Sip Northwest, Fall 2018
The Distinction of Distilled Fruit S P O T L I G H T The Northwest is a produce powerhouse Washington Oregon and British Columbia in particular are three of North Americas top fruit growers and yet the region has been slow to embrace brandy the aromatic fruit based spirit common to Europe Hard cider perry wine cherry wine all of these and more are distilled locally into brandy typically called eau de vie if its unaged But beyond a few old world classics like Frances grape based Cognac or apple based Calvados the beverage doesnt occupy much shelf space even at high end cocktail bars Nevertheless bars and distilleries are educating themselves and drinkers on the history and nuances of this Local Fruit Brandies Garner Deserved Respect BY ADAM H CALLAGHAN Brandy cocktails at LOursin in Seattle broad spirits category slowly raising brandys profile one bottle at a time As founder of LOURSIN a buzzed about modern French restaurant in Seattle Zac Overman has featured brandy on the menu since day one I love brandy because even with barrel aged stuff like Calvados you get a highly aromatic distillate that can be really delicate beautiful and floral or really rich and burly dark and deep he says Overman adds he struggles with the high price and sometimes uneven quality of local brandy distillers who have a disadvantage when stacked against European producers with better margins and decades of experience Hes excited to help develop the local market though and has worked with Oregons CLEAR CREEK DISTILLERY since the restaurant opened Founded in Portland in 1985 Clear Creek now based in Hood River has had more than 30 years to find its footing and it is by far the most commonly stocked local brandy around Overman calls it the gold standard for the area and says a little goes a long way in a cocktail When you drink the Clear Creek Poire its like a juicy pear he says of the distillerys pear brandy Its unadulterated this is what this fruit is Nic Lee founder of GLACIER DISTILLING in Coram Montana says his whiskey outsells his brandies 10 to one and a lot of visitors to his tasting room carry a negative impression of brandy from somebodys syrupy homemade version So to convert drinkers into brandy enthusiasts he refers to his Gold Miner apple brandy made from leftover Honeycrisp apples a nearby farmer couldnt sell fresh as an apple whiskey Then people that like 28 S I P N O R T H W E S T C O M RIGHT PHOTO BY VICKY WASIK
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