This Thursday, June 13th 5:30-8pm at House Spirits/Westward Whiskey is a unique educational tasting experience with brewers Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery, Fremont Brewing owner Matt Lincecum and Westward distiller Andrew Tice. The Portland Beer Week Barrel-Aged Beer and Whiskey Seminar aims to demystify the barrel-aging and distilling process, how the two are intertwined and integral to each other. Through this seminar you will learn how each participant utilizes oak and benefits from each other with breweries aging in Westward Whiskey barrels and the distillery aging whiskey in beer barrels. Tickets are only $35 and include tasting with 4 rare barrel-aged beers and multiple premium whiskeys.

House Spirits, producers of Westward Whiskey are brewers first and foremost and I have written about how similar their production is to brewing. Read: At House Spirits, Making Great Whiskey Starts with Brewing Great Beer.

SPEAKERS/TASTING

Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery will speak about the Portland and Milwaukie, Oregon-based breweries rapidly expanding and ambitious barrel-aging program and how to coax flavors out of barrels. Edmunds will pour samples of vintage Cultivating Mass (2017) and debut of an as of yet unnamed Rum Barrel-Aged Ice Wheatwine.

Matt Lincecum, owner of Seattle's famed Fremont Brewing will be in attendance to speak about their world-class barrel-aged beers. Fremont Brewing make some of the most sought after barrel-aged beers in the world and the two men behind their creation will teach some of their secrets. Fremont Brewing has sent bottles of the Rusty Nail and their Boubon Barrel-Aged Cinnamon B-Bomb to share with attendees.

Andrew Tice, head distiller at House Spirits Distillery will guide us through their brewing process to making whiskey washes for their incredible Westward single malt whiskey. House Spirits considers themselves a brewery first, and closely works with local brewers offerring their barrels to age beers in and using those barrels that held beer to age whiskey. Andrew Tice will walk you through the process and taste us out on some of their whiskeys.

The Barrel-Aged Beer and Whiskey Seminar is a $35 ticket and the event is held at the distillery and brewery at House Spirits/Westward Whiskey at 65 SE Washington St., Portland, OR 97214