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BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Since 2011, Chuckanut Bay Distillery has been crafting signature spirits right here in Bellingham.
Founded by Matt Howell and Kelly Andrews, the distillery began its operations in a space underneath Rumors Cabaret in downtown Bellingham.
According to Howell, the early days were full of a lot of reading and trial and error.
“Potato vodka was the very first thing we made,” Howell said. “It was hard, like super hard. Initially it was like, you know, lots of days alone in a basement trying to turn fresh potatoes into alcohol.”
Howell continued to work on the distillery’s potato vodka before moving into wheat vodka, gin and then creating their first whiskey called “Muzzle Flash“.
“We were using Hungarian barrels,” Howell said. “They were toasted, not charred. So that was a lot of experimentation.”
Soon after, the distillery began making one of its bestselling products, the Krampus Herbal Liqueur.
The idea for this liqueur came from working with different wintry spices like juniper, nutmeg, cloves and orange peel while Howell wanted to craft something that was both flavorful and high in alcohol.
An employee of the distillery came up with the idea of naming the liqueur “Krampus,” based on the central/eastern European folklore figure.
“I mean, Krampus is like a reminder to behave oneself,” Howell said.
As the distillery continued to grow, Howell and Andrews began looking to expand their footprint. The two found the distillery’s current space and purchased it in 2017.
“The biggest part of the move was figuring out how to get more forward-facing and how to engage to people immediately around us,” Howell said.
Howell says that moving to their current location on Cornwall Avenue was a deliberate move to get to a spot where they could create unique experiences and memories for customers. The space is designed for people to be able to engage in the product in ways that were not possible at their previous location.
“We love Bellingham, this area and we love the Pacific Northwest.” – Matt Howell
The Chuckanut Bay Distillery team worked on their new location for seven years, creating a multi-story commercial space built for private events, distillery tours, tastings and a restaurant/bar.
Looking forward, Howell says he is already thinking about the next venture for the distillery. From continuing to grow the Krampus brand to hosting events in their speakeasy, Chuckanut Bay Distillery continues to create locally made spirits for Whatcom County residents to enjoy.
“Life’s short, man,” Howell said. “Do something that you enjoy and hopefully can bring joy to others, you know?”
For more information about Chuckanut Bay Distillery, head to their website at chuckanutbaydistillery.com.