81 S Peachtree St, Norcross, GA 30071
(678) 795-2002
vspotaproom.com
Instagram: @vsop_taproom
Facebook: VSOP Taproom ATL
Maybe you’re a chef or a home cook, or maybe you just love eating bread (dipped in olive oil, that is). Regardless, this Small Business Spotlight is for you. VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom, located in downtown Norcross, is dedicated to sourcing the finest oils and vinegars from around the world and bringing them to the kitchens of everyday Americans like you and me. In fact, as of 2022, they’ve been doing just that for exactly a decade!
VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom owner, William, had the idea to open an olive oil taproom during a trip to Spain, a country that averages about 44% of the world’s supply of olive oil (and firmly believes no meal is complete without a proper soaking in the delectable oil).
“I had never experienced what true Extra Virgin Olive Oil was supposed to taste like. There were so many flavors and real differences between the varieties of olives. There was no comparison to what was available at the grocery store,” explained William. This newfound knowledge led William to produce his own collection of oils just like the ones he experienced in Spain.
So, how exactly are the oils and vinegars sold at VSOP different from the ones you find in grocery stores? Here’s how William explains it:
“We have relationships with growers around the world. They crush the olives in a special manner to produce ultra premium and ultra fresh EVOO. The olives are picked when they are not ripe so you get a much higher quality oil packed with polyphenols (antioxidants), but a much smaller quantity of oil. The time between picking and crushing the olives is under 3 hours which greatly increases the quality of the EVOO produced. All of our EVOOs are first cold pressed by mechanical means only which increases the health benefits of the oils.”
No matter what time of year you plan your visit to VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom, William and his team will always have the freshest products. This is because they source olives from both the northern (Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal) and southern (Chile, Peru, Argentina, Australia) hemispheres, which grow during opposite seasons. For first timers or those with limited knowledge of the oils, William recommends stopping by and trying a fused augmato method EVOO: Blood Orange, Lemon, Greek Lemon, Greek Oregano or Wild Rosemary. Beyond that, if you have any questions or want to try before you buy, VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom has a wonderful staff ready to assist you in purchasing your oils and tasting cups of each flavor.
That’s not all. VSOP Taproom is always creating new flavors and varieties of their products. In fact, William teased two new fused agrumato method EVOOs from Greece as well as limited production Super High Polyphenol EVOOs, Kalamata EVOO and a Reserve Kalamata EVOO packed with health benefits coming soon to the taproom. Check out their website and follow them on social media for updates on new products!
EVOO Tips from William
- Be sure to use EVOO when it is fresh! It has a shelf life of only 18 months past the date it was CRUSHED. Only refer to the CRUSH date, not a Best Buy or Use By date.
- Always buy EVOO in a dark bottle or a tin. Regular light will break down the oil.