LOCAL: Brands, Businesses + Entrepreneurs | #14 | Highside Distilling
Kitsap is full of incredible brands, businesses and entrepreneurs who make shopping for unique items in Kitsap a fun adventure.
Highside Distilling
About Matt
What was your first job?
“Back in High School, I worked as a cellarman at Mac & Jack's Brewing in Redmond. Cleaning and filling kegs, helping with production, and learning all facts of the craft brewing industry helped inspire me to get involved in the industry down the road.”
Where do you draw inspiration/creativity in your life?
“Part of our brand identity is that we’re “Inspired by Tradition, Born in the Pacific Northwest”. We draw a lot of the inspiration for the products we create from traditional spirit styles and production methods, adding in our unique elements from the Pacific Northwest to make them our own. We use Washington-grown apples to make the base spirit for our contemporary gin, we blend traditional botanicals with botanicals from the PNW to craft our Italian-inspired Amari, and we’re using PNW grains and craft brewing techniques in making our Scottish-inspired Single Malt whiskies. Our family has always had a strong belief in the positive impact of memories created over a shared meal or drink and this is ultimately what inspired us to embark on our journey to create products and an experience that represents our home region and can be shared with family and friends anywhere in the world.”
About Highside Distilling
How did the idea of starting Highside Distilling begin?
“It all originally started with beer! The three of us, me (Matt), Mom (Helen), and Dad (Jeff), all share a love of home brewing and passion for the craft beverage industry, which ultimately evolved into this dream to open our distillery.”
The Genesis
Tell us the story of how Highside Distilling came to fruition.
“Back in 2014, I was finally able to convince Helen/Jeff to leave their retired lives and leverage our brewing background and work experiences to build a family business doing what we love and be able to share it with others. Over the next few years, we did our homework, developed a business plan, went back to school, and began shaping the concept of what Highside Distilling was to become. Visits to Scotland in 2015 and 2017 further clarified our vision and confirmed our passion for making craft spirits that were rooted in tradition, particularly those of Single Malt Whiskey and Amaro.”
Tell us what/who drives you to keep working hard towards your goals.
“Family, friends, and sharing our passion with others. We love crafting these unique spirits and sharing them with the world. When we see our customers and friends enjoying a cocktail in our tasting room, or sending us pictures of our spirits at family gatherings, it inspires us to continue working hard, and to continue innovating and evolving our business.”
Love Kitsap
Tell us your fave local drink spot - coffee, tea, wine, tequila, whatever!
“There are too many to list them all! A few of our favorites for cocktails are Bruciato or Ba Sa, both on Winslow Way, Bainbridge. For wine, it's definitely Eagle Harbor Wine Co. For beer, the Bainbridge Ale House. And if we need a caffeine boost, it's Pegasus Coffee!”
Tell us your fave local spot for a comfort meal - what do you always order?
“Our wonderful neighbors at L'atelier TR always have us covered with delicious savory waffles (we might indulge a bit too often) - the weekly specials are killer, or the loaded avocado toast waffle with fried eggs never disappoints!”
Live Kitsap
Out of town guests are coming for the weekend. What is the most important thing you share with them about Kitsap? Where do you absolutely have to take them?
“There are so many great spots to visit on Bainbridge, it’d be hard to hit everything in a single weekend! At our location in The Farm Business Park, you can start your day off with a waffle and some chocolate at L’atelier TR, pop over to Highside for a cocktail, then a glass of vino at Eagle Harbor, and a visit to the Friedman-Oens Gallery to check out some incredible art. A trip to Bainbridge isn’t complete without walking down Winslow Way and checking out the amazing shops and restaurants as well. Finally, for some outdoor fun, we love sending friends up to Bloedel Reserve to walk the grounds and see some amazing sights.”
Thrive in Kitsap
Where are your favorite place(s) to get outside. What do you do when you go?
“Walking the grounds of Bloedel Reserve is always a highlight. Additionally, there’s always fun stuff to explore with a biking tour of Bainbridge, hitting some of our favorite parks and beaches with incredible views of Seattle.”
our connections + friendships with local brands, businesses + entrepreneurs is something that makes living in kitsap truly unique. You aren’t just supporting a business, you’re growing relationships.
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