Gig Harbor Distillery Opening this Fall

First legal distillery in the harbor since prohibition

Just in time for the cool fall and winter comes something new in Gig Harbor to keep you warm from your nose to your toes. The new Heritage Distilling Company’s distillery will become operational in October. The distillery is located next to the Inn at Gig Harbor (lucky them!) in the old 7 Seas Brewing building.

Gig Harbor resident’s Justin and Jennifer Stiefelle are fulfilling a lifelong dream opening a craft distillery, where every spirit is made by hand. And they are doing it with class. On a recent tour of the facility I was so impressed with the quality of the work, the enthusiasm and knowledge of the owners and the quality of the equipment and ingredients, including the grain which has been sourced through a family farm in Odessa, WA. Justin and Jennifer have also created some innovative new programs, first of their kind in the country that will draw residents and visitors to this destination distillery.

Still under-construction, but soon to be completed, the tasting room is going to be beautiful. The tasting room overlooks the production floor, home to the custom-made 2000 liter stainless and copper pot still with its twin 14 foot tall copper and stainless steel rectification and condensing towers – all from Italy. The shipment is expected to arrive at the Port of Seattle this week. Stacked against one entire wall are nearly 50 oak barrels, bought from Makers Mark, still sporting the Makers Mark label, freshly dumped this summer after aging old style sour mash bourbon for over four years. Each barrel contains nearly 20 pounds of bourbon still stuck in the wood, which will automatically be drawn out and blended with the new whiskey as it gets racked into the barrel. The tasting room bar countertops are being made from a single slab of western maple sourced locally. All the custom woodwork is being constructed by Madera Fine Decorative Furnishings out of Tacoma.

Heritage Distilling Company, or “HDC” will be producing whiskey, gin and vodka as well as brandy. Heritage believes “Every Spirit has a Story”. Some are rooted in the history and heritage of the founders, while others are centered on the collective heritage and history to create and share. Justin and Jennifer are excited to be the first legal distillery in Gig Harbor since prohibition, and to be joining more than 40 other craft distilleries in the state of Washington since the laws were changed in 2008. Speaking of Washington, HDC has George Washington’s original recipe for whiskey and they plan to launch its production in October, for a signature product from Heritage called “Washington’s Rye Whiskey”. This recipe, which is over 215 years old, is rich and full bodied with fruit and spice common in an un-aged whiskey. Most people don’t know that George Washington had one of the largest whiskey distilleries in the nation at Mount Vernon when he died in 1799.

Elk Rider is the trademark name of another HDC line of Gin, Vodka and Whiskey, a collection line of spirits saluting Justin’s wife Jennifer’s ancestors from the Lake Quinault region where they broke and tamed wild elk in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Pictures of the family members riding the elk will be on display in the distillery. The Elk Rider line is designed to offer a bold but traditional flavor, achieved through the small batch distilling process.

Wherskey is the trademark name of HDC’s “softer side” product – discarding the image that whiskey is just a “man’s drink”. Soft, crisp and refreshing, these spirits are designed for the palates looking for something bold, new and frisky. In a twist of creativity the founders removed “his” from the word “whiskey” and replaced it with “her” to create the name “Wherskey” for this line of Gin, Vodka and Light Whiskey.

In Washington State to be considered a craft distillery you must certify every month that more than half of the raw ingredients used are grown in the state of Washington. It makes sense since Washington is home to some of the best fruit, wine grapes and grains in the country. “This is why we place so much emphasis on dealing directly with farmers we know and trust” Justin says. “That is how we assure our product meets our Field to Flask standards for quality and craftsmanship.”

Not only will Heritage be a place to see the production of distilled spirits and taste the product made there, it will also be a fun place to hang out whether you want to learn to make your own, have a small gathering or a large event. It is truly going to be a gathering place and a destination. Some of the unique, one of kind, things available are;

Cask Club™ – membership has its privileges! You get;

· Your own 10 liter private oak cask, beautifully displayed in the distillery with your name and home town on the cask for the world to see

· Your name on the custom Cask Club bottle for finished products that come out of your cask

· The ability to sample the spirits aging in your cask – you determine when its ready to bottle.

· You determine the bottling strength of the spirits – 80 proof or more? It’s up to you.

· Advance notice and reservations of the new releases of HDC spirits before the general public.

· Advance notice of HDC special events before the general public.

· Discounts on non-alcoholic merchandise sold at HDC.

· You keep the 10 liter cask when it is done aging, or use it again in the Cask Club to make a new batch of a different product.

· And much more.

Cost to be a member of the Cask Club is $389 per year and they have already sold 20% of what’s available. The Cask Club ™ program is patent pending.

My Batch™ –hands on makes it hand crafted. For the first time customers can legally be involved in the making of their own private spirits – whiskey, gin or vodka. Heritage is the first distillery in the country giving this opportunity to legally work with customers to create “My Batch” (patent pending). Individuals, bar managers and restaurant owners can learn more in the weeks ahead on the website and through the coming newsletter. HDC reminds people it is illegal at the state and federal levels to own or operate a still in your own home, so do it legally at HDC!

B-Cause™ - Bottling for a Cause. A unique fundraising opportunity for non-profits and charity organizers looking for a new and fun activity to raise money. The event has attendees bottling for a couple of hours and having fun doing it.

Event planners and even wedding planners will be interested to see this space, where guests can mingle among the Italian custom-made 2000 liter pot still, the twin 14 foot distillation columns and the 6 micro-stills. Guests will wander among the 53 gallon oak barrels where the premium whiskey ages. All of it – the copper, the stainless steel, the sights and smells of an upscale showcase distillery available for your special event, complete with a built in audio/video system, Wi-Fi, custom bar and other unique amenities makes this a perfect place for seminar, stand-up reception, intimate sit-down dinner or other special occasion.

Just like wine pairing dinners that happen in this community, Justin and Jennifer are planning Distiller Dinners pairing foods and spirits in an art form – where the true flavors of many spirit can best be complimented with a specific menu. The Heritage Distilling Company newsletter will be one way to stay up-to-date on events like these.

Finally, HDC is hosting a week long course on craft distilling starting September 24th. The course is organized by the Green River Community College in Auburn, WA. (http://artisancraftdistilling.com/pt/Workshop-Registration/store.htm). Up to 25 people will be coming to Gig Harbor to spend time in the distillery and get their “hands dirty”. They will learn from licensed instructors, attorneys and business planning and marketing professionals how to go about setting up a distillery. The current tally of registrants has students coming from North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Idaho, Canada and even Singapore. They will stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants, visit local shops and of course see our beautiful town of Gig Harbor. This fits into HDC’s plans of making their operation a true “destination distillery”.

Heritage Distilling Company is just another new business that is going to put Gig Harbor on the map. High quality, unique programs and destination driven, this business will benefit many others in the region. I’m excited to have them on our team!

Grand Opening celebration will be November 3rd. Learn more www.heritagedistilling.com