The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley and Charbay Distillery Raise $19,000 at Wizards of Elixirs

The annual Wizards of Elixirs Cocktail Competition, celebrating the creative spirit of the Wine Country bartending community, raised its highest amount to date on Oct. 28.

Photos by TRYBE Creative

This year’s seventh annual event at Brewsters Beer Garden in Petaluma brought in a record $19,280.63 for Petaluma’s Active Club 20-30 and Una Vida, two grassroots organizations serving local families in need. Hosted by The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley and Charbay Distillery, the fundraiser drew 425 guests, many dressed in full Halloween flair.

This year’s effort holds special significance, as both Active 20-30 and Una Vida work to reduce food insecurity in the Petaluma community. Resident Megan McClelland, who has held several leadership positions in Petaluma Active 20-30 and attended Wizards of Elixirs since 2017, said she was honored to be approached this year for a partnership. “The money raised will be going back to Petaluma Active 20-30 and Una Vida, two non-profits in Petaluma very near and dear to my heart that help support kids and families in need,” McClelland says.

“Wizards of Elixirs is my favorite Halloween event! It is so much fun to see different people from different bars and restaurants throughout Sonoma and Napa County come together for a good cause. The costumes were incredible and the drinks were all awesome as well!”

Una Vida’s executive director, Lynne Moquete, said participating in Wizards of Elixirs was pure joy. “The creativity and themed magic from every team blew us away,” Moquete said. “It was a beautiful reminder of how our community comes together to celebrate one another while uplifting families who need support.”

Tommy Cracraft of the winning Fern Bar team has participated four years in a row and said 2025 was the best competition yet. “I want to thank Marko and Johnny for again organizing an event full of great people, fantastic food and crushable beverages,” Cracraft said. “And thank you to everyone who came out to support, we couldn’t do it without you all!”

The Perfect Purée CEO Michele Lex echoed the sentiment. “Seeing 17 talented teams come together to showcase their creativity while supporting Una Vida’s and Active 20-30’s vital work in Petaluma is what this event is all about,” Lex said.

“The Perfect Purée is honored to partner with Charbay Distillery to create a night where exceptional cocktails meet meaningful community impact.”

Bartending teams from 17 top Wine Country establishments vied for the coveted People’s Choice award and cash prizes. Their sample-size drinks featured Charbay Blood Orange Mandarin Vodka and a Perfect Purée flavor (or two) of choice. The crowd also cheered their favorite costumes including the duos Santa & The Elf, Bonnie & Clyde, a marionette doll, Dr. Doom, a Costco card and a hot dog.

Jake Carlson and Tommy Cracraft of Sebastopol’s Fern Bar won the $1,000 first prize AND the $500 popular vote for their OJ Beet the Case cocktail with The Perfect Purée Peach Ginger. Dylan Martini of Napa’s 1331 Cocktails took second place and $750 with Ghoul-Aid featuring The Perfect Purée Green Apple and Tamarind. Third place and $500 went to Jeffrey Henrie of Healdsburg’s Lo & Behold for Krog’s Grog with The Perfect Purée Thai Basil & Black Pepper.

2025 Winning Recipes

First Place & People’s Choice:

Second Place:

Third Place:

About The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

For over 35 years, The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley has indulged the culinary passion of chefs, mixologists and food enthusiasts with products that provide ultimate fresh fruit flavor minus the peeling, dicing and simmering required for making purées from scratch. The company’s collection of fruit purées, specialties, blends and zests features 43 on-trend premium flavors ranging from pantry staples Red Raspberry, Strawberry and Banana to the tropical Lychee, Passion Fruit and Pink Guava. The fruits are harvested at peak ripeness, puréed and packed frozen to maintain optimal freshness, flavor and color no matter what the season.

As the leading U.S. producer of premium fruit purées with foodservice distribution throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley is revered in restaurants, hotels, bars, bakeries and catering kitchens for the just-picked taste and unmatched consistency of its products. All flavors can be frozen for up to 24 months from date of manufacture. When thawed, the purées, concentrates and specialties last 7-10 days in the refrigerator, and blends for 21 days. For more information, visit www.perfectpuree.com or follow on Instagram or Facebook @theperfectpuree.

About Charbay Distillery

The Karakasevic family is one of the early pioneers of the modern American artisan distillery movement; they began distilling in California in 1983 with alambic pot still brandy and haven’t stopped since. Charbay’s line-up includes whiskeys distilled from bottle-ready beer, brandies distilled from Napa Valley grapes, vodkas flavored with 100 percent real fruit or tea, and rum distilled from sugar cane syrup. Marko Karakasevic is the thirteenth generation to carry on his family’s European heritage of fermenting and distilling. His 25-year apprenticeship covered every category of distilling. For more information, visit charbay.com.

About The Petaluma Active Club 20-30

The Petaluma Active 20-30 Club is a volunteer-led group of young professionals dedicated to improving the lives of underserved children in the Petaluma community. The club raises funds year-round for back-to-school shopping trips and haircuts. It awards scholarships to local seniors and supports programs that uplift youth. As part of the Active 20-30 U.S. and Canadian network, the Petaluma club sponsors community service, leadership development and fun social events for a lasting impact. Email petaluma2030@gmail.com for more information.

About Una Vida

Una Vida is a Petaluma-based grassroots nonprofit organization founded in 1997 by Lynne Gordon Moquete. The organization is dedicated to meeting essential basic needs and building meaningful connections within the local community. Una Vida provides vital resources such as food, clothing and household necessities to individuals and families.

Volunteers are the heart of its work, generously offering their time, energ, and care to help ensure support reaches those who need it most. Guided by a mission to empower, connect and inspire a lifestyle of service, Una Vida works to create a stronger and more compassionate community for all. Email lynne@una-vida.org for more information.

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