or our partners.

Can I buy more than one bottle?

Sure! We will mark how many bottles you bought on the certificate you purchase.

Do I have to show my ID to buy Common Bond Online?

No, you don’t have to to make the purchase online.  You will have to show your ID in June 2021 when you pick up the actual bottle from the brewery you bought it from.

Can I get my bottle from a liquor store?

No, this limited edition of Common Bond Single Malt is only available through participating St Louis breweries to support their business and the Gateway Resilience Fund.

What does the Gateway Resilience Fund do?

They are a part of STLGives a non-profit that has been serving the Saint Louis region with a “long look ahead for the betterment of the mental, moral, social and physical needs of the people who now or may hereafter reside within” since 1915.  They work directly with out-of-work service industry folks in Saint Louis to get them direct support during the Corona Virus emergency.