“I always wanted a bigger, comfortable place where people can hang out, have good food and drink, and be a part of the Cutler’s family,” says Ian Cutler, who became Santa Barbara’s first legal distiller back in 2013 upon launching Cutler’s Artisan Spirits inside of a tiny Funk Zone building. “That’s what led me to create the new facility and call it Cutler’s Public House. ”
The UCSB grad’s dedication to strong drink and hospitality runs in his blood. After bootlegging in Gold Country during Prohibition, Cutler’s great-grandfather opened a bar called Duke’s up in Oakdale, the original “Cowboy Capital of the World.” Duke’s evolved into a liquor store that subsequent generations of Cutlers ran until Ian’s dad shut down operations in the 1980s.
Upon returning his family name to the liquor business a dozen years ago, Cutler’s Artisan Spirits was an immediate hit, collaborating with numerous restaurants, bars, and companies and producing lines for other brands and even celebrities such as Kate Hudson. Cutler soon outgrew the compact production space on East Yanonali Street, and was eventually shuffling barrels, bottles, boxes, and more between the distillery, warehouses, and accounts.