Brewers and Copperworks Distillery owners Jason Parker and Micah Nutt are no strangers to whiskey or brew, but it was their mutual appreciation of facial hair that first got them together. “We ended up in a house together, brewing a bit, and it sealed the friendship,” Parker said. “In fact, it all started over a beard.”
But the real determining factor was their shared love of beer. “We are brewers first. Everything starts with a beer.” According to the owners, whiskey is basically just a beer that has been distilled, so it was an easy transition for Parker and Nutt to venture into whiskey craft. These days, the bearded two are in the process of distilling all malt whiskey at Copperworks Distillery, their newly opened emporium on University and Alaskan Way. Seattle’s seen a rise in distillery openings this year, (Westland Distillery opened in the same month) and Copperworks is approaching it with all the gusto and fervor of experienced long-time brewers.
Nutt says that every spec of the retail/distillery plant has gone through Parker’s “relentless attention to detail,” and that’s also evident in the quality of their products. Copperworks uses 100 percent malted barley from Elysian Brewery, and four of the highest quality traditional Scottish stills — stills that made it into the facility with only a half inch to spare.
Parker said that location was also a huge factor in the place, and that the waterfront was prime for what they wanted to do: make whiskey and drink it. The shiny new tasting room between Western and Alaskan has a bar, an area to mingle and drink, and expansive, revealing windows into the belly of the operation: the bubbly copper pots. The facility is only open as a retail space right now, but the owners encouraged those who are interested to set up a private tour to see the more intimate details of the place.
Copperworks is currently selling vodka and gin, and without question whiskey is in the works. (Like anyone can be patient enough for whiskey to age.) The dry London-style gin they serve is their first gin, but it’s also the flagship. The gin is made from pure grain alcohol, where the juniper gets pulled to the middle as opposed to the front or back, Nutt says, and it’s delightful with a botanical tonic that doesn’t drown out the nuances of the spirit.
And what’s next? Whiskey, of course. “Right now, we just want to get it in a barrel, and get it aging,” Parker said. Copperworks brand spirits can be found in most Seattle bars, restaurants, and grocery stores, and more information including guided tours of the facility can be discovered on the website.
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