River & Timber

This week, come take a simple tour through Battle Crest Distillary, where bourbon, rye whiskey, flavored whiskey, and vodka are handcrafted.

Roasted malt grains – a key ingredient.

Owner Jim Schefers inspects the inside of a mixing tank.

The science to distilling. Perfecting a recipe requires intense analysis and attention to detail.

A lab still heats the “wash”.

The distillate, or the “spirit” slow drips down after condensing.

Barrels filled with aging whiskey.

A simple placard — bourbon aged less than four years must indicate its age on the label.

After years of waiting and monitoring, whiskey is ready to be bottled and labeled.

Displayed, the Petticoat Courage Rye Whiskey, named for the “Red Petticoat” incident of 1855 between Captain William Strong of Fort Vancouver and the Klickitat tribe. Every spirit is a tribute to history.

You can purchase Battle Crest Distillary spirits directly from the distillery, or you can visit their tasting room at the Mountain Timber Market in Kalama