Grizzly Growler

Turns out quite a bit more than just, “Could I have a shot with my beer?”

The 4th Annual Great American Distillers Festival is happening right now in Portland, Oregon, and one of the things you can do at this festival is attend a tasting of three modern American craft whiskeys and the beers that inspired them.

In another lifetime long ago, I worked as a bar tender and manager at McMenamin’s Thompson Public House and Boone’s Treasury. Now, McMenamin’s is one of the modern American distillers that made a whiskey based on their beer.

When they introduced Hogshead, way back when, we all thought it was a joke. Who would make whiskey when you’re so good at beer? And too be sure, the first few batches were better used for removing paint from old battleships.

But things improved and Hogshead was aged longer and started to taste better. I remember ordering one several years later with a Hammerhead, one of the company’s flagship beers. I was surprised by how good the whiskey was instead of just noting that it was drinkable.

And years later even, one of my favorite breweries, Rogue Brewing Co., produced a series of distilled drinks. They started with the staple whites, rum, vodka, gin, and later produced a whiskey based on their Dead Guy Ale. I also remember ordering one and being surprised at the taste and definite taste similarities to Dead Guy Ale.

All this to say that I’m really happy to see our craft brewers doing well and branching out into something as exciting as craft distilling.

I know there are those of you who think that breweries should stick to what they do best, but the similarities in producing beer and liquor make it easy for some breweries to add the stiff stuff to their product base. I see nothing wrong with it, and if learning to enjoy craft beer for all its nuance and historical meaning has any carryover to distilled beverages, well, that’s good too.

Prost,

GG