Distilled in Oregon: A History & Guide with Cocktail Recipes

Early Oregon fur traders concocted a type of distilled beverage known as Blue Ruin, used in commerce with local Native Americans. Drawn by the abundant summer harvests of the Willamette Valley, distillers put down roots in the nineteenth century. Because of Oregon's early sunset on legal liquor production in 1916--four years before national Prohibition--hundreds of illicit stills popped up across the state. Residents of Portland remained well supplied, thanks to the infamous efforts of Mayor George Baker. The failed national experiment ended in 1933, and Hood River Distillers resurrected the sensible enterprise of turning surplus fruit into brandy in 1934.

 Thanks in part to the renowned Clear Creek Distillery triggering a craft distilling movement in 1985, the state now boasts seventy distilleries and counting. Author Scott Stursa leads a journey through the history of distilling in the Beaver State.

Scott Stursa's longtime passion for fine food and drink, combined with a keen interest in spirits production, make him uniquely qualified to assess Oregon's distilleries and their products. He's been writing about these on his blog (www.oregonepicurean.com) and researching the history of the state's liquor industry--activities that, until recently, were secondary to a demanding career in cyber security. Now unencumbered by that vocation, he's been able to focus his attention on research and writing, and Distilled in Oregon is the result. Scott lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with his wife and their two cats and is currently working on a novel.