Adrift Distillers
Overview of the Distillery
Adrift Distillers is a craft distillery on the Washington coast, producing small-batch whiskey, gin, vodka, and local liqueurs with a strong sense of local grounding. The distillery combines regional ingredients with collaborations with nearby producers to create spirits that carry the character of the Pacific Northwest.
History
Adrift Distillers has developed its expression through close collaborations with local producers and by working in small batches. A clear milestone came in 2018 when the distillery began a collaboration with North Jetty Brewing to make a whiskey based on their Semper Paratus Porter; the resulting aged spirit had, by 2018, already become a popular whiskey in the distillery’s range. In parallel, Adrift has established a number of collaborations with local farmers and producers, including Starvation Alley Cranberry Farms and Columbia River Coffee Roaster, which have led to both cranberry and coffee liqueurs. In addition to whiskey, the distillery has expanded its range to include gin, aquavit and seasonal liqueurs, and they offer direct sales, pickup and tastings on-site in Long Beach.
Raw Materials and Production
Production is carried out in small batches, allowing fine-tuning of each step from mashing and fermentation to distillation and barrel aging. As a base, Adrift uses a house-made wheat spirit, which also forms the basis for vodka, gin, and aquavit, and the distillery works with regional grain varieties from the Columbia Basin and Skagit Valley. Triticale is used as the main grain in a signature whiskey, and porter from a partner has been distilled and aged as malt whiskey. In the vodka they opt for minimal filtration to preserve some of the grain character, and in the gin they use local botanicals such as hawthorn berries and elderflower in collaboration with local gardens. Additionally, the distillery highlights collaborations with micro-producers and small farms as an integral part of their approach.
Aging and Barrel Types
Adrift lets their spirits rest in carefully selected casks and highlights the use of new oak barrels in certain whiskey batches, including their Wheat Whiskey. A notable experiment is the transformation of a porter from North Jetty Brewing into a matured malt whiskey. The distillery’s statements point to slow aging in selected barrels to draw out complexity from both grain and wood.
Whiskeys
The range includes both several whiskey expressions and a number of spirits outside the whiskey category. On the whiskey side, there is Semper Paratus (a porter-based malt whiskey), Triticale Whiskey, Wheat Whiskey, Straight Bourbon, and a White Whiskey. Alongside these, Adrift also offers gin (Love Warrior), vodka, aquavit, and a series of local liqueurs such as cranberry, coffee, and amaro, often in collaboration with regional producers. The products are sold both online (to select states) and via pickup in Long Beach, as well as through selected retailers.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semper Paratus American Malt Whiskey | Malt whiskey (beer-to-whisky collaboration) | Not specified | A whiskey created in collaboration with North Jetty Brewing based on their Semper Paratus Porter; the resulting aged spirit had, by 2018, already become a popular whiskey in the distillery’s range.; Aftertaste: Described as a rich, roasted malt finish in connection with the porter that inspired the whiskey | Current; Core range; Shipped to AZ, CA, NV, NM & WA; free pickup in Long Beach, WA |
| Triticale Whiskey | Single grain (triticale) | Made exclusively from triticale, a wheat-rye hybrid from the Columbia Basin; distilled and aged on the coast with a focus on complexity and smoothness. | Current; Core range; Shipped to AZ, CA, NV, NM & WA; free pickup in Long Beach, WA | |
| Wheat Whiskey | Wheat whiskey | New oak barrels | Distilled from wheat from the Columbia Basin and Skagit Valley; aged in new oak barrels, highlighting caramelized and vanilla notes.; Taste: Described as mellow with caramel- and vanilla notes from the new oak barrels | Sold out; Core range; Shipped to AZ, CA, NV, NM & WA; free pickup in Long Beach, WA |
| Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | Bourbon in which the distillery has developed a mash bill with grains from across the state to create a sweet, smooth, and complex spirit with a warm finish.; Aftertaste: Described as sweet and smooth with a warm ending | Current; Core range; Shipped to AZ, CA, NV, NM & WA; free pickup in Long Beach, WA | |
| White Whiskey | White whiskey | Current; Core range; Shipped to AZ, CA, NV, NM & WA; free pickup in Long Beach, WA |
The Whiskeys' Style and Flavor Profile
Across the products, there is a common thread of grain character and barrel influence. Documented flavor directions include caramel and vanilla from aging in new oak barrels, a roasted malt-like finish in the porter-based malt whiskey, and a general sweetness/warm finish in the bourbon. These directions appear in descriptions of several different releases and show a focus on both the grain’s and the barrel’s contributions.
Visit the Distillery
The distillery is located in Long Beach, WA, where on-site tastings are offered. Online customers can choose free pickup directly at the address, and the distillery provides a local phone number and email for contact. The site invites visitors to the distillery for a tasting experience, but there are no detailed opening hours or fixed tour schedules listed.
Philosophy and Craft
Adrift Distillers prioritizes local grounding, small production runs, and collaboration with nearby farmers and producers. Their work is intended as an expression of the coast’s landscape and the ingredients found in the Pacific Northwest, and they practice, among other things, minimal filtration and the use of regional ingredients to preserve the character of their spirits.
Prices and Recognitions
- Gold Medal (2018, Gold)