PORTLAND, OR — House Spirits Distillery, now celebrating more than a decade as the cornerstone of Portland’s craft distillery community, opened the doors to its brand new $6 million distillery in the city’s famed Distillery Row. The new distillery, which provides six times the distilling capacity and creates a much-expanded tasting room and visitor experience, marks a major milestone for not only the company—one of just three dozen craft distilleries at its inception—but the broader craft distilling industry, whose population of producers now hovers around 800 here in the U.S. In its new home, House Spirits Distillery becomes the largest distilling operation in the entire Pacific Northwest.

The new facility is outfitted with state-of-the-art distilling technology, and a new 3,000-gallon copper stainless whiskey still, handcrafted by Vendome Copper & Brass in Louisville, KY. Upon installation, the still became the largest operating still west of the Mississippi River. The distillery also houses the company’s four new 3,000-gallon whiskey wash fermenters, a 600-gallon high wine still, a new 8,000-gallon holding tank, and a new grain silo that can accommodate up to 75,000 pounds of malted barley—all of which will continue to be sourced locally from farmers within the Pacific Northwest. House Spirits Distillery will continue to use the 400-gallon still that has produced Aviation American Gin for the past 10 years to ensure the gin’s flavor profile remains consistent.

“When I started House Spirits Distillery back in 2004, I remember telling friends, family, and colleagues that I wanted to create something that no one had done before,” said Christian Krogstad, Founder & Distiller, House Spirits Distillery. “A decade later, I realize that goal has come to fruition in so many ways. While back then, that statement meant crafting a new American style of gin, today I realize it wasn’t just that—it was establishing ourselves as an innovator in an industry where innovation at that time meant flavored vodkas. I’m so proud we’ve remained steadfast to that commitment today, and that we have a new space that will allow us to continue to do so for many years to come.”

Portland’s Mayor Charlie Hales, who joined the House Spirits Distillery team to distill the company’s first batch of gin, said, “I’m proud to welcome House Spirits Distillery to its new, expanded facility on Distillery Row, which the company helped create almost a decade ago. Portland’s creativity runs through everything we go, and includes our drinking! House Spirits Distiller’s commitment to environmental stewardship and local sourcing as it creates quality products is craft distilling, the Portland way.”

House Spirits CEO Thomas Mooney, who also serves as President of the American Craft Spirits Association, the craft community’s not-for-profit trade group, added, “This opening isn’t just an important milestone for House Spirits Distillery, but one for the broader craft distilling industry. Around a decade ago, there were fewer than three dozen small distilleries here in the U.S.—none of whom could ever dream of competing with the major distilleries who have dominated the market for decades. The opening of our new facility—the largest in all of the Pacific Northwest—marks a fundamental shift in our industry, and points to the fact that indeed the small, handcrafted companies can do more than merely survive—we can thrive and serve as a source of inspiration for the entire industry.”

Krogstad and his team have worked diligently to create a distillery that is both environmentally friendly and designed with an emphasis on safety—two key issues for the craft spirits community. The facility contains an innovative cooling system that recycles the distillery’s still-cooling water in an energy-saving loop, utilizing a cooling tower to reduce energy and water usage significantly. Additionally, House Spirits Distillery is now among the safest facilities in the country. The team will utilize steam instead of direct fire to heat all distilling vessels, an additional safety measure that also prevents scorching. The system is designed with AAA Metals and Coburn Electric, and the team has created a system that allows operation only when safe conditions exist.

Together with architects Mackenzie and Laurence Ferar & Associates, who designed the shell of the building and interior production area, and with Osmose Design, who designed the tasting room, the much-expanded space creates a welcoming environment to host patrons. House Spirits Distillery has also worked closely with Portland’s Mayor Hales, Travel Portland, and the Portland Development Commission throughout the entire design and development process.

The brand new House Spirits Tasting Room is open to the public and will provide visitors with a peek inside Portland’s dynamic artisan community via tours and tastings seven days per week. Tours will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday–Thursday, and at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and will include a portfolio tasting. The entire House Spirits Distillery portfolio is available for purchase on-site, as is the Tasting Room’s curated selection of barware, books, and apparel. The facilities are also available to rent for private events, whiskey classes, and cocktail tastings. Parking is available on-site at no cost.

The new House Spirits Distillery is located in the Central Eastside Industrial District at 65 SE Washington Street, Portland, OR 97214.

For more information visit www.housespirits.com.

About House Spirits Distillery
Founded in 2004 by Christian Krogstad, House Spirits Distillery is a leader of America’s craft distilling resurgence and serves as the anchor of Portland, Oregon’s famed Distillery Row. House Spirits Distillery is independently operated and co-owned by NFL legend Joe Montana and seasoned CEO Thomas Mooney, among other investors. House Spirits Distillery’s award-winning products are made exclusively in-house and are crafted in small batches with an intense and passionate pursuit of perfection using ethically sourced ingredients. The product portfolio includes several pioneering brands including Aviation American Gin, Westward Oregon Straight Malt Whiskey, Krogstad Aquavit, and Volstead Vodka.

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