Owned since 2004 by Bay ridge, Brooklyn native Bill Lutzius, the Aero Club now boasts 800+ whiskies, the most of any bar in San Diego and competitive with any bar in America. The Aero Club has been named one of America’s top dive bars by Maxim.
We spoke to Chad Berkey the manager of the Aero Club Bar, which boasts such a huge whiskey selection, that people travel from all over the country just to say they visited this iconic and historic venue. Chad has over 28 years in this industry, with many successes year after year. It was an honor for us to speak to someone who could show us how the industry has evolved over the years.
Chad, tell us a little about yourself.
CB: First off a little bit about myself I’ve been in the hospitality industry for 28 years and bartending and managing at the Aero club for around 9 years.
I’m the co-creator and owner of Tin Play Innovative Barware (tinplay.com), The author of the North American Whiskey Guide from Behind the Bar, and hold a pending Guinness world record for pouring the most cocktails at one time.
So just to get into it, how did Aero Club Bar get started? What was the vision behind the project? Tell us about the name.
CB: As for the Aero club it was opened in 1947 by a woman named Mariam Profit. She was a well respected pilot at the time and wanted to open an airplane theme bar for all of the workers at the nearby factory that build aircraft as well as her pilot friends. So, the Aero club opened its doors and now 70 years later and still running strong. Mariam herself only ran the bar for only a few years but continued to own the building until just passing a few years ago in her mid 90s.
The bar is now owned by Bill Lutzius. Bill purchased the bar approximately 11 years ago as a failing beer and wine bar. He had a vision to get the full liquor license and create this whiskey bar concept right as whiskey was really starting to become popular again. I take a lot of pride in being able to help him create this concept and dream over the last nine years.
Can you tell us a bit about your role and what does it entail?
CB: I guess you could say that I’m a manager but the truth is we have a team of five bartenders who all work closely together to make sure the day-to-day operations are taken care of. I’ve worked in many places over the years I’ve never experienced such a close knit group as this. Everyone takes a tremendous amount of pride in our little bar.
What was your proudest moment of working at Aero Club Bar?
CB: I have many proud moments at the Aero Club! We have one countless awards for Best neighborhood bar, best cocktails, best bartenders, and on and on. We have been written about in Whiskey Advocate, New York Times, and most recently named number 2 bar in all of California by California.org.
How many different types of whisky do you have available at your venue?
CB: We currently have an inventory of over 1100 different whiskey brands. The staff absolutely loves whiskey and everything that comes along with it. We love selling it, we love the back stories behind the whiskeys, and the whiskey makers. We are constantly going to whiskey tastings in speaking with representatives of different whiskey brands to stay current with all the new whiskeys and trends.
Are you known for anything else besides a great whiskey selection?
CB: The number one thing that the Bar is known for other than its large whiskey selection is easily it’s service. We truly treat our guests like family here. The staff loves what they do and it shows when they’re behind the bar. We have worked very hard over the years to cultivate a friendly safe environment and our guest really appreciate that. We realize that people can go anywhere to get a whiskey and Chew the fat . We are grateful that they choose to come and see us. We are known as the bar where the bartenders go to drink when there not working.
Would you say now is the most exciting time to be a whiskey lover?
CB: Now more than ever it is a great time to be a whiskey lover and enthusiast. Whiskey is a spirit that you can have conversations about. How it’s made, where it’s from, what type of barrels its aged in. There are so many things that factor into the flavor profile of each whiskey. As bartenders we are also storytellers and often the story behind the whiskey makes it all that more delicious.
When it comes to making the classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, how do you determine which whiskey to use?
CB: We have a great cocktail menu! Our menu features classic cocktails using vodka, gin, rum, and mezcal, but is of course dominantly classic whiskey cocktails. We are most known for our whiskey sour which has won numerous cocktail competitions and is definitely a crowd favorite. When choosing spirits for a classic cocktails we often pick big bold whiskeys. Most of the classic cocktails are meant to be very whiskey forward and the true whiskeys lovers appreciate the fact that we don’t over pollute our cocktails with other mixers. But like I said you don’t have to like whiskey at all and you will still find a great cocktail that you will enjoy on our menu.
What are you most excited about in the whisky scene?
CB: I think the most exciting part about the whiskey seen right now is the crowd that it draws. We get everything from distillers from Scotland to craft distillers from all over the nation to people that are coming in to get their first ever whiskey. The Aero club bar has become a must stop for any whiskey enthusiast near Southern California. On any given night you never know who will walk through our door. This is the bartenders dream come true because it really keeps you on your toes. You will have 10 completely different conversations going simultaneously. It is very gratifying when someone tells you what they normally drink and ask you for a recommendation. To see the smile on their face after the first taste in their head shaking yes this is perfect. It just doesn’t get much better than that!
Is there any particular type of whisky that sells more than the other?
CB: We sell a pretty equal amount of bourbon, rye, Irish, and scotch. But I gotta tell ya the Japanese whiskeys are very hot right now, and rightfully so most of them are very good.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of Tastethedram?
CB: The only other thing I would really like to add is that I recommend to be adventurous. Ask your bartender to try something new and describe the flavors that you like. Chances are you will discover some new whiskeys to enjoy.
Oh yeah… sip whiskey and savor life!
