Sushi Making 101: California Rolls & More

Sushi Making 101 is coming to Copperwing Distillery on Friday, October 30, for a two-hour hands-on workshop. It's aimed at beginners, so if you've never touched a bamboo mat in your life, you're exactly who this is for. Chef Sean leads the session, and you'll be doing the work yourself rather than just watching from the sidelines.

The class covers the basics from the ground up. You'll start by preparing the sushi rice, then move on to slicing fresh fillings, and finally roll three different styles of sushi. The California roll is the one mentioned in the title, and you'll walk away with a few more under your belt. It's a full cycle—prep, slice, roll—so you'll actually understand how the pieces fit together instead of just following a recipe without knowing why.

Copperwing Distillery is in St. Louis Park, just outside Minneapolis, at 6409 Cambridge St. It's a modern, industrial-style space that reflects its craft spirit roots, and it's been around since 2014. The distillery combines functional design with a warm atmosphere, keeping its traditional whiskey-making front and center while fitting into a compact urban setting. It's the kind of place that feels like a working distillery first and a venue second.

Since it's a distillery, drinks are available to purchase on-site, but no outside drinks are allowed. You'll need to be 21 or older with a valid ID to get in, and the organizers ask that you arrive 15 minutes early to check in. Tickets are $69, and the whole thing runs for two hours.