Eastside commissions still at Portland facility in US

Eastside Distilling has commissioned a custom 500-gallon capacity still to support high-volume American single malt whiskey production.

Manufactured with German-produced distilling copper, the still is part of Eastside Distilling and its subsidiary Big Bottom Distilling’s strategy to become a higher volume producer in the market.

Eastside Distilling said that the still and its associated malt fermenters are now operating in its Portland facility.

Big Bottom Distilling lead distiller Travis Schoney said: “The ‘distilled at one distillery’ component of American Single Malt Whiskey is critical to the uniqueness of the product classification by the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission of which Big Bottom Distilling is a member.

“Eastside and Big Bottom are one of the few craft distillers in the Pacific Northwest that can lay claim to meeting these standards.

“Two of three local distillers that compete with us were acquired by Remy Martin and Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey, while a third has investment from Diageo.”

In addition to American Single Malt Whiskey, the still will produce gin, brandy, agave and rum products. It is estimated that the still will increase Eastside’s distilling capability to approximately 20,000 cases of product per year.

Eastside Distilling production vice-president Tom Wood said: “Our new still will not only allow for Eastside and Big Bottom to better produce our American Single Malt Whiskey in higher volume but will allow us to produce gin, brandy and rum products more effectively as well.

“The versatility of the still, including interchangeable botanical baskets, allows us to make the highest quality product while also helping to drive down overall production costs.”