Medium & Craft Distillery Founders
Pacific U. S. States
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
1
Caitlin Bartlemay
In April 2024, one year after her mentor and comrade McCarthy passed away, Hood River Distillers elevated Caitlin Bartlemay to the role of Master Distiller, giving her oversight over their full slate of brands, the most notable of which are McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt, Sinfire Whisky, Easy Rider Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Trail’s End Finished Small Batch Bourbon.
2
Bruce Joseph
Bruce Joseph’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and a lifelong love for spirits and the city of San Francisco. Having grown up in California’s Central Valley, about 90 miles east of San Francisco, after high school, Bruce headed to San Francisco State University. In 1980, he found work at Anchor Brewing. Hired as a brewer right out of college,
3
Steve McCarthy
Academically gifted and driven, McCarthy pursued higher education at Reed College in Portland, earning his degree in 1966. He then went on to receive a law degree from New York University in 1969, evidence of a man deeply committed to learning and transformation.
4
Lance Winters
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.