Drink Local at PROOF: The Washington State Distillers Festival

Saturday's festival features more than 35 Northwest distillers

By Seattle Mag July 9, 2015

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If you love local spirits and liqueurs (and I’m hoping you do), you should get your tickets ASAP for PROOF, the one-of-a-kind festival from the Washington Distillers Guild, which runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, July 11 at the Fremont Studios.

Tickets are limited, and have sold out at the previous two festivals (oh, if you’re feeling like a high roller, there are also even-more-limited VIP tickets that get you in an hour early).

The festival features more than 35 northwest distillers, including Washington favorites like 3 Howls, Sidetrack, Westland and Woodinville Whiskey, as well as newer ones like Spiritopia from Corvallis, Ore. The tickets to the event score you a commemorative glass as well as ten tasting tokens – and if you step up the VIP tickets, you get 12 tasting tokens, as well as that extra hour, which gives you lots of time to sample a bunch of different local products.

There are also a number of restaurants present, so you can snack and nibble as well as sip, including Crisp Creperie, Moshi Moshi sushi, Bluebird ice cream (a boon, as hot as it’s been), and many more, and other non-distillery exhibitors, like the Old Salt Merchants, The Shrubbery (which makes handcrafted shrubs), and others.

Plus there are some awesome classes and talks during the event–which a ticket gets you access to–highlighted by un-missable sessions by bar scribe and gentleman Paul Clarke (Renaissance 101: Mastering the Renewed Artistry of the Cocktail at 6 p.m.), and bar star and amiable bar owner Andrew Friedman (At Home Aging: Barrel & Stave Aging in the Comfort of Your Home at 8:15 p.m.).

PROOF is the best place to taste a host of lovely locally made spirits and liqueurs, while getting to know the hard-working and talented folks that craft these imbibables. So head over to proofwashington.org to learn more and get tickets.

 

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