Distilled in Washington

Travel Distilled reviews Distilled in Washington by Becky Garrison, an entertaining account of distilling in Washington State, from history to the present day.

Washington is the only state named after a distiller. That’s the kind of fun fact that this enjoyable book is full of. I must admit I only got the book because I thought it was about Washington DC. I’ve recently been writing about bootlegging in Washington DC, and how the White House got its booze during Prohibition, for my own next book, Behind Bars.

But I wasn’t disappointed by Distilled in Washington, as the history of distilling there is a fascinating read, especially in the hands of a writer like Becky Garrison, who knows a good story when she sees one.

The Torino Saloon in Roslyn, Washington, circa 1910-1919
Courtesy of Ellensburg Public Library

Distilled in Washington: The Author

The author ought to know a good story as she’s a journalist by profession. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 and since then has been writing about the region’s craft culture, including writing about beer, cider, food, wine, and of course spirits. Oh, and about cannabis, for good measure.

Sipping moonshine at the Nesset Family Farm
Courtesy of the Nesset Trust

Like any good writer, she’s fascinated by words, and that’s one reason this is a book that’s not just for liquor nerds: it’s for word nerds too, of which I’m definitely one. And like me, she can’t pass a word without wondering where it came from. Scattered throughout the book are short diversions covering things like where words like hooch, bootlegger, and moonshine come from, or phrases like free lunch and Skid Row.

Walla Walla, Washington, 1921
Courtesy of Bygone Walla Walla (wallawalladrazanphotos.blogspot.com)

This is a book for history lovers too. I never knew that the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled with six kegs of whiskey, and how much harder their journey became when they ran out of booze.

Cyrus Noble Saloon, Yakima, Washington, circa 1890
Courtesy of Yakima Valley Museum

Another interesting fact is that in the late 19th century, many saloons had no age restrictions. That meant that teenagers could call in for a quick one on their way home from school without anyone raising an eyebrow as it was quite legal. As the author puts it, about this period in the Pacific Northwest’s history:

Washington State was the place to be. If you couldn’t find gold in the hills of the north country, you could make gold selling hope to fools. Likewise, if you couldn’t realize money as a farmer, you could sell the promise of wealth. It was an era rich in schemes.

The book is packed with evocative old black and white photos, and filled with stories from newspapers of the time, like this one:

According to the Spokane Falls Review, the saloon atmosphere consisted of floors covered with peanuts, spilt beer and tobacco smoke with a smell so bad that a monkey who escaped from an animal act and died under the floor of the Casino Theater was not discovered until a year later, when some repairs were being made.

Washington’s Distilleries Today

Micah Nutt (left) and Jason Parker (right) of Copperworks Distilling behind their historic backbar
Courtesy of Copperworks Distilling Company

The book isn’t all ancient history, though. The whole second half is taken up with a whistle-stop tour of Washington’s current distilleries. And boy, are there a lot of them, all with interesting stories to tell of how they came about, and the exciting spirits they’re making. Whether you’re from Washington State or the other side of the country, this book will make you want to do some trip-planning.