Bar Notes: Eastside Distilling

For my birthday, my brother Kerry hooked me up with a tour of Eastside Distilling.  I had almost forgotten about it until Tracy found the gift certificate in our office the other day.  With our reservation set, Tracy and I set off to discover a local craft distiller who would only come to exceed our expectations.

Day drinking.  I'm normally not a huge fan of it, but what can you do?  We had a 1 p.m. reservation, so it looked like we were set to get our buzz on early.  Located on SE 7th Street in Portland, Oregon, Eastside Distilling is an unassuming storefront that one could easily slide by as it is in the middle of the block.

Eastside's Storefront

 Their industrial sign is a perfect match for the neighborhood that surrounds it.  Mostly commercial/industrial, the distillery cozies right on in to its environment.  Upon entering, we were greeted with the tiny retail storefront that displays Eastside's good as well as other locally made products that any home bar could use.  They carry locally made mixers, chocolates, pepper additives for Bloody Mary's, etc.  Amongst all the local goods, one can find the regular paraphernalia: t-shirts, flasks, glassware, etc.  Yet, it is what lies four steps below that makes this distillery special.

The distillery's tasting room is a modest cordoned off section of their retail space, but the experience one can have there transcends their modesty.  As part of a scheduled tasting, Tracy and I joined about eight other people in a sampling of spirits from vodka to flavored rum to specialty bourbons.

The Tasting Room

Our tasting bartender was a funny young woman from the south, so, of course, the Kentucky Derby was playing in the next room.  While she occasionally allowed her attention to drift to the screen, she brought the Derby into the tasting, hinting at the chance for fresh Mint Juleps after we sampled her wares.

We began with their potato vodka, a lovely example of this neutral spirit, but we were soon gallivanting our way through spiced rum, ginger rum, and coffee rums.  Each taste of these specialty liquors evoked a drink recipe in both my mind and Tracy's.

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The rums almost called to their mixers, their flavor counterparts, and we whispered ideas to ourselves as the group commented on their tasting notes.  The coffee rum called to me particularly, although you would have to be careful with this as the bartender noted that an ounce and a half of the rum was equal to the caffeine of a cup of coffee.

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Once we finished our trip through rum land, we moved on to the whiskeys.  Tracy is normally not a fan of whiskey in any form, but she was a good sport about it and tasted her way through some of the infused whiskeys.  Eastside offers the solid Burnside Bourbon, which, if I remember right, is made in small batches and aged for four years.  It isn't your old bourbon and Coke type of bourbon. This whiskey is sipping whiskey, and it holds up remarkably well on the palate.

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The bartender, a true saleswoman, pointed out that they have an Oregon Oaked Bourbon which was unavailable for tasting due to its limited quantities.  This bourbon is aged especially in Oregon oak which is said to be a touch more porous and so infuses the whiskey with greater notes of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and maple.  Just as the bartender intended, I was tempted by this specialty bourbon, but, alas, didn't walk away with one.  Next time!

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The last two bourbons we tried are infused with local fruit.  The Cherry Bomb is a fun way to mix up your old Manhattan recipe.  No need to keep a jar of cherries around with this unique whiskey.

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In addition to Eastside's Cherry Bomb whiskey, they produce a new Marionberry Whiskey that stood out to me immediately.  The fruit is readily apparent in the whiskey, but, for me, it didn't take away from the overall flavors that I crave from a good whiskey.

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With the tasting over, it was time for a cocktail.  Tracy wound up having a ginger rum drink, while I opted for the Marionberry Whiskey with Cock and Bull Ginger Beer.  I wasn't disappointed.  The ginger beer brought a sharpness and fizz to the Marionberry Whiskey that had me craving the second cocktail before I had even finished the first, the sign of a winning cocktail recipe in my house!

The whole experience was rounded out by our tour of the distillery, a one room operation guided by Brian Cooper (an apt name for someone working with barrels).  He gave us a peek behind the science of distilling and answered all of our groups questions about the process of making whiskey.  We were lucky that only four people decided to take the tour because it freed Brian up to really answer the questions without missing out on the chance to showcase their operations.

Discovered this mad scientist in the tasting room at Eastside

The whole experience was a wonderful one, one highlighted by the friendly staff, the top notch customer service, and quality products that didn't need a sales pitch.  The people at Eastside Distilling know what they are about and that is a philosophy of product-first while making the sometimes mysterious world of specialty liquor seem approachable and fun.

Tracy and I wound up walking away with a bottle of the Marionberry Whiskey and the Below Deck Ginger Rum, which added up to us receiving another free tasting for two.  The only next question is: Who's coming with us?

All in all, Eastside Distilling was a great experience for Tracy and I.  We had a blast talking cocktails with all of the staff.  I recommend those in the Portland area with even a slight interest in the science of cocktails make their way down. For reservations, connect with them here or click here for private party reservations.