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Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and co-founder of the Beach Boys, singer-songwriter Mike Love, is expanding the product line for his San Diego-based Club Kokomo Spirits while planning to open a new distillery hub in Miramar that’ll give visitors more opportunities to interact with the brand.
Love’s connection to San Diego has spanned decades, starting in 1966 when the Beach Boys shot the cover photo for its seminal album ‘Pet Sounds’ at the San Diego Zoo and followed by countless concerts performed in the area over the years. Love established Club Kokomo Spirits in San Diego, partnering with local distiller Geoff Longenecker of Seven Caves in 2022 to produce its inaugural collection of ready-to-drink canned cocktails that includes the singer’s favorite, a mojito, made with a lemongrass rum that Longenecker first created for Kingfisher restaurant.
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Rums have always been something that the Love family has enjoyed together, says Mike’s son Brian, Club Kokomo’s head of development, so it’s fitting that the company’s first foray into pure spirits is a new line of premium artisanal rums. Designed to be accessibly priced and enjoyed as sippers or as cocktail components, the Artisanal White Rum, Tahitian Vanilla Rum, and Barrel Finished Rum are not made with added sugar or artificial flavorings.
Brian Love tells Eater that their Miramar venue should be open by the summer of 2024. In addition to housing Seven Caves Spirits, which shuttered its original facility in Miramar at the end of 2023, Longenecker says it’ll be a place where Club Kokomo can “sound check” new or seasonal releases, including more ready-to-drink cans and bottled spirits.
