Living With Spirit

Gig Harbor’s Heritage Distilling Company is giving people from all across the country and world the opportunity to get into the business of making spirits. Together with the Artisan Craft Distilling Institute, HDC hosted 30 students for a week-long workshop on how to open and operate a distillery. On the final day, the students got to make their own bourbon whiskey.

Washington state’s growing distillery industry accounts for one out of every eight licensed distilleries in the United States. HDC, run by Justin and Jennifer Stiefel, is the only one where people are legally permitted to make their own spirits. The Stiefels partnered with ACDI to give a comprehensive overview of the distillery business, discussing both the techniques of distilling and the business that goes with it.

In addition, Justin Stiefel emphasized that having the workshops in Gig Harbor brings business and exposure to the community. GH is becoming one of the national center points in craft distilling after HDC’s establishment in 2012. In March 2014, the American Distilling Institute will bring the Craft Spirits Conference to Seattle, with a stop at HDC as part of the itinerary.

Have you visited HDC or any other craft distillery? What do you think of them?