HOOD RIVER DISTILLERS CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY
Oregon’s first Distillery celebrates nearly a century of crafting award-winning spirits from the bounty of the Pacific Northwest
1934 was the year that Babe Ruth said goodbye to baseball. It wasn’t a great year for criminals – just ask Bonnie & Clyde and John Dillinger – but it was a record-breaking year for It Happened One Night, which won every major category at the Academy Awards. It was also the year that three businessmen from the Pacific Northwest began making fruit wine and brandies from the over-abundance of apples and pears grown in the Hood River Valley, and Hood River Distillers (DSP-OR-1) was born.
Ninety years later, Hood River Distillers (HRD) is the largest and oldest importer, distiller, producer, and marketer of distilled spirits in the Pacific Northwest, producing close to one million cases of spirits each year.
“Since our founding in the shadow of Mt. Hood 90 years ago, Hood River Distillers has been recognized for quality craftsmanship, while embracing innovation – a testament to the passion of our pioneering founders,” said Ronald Dodge, Executive Vice Chair. “In a world of global, corporate brands, I’m immensely proud that HRD is still family-owned and operated, while crafting exceptional products and maintaining a commitment to employees, our customers and the Pacific Northwest.”
Dodge joined HRD in 1980 as an assistant to the VP of Operations. His grandfather and three business partners purchased Hood River Distillers from the original founders in 1949. He progressed through the ranks becoming Plant Manager in 1988, and then in 1999 became President and CEO. Under his leadership and vision, he transformed the business from a regional value-priced manufacturer of distilled spirits into a national purveyor of premium spirits. His professional journey culminated with the bittersweet sale of Pendleton Whisky to Proximo Spirits in 2018. Introduced to the market in 2003, Pendleton Whisky experienced significant growth, reaching over 250,000 9L cases annually before the divestiture. Post-sale activities have primarily focused on product innovations, streamlining operations, and revisiting fundamental business principles.
The next generation of the Dodge family is hard at work ensuring that the legacy of Hood River Distillers continues for another 90 years. Son Russell is Vice President of Corporate Development and daughter Korrie is Senior Brand Manager in the Marketing Department. Members of the other three families are still active shareholders.
In 2020, Dodge handed the reins of the company to industry veteran David Ballew, who was subsequently named President and CEO in 2022. Under Ballew’s leadership, HRD has focused on its premium brand portfolio, innovation, and expansion to new markets. “Our team – today about 70 strong – is dedicated to the art of spirits, which is reflected in every bottle we provide to consumers,” said Ballew. “From value to premium, amaro to whiskey, we have it all, and provide exceptional quality, no matter the price point.”
Among numerous multi-award-winning brands, today the Hood River Distillers portfolio includes:
Clear Creek Fruit Brandies & Liqueurs – created at one of the 1st craft distilleries in the U.S. from local fruits sourced within a 200-mile radius of the distillery.
McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt – recognized by the American Single Malt Commission as the first American Single Malt Whiskey.
Lucid Absinthe – created by research scientist and absinthe expert T.A. Breaux, and the first authentic absinthe to be sold following the repeal of the 95-year ban on the sale of this classic cocktail ingredient in the United States.
DeGroff Spirits – a New World Amaro and Bitter Aperitivo created in partnership with cocktail legend Dale DeGroff.
Timberline Vodka – inspired by the iconic Timberline Lodge, this product pays homage to the heritage and history of the PNW.
Batanga Tequila – an authentic tequila crafted from 100% blue Weber agave by the Orendain Family, one of the four founding families of the modern tequila industry.
Forthwest Whisky – the newest whisky brand joining the portfolio, created to set a new standard for flavored whisky.
“From day one, Hood River Distillers has been a celebration of the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, from the local fruits which become our brandies, vodkas and more, to the distinctive Oregon Oak which we use in our aging processes, to the pristine glacier-fed spring water which flows from Mount Hood into every spirit we bottle in Hood River,” said Ballew. “We are proud stewards of the resources which have made our brands so delicious, and going forward we remain committed to responsible production.”
In 2021, HRD became a proud partner of The Freshwater Trust, a Portland-based nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and restore freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, streams and creeks across the West and beyond. In the four years of the partnership, HRD has donated just shy of $100,000 to this organization. In celebration of the 90-year milestone, Hood River Distillers is planning a series of events at its Tasting Room in Hood River as well as the newly opened Tasting Outpost which opened at the end of 2023 in downtown Portland. Details will be available on the website and through social media channels.