Seattle Cider Co. Expanding, Whiskey Tasting with John Howie

There are loads of fun things happening in the bar and distillery world right now. Mark your calendars while you read so you don’t miss a thing.

Speed Rack is Back – Support Your Local Female Bartenders

It’s a contest that pits top female bartenders against each other in a speed-bartending contest, all while raising money for Breast Cancer charities. Speed Rack is happening in Seattle on Sunday, February 8. It’s at the Century Ballroom & Café from 2 to 6 p.m., and features contestants in timed heats, where they make classic cocktails for judges and the crowd (it’s open to all). A ton of our best local shakers are competing (as well as a couple from Portland and Hawaii), including Bridget Maloney from Witness, Kathleen Manley from the Rob Roy, Tara McLaughlin from Artusi, Kate Perry from Rumba, and more.  The winner gets to go to the finals in New York and join Speed Rack Founders Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix for an educational trip to the Jameson Distillery.

Allison Inn & Spa Cuvée Weekends

Okay, this is down in Oregon, but it’s a super fun event and features some Seattleites. Taking place at this Willamette Valley swell spot, the Allison Inn Cuvée weekends include tastings, winemaker dinners and hand-on demonstrations. First up is February 27-28, and it’s a weekend with a romantic slant, and boasts some swell guests, including chef Justin Woodward of Portland’s Castagna restaurant. The March event is on the 20 and the 21, and spotlights women, with chef/author Tamara Murphy from Seattle’s Terra Plata highlighting a great list of guest stars. The weekends kickoff on the respective Fridays with a tasting, and from there roll into more excellent food, wine, and cocktail delights.

Sip & Smoke Whiskey Tasting with Chef John Howie

Be at Sport restaurant on February 27 at 6:30 p.m. for Sip & Smoke, a night focused on whiskey. Attendees will get to taste six local whiskeys, include ones from 2bar Spirits, Bainbridge Island Distillery, Heritage Distilling, Tatoosh Distillery, Westland Distillery and Woodinville Whiskey. Also, they’ll get four tastes of Woodford Reserve whiskey specially blended by Chef Howie, and get to go home with a Riedel etched whiskey glass, a Partagas 1845 cigar from Rain City Cigars, and Sip Northwest Magazine‘s spirits issue. There are only 60 seats, and tickets go on sale from Brown Paper Tickets beginning February 6.

Seattle Cider Company New Releases and Expansion

Taking the cider world by storm, Seattle Cider Company is expanding, and plans to triple its production (to around 44,000 barrels) and have product go into six new states this year, displaying to even more folks around the country how awesome our cider industry is. They’re also shifting their cider line up, with Oaked Maple cider now the winter seasonal – and only available through February – and its big hit Gin Botanical cider available all year. A new spring seasonal, Basil Mint, will be available March through May. 

2bar Spirits Expands and Releases Batch #11 Whiskey

The expansion isn’t just happening with cider: SoDo distillery 2bar Spirits just added a new barrel brew house, four new 30 barrel fermenters, and new stills. What does this equal? It’s quadrupling production of bourbon, vodka, and moonshine (all of which are made onsite with local grains). This means its whiskey, which tends to sell out super quickly, will be available for more whiskey-loving folks. Speaking of, 2bar also recently released Batch #11 of its bourbon, which boasts butterscotch, vanilla, and honey hints underlined by chocolate and cherry. Hopefully it hasn’t sold out yet!

Bluewater Organic Distillery Breaks Ground on New Space

Everett distiller Bluewater is also expanding, and recently broke ground on its new space at the Waterfront Center at the Port of Everett. The new space will double Bluewater’s current size, and enable room for a third copper kettle to make even more organic spirits. But the expansion won’t just cover increased production. Bluewater is also planning to add a restaurant, cocktail lounge and bigger tasting room, which will double as a rentable event space.