Clear Creek Distillery 30th Anniversary

Can you believe that this year marks the Clear Creek Distillery 30th Anniversary? It’s been 30 years since in 1985 Clear Creek first started producing pure fruit brandies based on fruit harvested right here from the orchards of the Pacific Northwest. Headquartered in Portland, Clear Creek Distillery is the second oldest craft distillery in the country and is known for producing unique spirits such as eau de vie, brandy and grappa.

Upcoming Clear Creek 30th Anniversary Events

To celebrate the 30th anniversary, some Portland Clear Creek partners have planned special cocktail-inspired events around Portland:

Wednesday, April 27 from 4-6 PM
Punch Bowl Social + Clear Creek Distillery Tasting
Clear Creek Distillery will offer samples of the popular Pear Brandy, two-year Apple Brandy and Loganberry Liqueur, and the Punch Bowl Social bar team will share specialty cocktails, including Up Apple’s Creek Punch and Loganberry Shake. Executive chef Cory Chunn will prepare complimentary appetizers to pair with the cocktails.

Saturday, April 30 from 11 AM – 5 PM
Clear Creek Distillery Tasting Room Open House and Tastings
Join us at the Clear Creek Distillery Tasting Room in Northwest Portland at 2389 NW Wilson Street, Portland, Oregon for an afternoon of tours and tastings. There will be complimentary distillery tours on the hour from noon to 4 p.m. and up to five free tastings per person of Clear Creek Distillery spirits and liqueurs. You must be over 21 to taste. Children are welcome.

Monday May 2, 8-11 PM
Clear Creek Popup at Teardrop Cocktail Lounge

Saturday, May 7 6 PM
Park Kitchen and Clear Creek Distillery Anniversary Dinner
Join Chef David Sapp for a five-course dinner with drink pairings by Bar Manager Curtis Day. Dinner is $100, including gratuity and pairings. For reservations, please call 503-223-7275 or email info@parkkitchen.com.

5 Course Menu Highlights with Cocktail Pairings

• Blood orange pear brandy sidecar paired with Spring pea salad, with hazelnuts, grana padano and romesco
• Portland Meets the Big Apple (hazelnut washed apple brandy, bitters, sweet vermouth) paired with Ayer’s Creek Migration barley, smoked beets, pomegranate and chevre
• A Collins-style drink with lime, lime cordial, Douglas fir, and Genevere paired with Sunflower risotto, leeks, mushrooms, fir tips
• McCarthy’s single malt, Sherry, Benedictine, bitters and salt paired with SuDan Farm’s grilled lamb, Your Kitchen Garden spinach, scrapple, caramelized yogurt, and cardoon relish
• Beverage TBD paired with Double chocolate tart, salted caramel, hazelnut ice cream

Clear Creek Distilery is open daily for tastings (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) and is located at 2389 NW Wilson Street, Portland, Oregon

Clear Creek Cocktail and Food Pairing Ideas

I was fortunate enough to attend the Anniversary party, where Matt Mount from Merit Badge mixed up some Clear Creek cocktail recipes from local bartenders from Altabira City Tavern, Bull in China, Clyde Common and Park Kitchen. Overall, I was super impressed with Merit Badge keeping up with the crowds in mixing cocktails for several hours for the anniversary party guests from the cocktail menu below – I wish I had an excuse for using some cocktail catering. So here I am reporting back on some fantastic ideas for cocktails…

The Diamond Rush cocktail created by Bull In China with Clear Creek Apple Brandy, Honey Syrup, and Lemon Juice was a lovely welcome drink

The Forest Old Fashioned cocktail created by Merit Badge with Trails End Bourbon, Clear Creek Eau De Vie Douglas Fir, Simple Syrup, and The Bitter Housewife Aromatic Bitters

The Destined For Sun cocktail created by Becca June of Altabira City Tavern with Clear Creek Apple Brandy, Cocchi Americano, Creme Yvette, Bittered Sling Moondog Loup-Garou Bitters was my favorite of the evening.

The Pear Collins cocktail created by Jeffrey Morganthaler of Clyde Commons with Clear Creek Pear Brandy, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, and Water was super refreshing.

The Pear Brandy Sidecar cocktail created by Kevin Ludwig of Park Kitchen with Clear Creek Pear Brandy, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, and Simple Syrup

Some of the food spread for the anniversary party was courtesy of Tournant and featured local cheese and charcuterie with olives, nuts, pickles and crackers, seasonal crudites with roasted shallot dip, salt boiled potatoes with romesco sauce, and Blue Cheese Tart with Williams Pear Brandy Poached Pears and Oregon Hazelnuts.

If you haven’t heard of Tournant, they are the new branch of old friend PDX Oyster Social and rebrand of Foster’s Craft Cooking. They are expanding from their always spectacular traveling raw bar so that instead of being nomadic gypsies roaming event spaces of Portland, they can also offer their own space.

I’m still thinking about their raw bar from this night. For Clear Creek’s 30th, they brought a Dill Chilled Brined Mussels with Doug Fir Eau De Vie Aioli, Fresh Pacific NW Oysters on the half shell with ginger shallot mignonette, and how chubby and enticing are those fat Grappa Moscato Poached Shrimp with Pickled Mustard Seeds?

And Ruby Jewel offered a Douglas Fir Brandy Ice Cream Sandwich with Clear Creek Eau De Vie Douglas Fir and Lemon Cookies

Which of these cocktails sounds most interesting to you? Did you know about Clear Creek Distilling and they have a tasting room in Slabtown?

Clear Creek Distilery is open daily for tastings (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) and is located at 2389 NW Wilson Street, Portland, Oregon.

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary Clear Creek Distillery!