Bummer & Lazarus Dry Gin

About Bummer & Lazarus

In the early 1860s, the State of California was suffering from an epidemic of stray dogs. At the time, dogs were said to outnumber people in the city of Los Angeles by nearly two to one. In San Francisco, however, two stray dogs named Bummer and Lazarus were beloved by the city, and recognized for their unique bond. Bummer, a Newfoundland, made a living by begging for scraps along Montgomery Street. In 1861, he rescued Lazarus from a fight with a larger dog and thereafter, the two dogs became inseparable. Eventually, newspapers and magazines such as the Californian, Daily Alta California, Daily Morning Call and Daily Evening Bulletin began writing stories of the dogs’ exploits.

When Lazarus was captured by a dog catcher in 1862, a mob of angry citizens demanded his release and petitioned the city to have the pair declared public property. City supervisors were soon forced to release Lazarus, and declared thereafter that the duo would be exempt from city ordinances against stray dogs. In 1863, Lazarus passed away after being struck in the head by a horse. Emperor Norton, who had proclaimed himself the Emperor of the United States, attended Lazarus’ funeral. Two years later, Bummer passed away, and was eulogized by Mark Twain.

“We named our gin Bummer & Lazarus in homage to those two dogs and everything they did for San Francisco,” says Carter Raff, the founder of Raff Distillerie. His distillery, situated on Treasure Island, was formerly used as a Navy brig (the distillation equipment can be found in the yard, while the prison cells have been converted into a bottling area).