Vodka & Whiskey Tasting -- Woodinville, WA

Not Only Wine Country Anymore

    We've all heard the stories of prohibition; of people making moonshine in their cellar. We've heard about the secret societies that began just so people could get together to make more of their favorite whiskey. Businesses that built secret doors and passageways taking you to lavish rooms centered around liquor making and drinking. Woodinville, in its own way, has now jumped onto this bandwagon because it's no longer just a wine town--it's a moonshine town (well at least a legal moonshine town...if that's possible.) Since about 2008, five distilleries have popped up in Woodinville, each with their own unique product and flavors of vodka, whiskey, grappe (a distilled grape-based liquor,) and gin--what a happy surprise! The distilleries offer tours of their facilities and their tastings are free (whereas wine tasting is $5 to $15 these days.) 

The shop at Project V Distillery and Sausage Co.--dimly lit and inspiring...

Project V Distillery and Sausage Co.

    On a Sunday afternoon, we started off by going to Project V Distillery and Sausage Company to learn all about their vodka production http://www.projectvdistillery.com/. When you walk up to the distillery from the parking lot, you'll see a business park, when you step inside though, you'll be greeted with an intimate shop, not to mention the nice people offering you a taste of their Single Silo Vodka. For the record, a taste was about 1/8 of a shot glass, so you won't get tipsy on this experience; this is about how much vodka connoisseurs serve after supper at a dinner party anyway. We felt a little like we were walking into a moonshine operation from prohibition because of the dim lighting and all the barrels and equipment you can see through the old doors at the back of the shop. It definitely put us in the right mood.

Highly complex still set up at Project V Distillery--it's another rendition of a chemistry lab

Project V's Background

    We met with Al, one of the owners. He said that their business did originally grow from the moonshine they made in their garage.  The small operation had gotten out of hand causing them to need a bigger place to work, so in the fall of 2010, Project V opened for business.
    All the artwork you'll see when you're walking around the place was done by close friends and family, including Al's kids--it's fun, catches your eye, and really adds a lot. One of our favorite things about their decor is that they chose to use an old VW van as a storage locker for some of their supplies--ingenious! 

A glimpse of Project V Distillery--the VW van behind us is their clever storage unit for their vodka supplies

How It Works

    It turns out that everything Project V does is crafted by hand--literally everything--even their stills were built by the owners. They use wheat grain from Al's wife's uncle's fourth generation farm in Withrow, WA. The kernels have a low protein, high starch content. The wheat is broken apart and made into a mash. Part of that mash is perfect food for pigs, hence the Sausage portion of the company name. Just so you know, the pigs are still plumping up so don't plan on sausage for another month or two. The remaining solution from the mash is allowed to ferment and becomes vodka after a few carefully planned runs through the still. It's fun to see the chemistry in action and to watch everything bubble.
    Al told us more about what we were looking at...the liquid condenses from the vapor that comes from the fermented grain product. Once it condenses the liquid falls down the copper tubes since it's heavy, and the vapor at the bottom of the tube rises back to the top, starting the process all over again. This whole cycle works to get rid of those fusel oils that make that awful nail polish remover taste that cheap liquors can have. In the end you're only left with ethanol, since vodka is mostly ethanol. 

A picture of Al showing us how they use a bathtub and a perforated bag to separate out the grain mill from the solution for your vodka

The Products

     Al told us that their business crafts 350 bottles of vodka per week. Now, I'm not much of a hard liquor drinker, but our friends said that it was some of the best vodka they'd ever had. Again, these are free tastings here. We really enjoyed the Single Silo that we'd had on the way in--it's good and smooth. The Double Silo is for those who feel a bit more adventurous, just due to its strength. Our very favorite was the Single Silo with the Chai Infusion. The infusion mix is also hand-made and is packed full of honey candies, cinnamon, and vanilla giving the vodka an even more complex flavor. It's a little like having a mixed drink, yet, you're still drinking straight vodka--definitely a winner. If a taste of any of these isn't enough, you can take a bottle home for between $29 and $80.
    A Tip: To avoid the rush, get there before 2pm in the afternoon on the weekends for a more personalized tour--you'll get to taste no matter when you show up during business hours though, so no worries there.

The German-made still at Woodinville Whiskey Co., used for whiskey and vodka

Woodinville Whiskey Co.

    After, that phenomenal experience, we headed to Woodinville Whiskey Co.  http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/, which operates on a slightly larger scale, and boy, was it packed on a Sunday afternoon. They have one official tour each day Wed. through Sun. at 4pm, but tasting is open anytime from 12-5pm. We really enjoyed their Willy Wonka Factory style stills. We got to try their Peabody Vodka and their un-aged Headlong White Dog Whiskey. On their tour we learned about the same process as we just seen at Project V, since Woodinville Whiskey Co. makes vodka in addition to whiskey. It was fun to see their char oak barrels where they age their whiskey--it'll really be a treat when their two-year aged whiskey is ready soon. We didn't get a chance to chat too much with the folks at Woodinville Whiskey Co. because of the volume of visitors, but they do invite people to ask questions on their tours, so you'll have plenty of time for that when you're there.

"Prove It"   

    One of our favorite things about visiting Woodinville Whiskey was learning the history of the word "proof" in regards to alcohol content. Apparently, back in the 18th century, customers would ask the bartender to "prove" that an alcohol had not been watered down. So the bartender would take a teaspoon of gun powder and pour alcohol over it, then light it on fire. If the substance exploded into a ball of fire then the alcohol  became a "proof spirit", if not it was deemed "under proof". There. Your history lesson for the day!

Aging whiskey in char oak barrels at Woodinville Whiskey Co.

Our Last Stop

    Our last stop was at Soft Tail Spirits http://softtailspirits.com/. We hadn't expected to go to three distilleries in one day, but we were on a roll! Soft Tail Spirits is located in a quaint log-style home that's been converted into an inviting tasting room. Their vodka has a different taste than the previous distilleries we visited, allowing us to see how varied the flavors can be. This was really neat...after one of their spirits they'll have you follow it up with a chocolate cover espresso bean to help bring out the complexity of the flavor. This was the perfect way to end our spirit experience for the day.

Soft Tail Spirits has four different vodkas and grappas for you to try...

   

    At all three distilleries, we were impressed by the true passion the distillers have for their work. It's science, art and craft, all wrapped into one. This is definitely something to explore on a cloudy or rainy Seattle day. 

Things To Know:

• Project V Distillery will be celebrating their one year anniversary on Nov. 13th--a celebration is definitely in order
• These distilleries have created a 'just stop by' kind of environment
• Be aware that these tours do involve a good deal of standing, but there are chairs in the shop portions of the businesses to sit down in.
• Don't miss out on the wine opportunities in the area as well

The Distilleries

There are a total of five distilleries in Woodinville and four are open for tours and tasting:

• Project V Distillery and Sausage Company (vodka and sausage) http://www.projectvdistillery.com/
• Open Sat. & Sun. 12-5pm  
• Woodinville Whiskey Company (whiskey and vodka) http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/
• Open Wed. through Sun. 12-5pm (tours at 4pm daily)
• Soft Tail Spirits (vodka and grappe) http://softtailspirits.com/
• Open Sat. & Sun. 12-5pm
• Pacific Distillery (gin) http://pacificdistillery.com/
• Open Sat. 12-3pm

The Kentucky copper still at Soft Tail Spirits--each still is so different

Have fun--spirit tasting is truly unique! 

Head on out Around Puget Sound...and Beyond

Small Town Destination -- Leavenworth/Peshastin, WA

    Bratwurst, Hefeweizen,  chocolate, pretzels, cheese---fondue cheese...wine, pears, apples--apple cider...are your taste buds watering yet? After you enjoy your delicious German beer and pretzel, why not follow that up with some good German dancing, music, and a carriage ride--'Leavenworth, the Bavarian village smack dab in the middle of the Cascade Mountains'. Odd, yet super cool at the same time!

German dancing and music taking place in downtown Leavenworth

    We visited just last weekend during Leavenworth's Autumn Leaf Festival weekend and saw a big parade, that included marching bands from all over Western Washington, as well as an amazing magic show performed by Bruce Meyers. He honestly made a table fly--no joke! I'm still racking my brain to figure out how he did it...http://www.brucemeyers.com/
    We camped at the 'Eight-Mile Campground', just about 8 miles or so out of town (go figure). It was $16 per night for a nice camping pad, picnic table, fire pit, and restrooms not far away (take note that there are no showers here). It was great to be in the middle of the woods, tucked into the mountains, and to hear nothing but a rushing river in the background.
    During our weekend stay, we were struck most by the beauty of the mountains that encompass the village. We were drawn to them, and couldn't help but climb up the slopes to get the next panoramic view.

The view on the drive up to the 'Eight-Mile Lake' hike

    The first morning there, we got coffee at O' Grady's Pantry and Mercantile on our way back into town from the campsite. There's a fabulous organic garden that belongs to the Sleeping Lady Resort just behind the shop, which is open to the public. From the garden, take a look up at the mountains and see if you can find the shape of the 'Sleeping Lady'. The peaks of the mountains come together here to form what really does look like a lady with long sweeping hair, sleeping soundly at the top. 

    (Something Fun: Look for Elvis on your way to the garden. You'll know what we mean when you get there.)

From the organic garden you can see part of the 'Sleeping Lady' on the right side

    The shops in town are great as well--there are tons of restaurants to choose from...there's a hat shop and an entire store devoted to nutcrackers (I've never seen so many in my life!). Two of our favorite places were the Munchen Haus--they've got a good beer selection and delicious pretzels, and the Cheesemonger's Shop. The Cheesemonger will let you taste any kind of cheese you like from their extensive selection (we love free samples!). They've got great service and the workers are extremely helpful. http://www.cheesemongersshop.com/

The Munchen Haus has great pretzels served with hot cheese--one of our favorite spots

    If you find yourself getting a little overwhelmed with the Bavarian themed world you've just stepped into, drive about 10 minutes SE to Peshastin, WA. This is an adorable town filled with apple trees, pear trees, and vineyards. The river flows through the town making it more than picturesque. This is a great place for wine tasting. We fancy the "Just Peachy" and the "Three Blondes" wines at the Icicle Ridge Winery http://www.icicleridgewinery.com. Also, there's a little tavern in town that offers $1 PBR beers every time the train passes by, just for something different.

 Grapes growing in a vineyard at Icicle Ridge Winery in Peshastin, just outside Leavenworth

Things to Know:

• Leavenworth is about 2 hours East of Seattle
• Beautiful at all times of the year--skiing in the winter; hiking/floating the river in the summer
• Many campgrounds to choose from, especially up Icicle Creek Rd. just off Highway 2
• Loads of festivals and activities happening throughout the year http://www.leavenworth.org/
• Lots of free parking in the town; the trick is finding a spot on a busy weekend

 The gazebo in downtown Leavenworth surrounded by flowers and Autumn Leaf Festival decorations

 This blog post just scratches the surface of all the fun and interesting things you can do in in the town. Let us know what you think is the best part of your small town adventure on your next visit to Leavenworth.

Head on out Around Puget Sound...and Beyond

Small Town Destination -- LaConner, WA

    La Conner is the perfect escape from the city on a crystal clear or grey cloudy day. We went in the month of August and were greeted with mustard seed fields as we drove from I-5 to the town. The views on the drive are awe-inspiring with foothills to the east, Puget Sound to the West, and the fields of the valley wrapping around every road.
    If you plan your trip in May to October you'll likely find more than a fair share of fresh produce stands to choose from fruits, vegetables, honey, apple cider, spices, and flowers. We local is almost always better--plus it's a great way to support the local farmers.

Mustard seed fields on the way to La Conner

    La Conner's downtown sits right on a channel that leads to the rest of the Puget Sound. This channel acts as a calm passageway for boats. The day we were visiting we saw people racing Native American canoes up and down this channel with several racers in each canoe, of all ages. Most of them had the strokes down so well that they were really 'bookin' it along. 

La Conner's water channel

    If you have time, eat lunch on the channel or in any of the quaint restaurants in the town. One of our favorites is the Calico Cupboard, they serve delicious sandwiches and excellent desserts. But, no matter where you go you're bound to find good food and great service.

A visitor's ol' truck parked in the town

    Among all the restaurants you'll find a variety of art galleries featuring local artists. We'd never seen work like what we saw in many of the shops, including this purse that's made of soda pop tops and stitched together tightly to make a one-of-a-kind bag, that has an element of chain mail about it.

Cool Art: "chain-mail-like" purse made of pop tops in one of the galleries

    Wherever you go, no matter what you do, you'll find fun, interesting, and beautiful places to explore in La Conner. 

Things to Know:

• La Conner is about 1.5 hours north of downtown Seattle
• Parking is free
• There are all kinds of shops including: clothing, antiques, restaurants, thrift/vintage, art galleries, museums, wood shops
• If you'd like to make it an overnight there are lodges to stay in right on the channel
• This is a great sunny or rainy day activity

Have a GREAT adventure!

Head on out Around Puget Sound...and Beyond