San Francisco, CA
The World’s Best Vodkas-According To The 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The finalists for the Best Vodka Award at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirts Competition.
Even though vodka is the world’s most popular spirit, it takes a backseat to its flashier cocktail cousins like whiskey, tequila, and gin for many drinkers. That’s understandable, especially when you look back over the last several decades when low-quality and flavored vodkas flooded the marketplace. Drinkers could be forgiven if their definition of vodka was a flavorless spirit best mixed into drinks.
But that would be a mistake. Dating back to the tenth century, vodka has a long and distinguished history as a spirit famed for its subtle and distinctive flavorings. From its origins in Eastern Europe, it became the foundation upon which today’s modern spirit landscape was formed.
These days, for every bubble-gum flavored vodka on the market, there are numerous high-quality bottles that highlight the skills that today’s distillers exhibit when making vodka. In the hands of the correct distiller, vodka can exhibit a whole host of subtle flavors that can elevate a martini or make sipping the spirit neat a memorable experience.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) just released its 2024 Best in Class Vodka awards finalists. Each bottle perfectly illuminates the subtle nuances of modern vodka. As one of the biggest annual spirits competitions in the world, its judges have access to the best bottles for their blind taste-testing format. This year, more than 5,000 products were entered into the event across the entire spectrum of the liquor world. The competition is fierce, and any of these finalists would be a worthy bottle to pick up.
Here are the finalists in no order; all are double gold medal winners, and the Best Vodka champion will be announced in October.
Sobieski Clear Vodka
Straight from the heartland of vodka, Poland, Sobieski Vodka is a spirit steeped in history named after Poland’s greatest leader, King Jan III Sobieski, from the seventeenth century. First founded in 1846, Sobieski Vodka has survived the test of time and these days produces a wide variety of vodkas from their distillery in the heart of Poland. Their Sobieski Clear Vodka, which made the finalist list, is distilled with Polish rye and spring waters to produce a spirit with a hint of berries and healthy aromatic qualities.
Aspen Vodka
Less than a year old, Aspen Vodka is a poster child for what a modern ecologically responsible distillery can achieve. Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and operating out of a carbon-neutral facility, the team at Aspen Distilling uses fresh mountain spring water known for its purity and clarity to produce exceptionally crisp and clean vodka.
Amundsen Vodka
The second of two Polish vodkas to make the finalist list, Amundsen Vodka honors the legendary leader of the 1911 South Pole Expedition, Roald Amundsen. Made from a blend of barley for sweetness and rye for roundness, it aims to deliver a subtle yet smooth experience with each sip. By running the liquid through a six-distillation process, Amundsen Vodka delivers a spirit with a spicy flavor and a dry finish.
Verità Vodka
If you are looking for a testament to vodka’s global appeal, look no further. Verità Vodka is an Italian vodka crafted in the heart of the Italian Alps from 100% Italian wheat and mountain spring water. Made by an Italian family with a long history of distilling grappa, aperitive, and digestives, it undergoes a triple distillation to create a smooth sipper. Ideal on the rocks or straight, it perfectly spotlights the delicate beauty that a well-crafted vodka can deliver.
House Wheat Vodka
Every year, competitions like the SFWSC and others unearth new and exciting bottles for consumers to try, often from smaller brands that would have been overlooked. This year is no different. Hailing from Tree House Distilling, an offshoot of Tree House Brewing Company in Charlton, Massachusetts, House Wheat Vodka leaped ahead of many eminent brands to land at the top of the vodka category. Made with locally sourced ingredients, it is an unfiltered vodka that allows its local terroir to shine through with each sip.
San Francisco, CA
50 Beagles Rescued From Wisconsin Lab Arrive in Bay Area, SF Activist Faces Felony Charges
Animal rescue groups persuaded a Wisconsin breeding lab to sell 1,500 beagles after activists worked for a decade to free them, and 50 of the dogs arrived in the Bay Area Sunday. Meanwhile, an SF activist faces 12 years in prison for rescuing some of them prior to the deal.
Last month, several animal rights activists attempted to free 1,500 beagles at Wisconsin-based Ridglan Farms, the second-largest breeder of beagles for laboratories in the US, as KGO reported last week. Four activists, including Dean Guzman Wyrzykowski of San Francisco, were arrested during the rescue operation and charged with felonies, with up to 12 years in prison, according to a post by Wyrzykowski on social media.
“There are thousands of dogs just like her in laboratories across the country,” says Wyrzykowski, while holding the dog he’s accused of stealing.
Last week, animal rights group Big Dog Ranch Rescue, which is based in Florida, and DC-based Center for a Humane Economy made a confidential agreement with the lab to purchase the animals to be adopted out by rescue groups. Per KGO, well-known Berkeley activist Zoe Rosenberg, who brought one beagle named Chester home with her, was among the volunteers helping the dogs in Wisconsin after they were rescued.
As KGO reports, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group brought 50 beagles to the Bay Area via school bus Sunday, and they’ll be adopting them out to homes in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and nearby cities once they’ve received veterinary care.
The dogs had likely never touched grass until after leaving the lab, and they’ve been slowly acclimating to their new lives. Some were reportedly malnourished and most had bad teeth and were in need of dental work.
“It was very emotional,” says Wendy Lansdon, a volunteer with Northern California Beagle Rescue, speaking to KGO about when the bus full of dogs first arrived in the Bay Area. “Some of them were really quiet when we got in there, some of them were happy, and the other ones were terrified.”
Prior to the dogs’ arrival, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group announced on social media it was seeking foster home volunteers in Fremont, San Jose, and Sacramento — near where the beagles will be receiving veterinary care. The group is also requesting donations to help fund the dogs’ vet care.
According to the site Save the Dogs, activists had been pushing for the closure of Ridglan Farms for almost 10 years, as investigators, whistleblowers, veterinarians, and others worked to spread the word about the inhumane conditions of the lab, which stayed in operation for decades, despite being hit with hundreds of state-level cruelty violations.
“The dogs born there were treated as inventory: bred, confined, sold to research, disposed of,” says Save the Dogs.
Save the Dogs notes that activists are now targeting Marshall BioResources, the largest breeder of dogs for laboratories in the country, which has operations in New York and the United Kingdom.
Image: Northern California Beagle Rescue/Facebook
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Stream: How to Watch MLB
Division-leading Dodgers aim to snap home losing trend as they open series against the Giants in a matchup of NL West foes
After dropping their second straight home series over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers head into Monday night’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants sitting atop the National League West Division standings, aiming to avenge a series loss to the Giants from two weeks ago. San Francisco has lost nine of its last 12 games overall and have dropped seven in a row on the road as they begin a 10-game road trip that will keep them away from home until Memorial Day Weekend. The Giants will start Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29 ERA) in his fourth start in the Majors while the Dodgers will counter with second-year Japanese import Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA) who has given up a home run in five consecutive outings.
How to Watch San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers:
Date: May 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: MLB Network
Location: Dodgers Stadium
Live Stream the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
Dodger center fielder Andy Pages, who has helped Los Angeles claim World Series titles in each of his first two years in the Majors, leads the team this season hitting .333, ranking the 25-year-old Cuban third among all hitters in MLB. Pages is hitting .371 so far in May with five extra base hits and 10 RBIs and has successfully reached base in 13 of his last 14 games.
With nine hits in seven games so far this month, Giants second baseman Luis Arraez is hitting a team-leading .310 at the plate in 2026 and is on pace for his eighth career 100-hit campaign. Arraez is one of only two active players with a career batting average above .300, hitting .316 for his career and leads Houston’s Jose Altuve by 15 points.
What time is Giants vs Dodgers?
Coverage of the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers starts Monday, May 11, at 10:00 p.m ET. Tune in to see if the Dodgers can beat the Giants for the fifth time in the last six games at Dodger Stadium or if San Francisco can beat LA for the fourth time in the last five head-to-head matchups.
What channel is the Giants vs Dodgers game on?
Looking to watch the game? Subscribers can tune to MLB Network to catch the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup at home or on the go with the Fubo TV app.
Watch the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
Regional restrictions may apply.
San Francisco, CA
Mother’s Day Gamethread: Giants vs. Pirates
Happy Mother’s Day to all the McCoven who hopefully have better things to do than watch this dreadful baseball team. But if this is your chosen way of spending the day, then welcome, and may the Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the series for you.
Right-hander Tyler Mahle takes the mound for the Giants, as the veteran makes his eighth start of the year. He’s 1-4 on the season, with a 5.00 ERA, a 4.91 FIP, and 34 strikeouts to 18 walks in 36 innings. He was very strong his last time out, pitching 5.1 shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
For the Pirates, it’s right-hander Bubba Chandler, a 23-year old in his second season. In seven starts this year, Chandler is 1-4 with a 4.76 ERA, a 5.60 FIP, and 31 strikeouts to 26 walks in 34 innings. Chandler gave up two runs in five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last game. He has issued the most walks in the Major Leagues, so he’s probably foaming at the mouth to face the Giants, who apparently believe that drawing walks is a sin on par with murder.
Enjoy the game, everyone. Go Giants! Go moms!
Who: San Francisco Giants (15-24) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (22-18)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
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