Medium & Craft Distillery Founders
Pacific States
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
1
Bruce Joseph,
Hotaling & Co.
Anchor head brewer Bruce Joseph took over to a newly created head distiller position and in Dec 1994, they began producing Old Potrero Single Malt Rye Whiskey. In 2023, Bruce Joseph, the master distiller for Hotaling & Co., received the Distinguished Service Award by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) after working in the spirits industry for over 30 years.
2
Steve McCarthy,
Clear Creek Distillery
Steve McCarthy founded Clear Creek Distillery (DSP-OR-6) in 1985 as one of the early craft distilleries in the United States. His vision was to create spirits that rivaled the best European offerings.
3
Lance Winters,
St. George Spirits
In 1996, after a few years of distilling, Winters mustered the courage to approach Jörg Rupf, founder of St. George Spirits, with a bottle of his homemade spirit as a résumé. Rupf’s admittedly blunt evaluation, “That’s inoffensive,” could have discouraged anyone. Instead, it lit a fire. Rupf offered a trial month. Winters accepted, quit his job the next day, and never looked back.