Arielle Cruz
Washington State is a great place for brewing, with its excellent agronomy and diverse agriculture industry. The state produces 75% of the hops grown in the US and ranks sixth in the country for barley production. Washington vodkas are handmade and retain the aromas and palatable qualities of their raw ingredients. The state is also home to a growing number of craft distilleries, thanks to a 2008 law that allowed them to sell liquor to the public. While brands like Rainier, Olympia, and Lucky Lager have faded, new innovators and a wave of India pale ales (IPAs) have taken their place. So, what brands of grain alcohol are available in Washington State?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Local brands | Rainier, Olympia, Lucky Lager, Fremont, Georgetown, Icicle, No-Li |
| Number of breweries | 426 |
| Number of cities with at least one brewery | 130 |
| Barley production in 2021 | 70,000 acres |
| Projected barley production in 2022 | 75,000 acres |
| Washington's rank among states for barley production | 6th |
| Percentage of hops grown in the U.S. from Washington | 75% |
| Whiskey brands | Batch 206, 3 Howls Rye Whiskey, Tatoosh Whiskey, Woodinville Whiskey Company, Dry Fly Distilling, Westland |
| Grain alcohol brands | N/A |
| Notes | "Actual" Everclear is illegal in Washington State; the version sold in the state is 151 proof |
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What You'll Learn
Washington's bourbons and whiskeys
One example of a Washington whiskey is Batch 12 blended whiskey 84 proof from Tumwater. There's also the Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Woodinville Whiskey Co., which takes over five years to make and is crafted from traditionally grown corn, rye, and malted barley. The Omlin Family Farm in Quincy, Washington, cultivates the grains, which are then mashed and distilled in the Woodinville distillery. The spirit is then transported back over the Cascade Mountains for barreling and ageing in private barrel houses. Central Washington’s extreme temperature cycles promote the extraction of natural flavours from the oak barrels.
Dry Fly Straight Bourbon 101 from Dry Fly Distilling was the first legal bourbon made in Washington State. It features corn grown by the local Hutterian Settlement and triticale from a local farmer, Mitch. It's aged in 53-gallon American Oak barrels for a minimum of three years.
Other bourbons from Washington include Doc Swinson's Alter Ego Triple Cask Straight Bourbon, Browne Family Spirits Straight Bourbon, Distillarium Single Barrel Bourbon, and Oola Distillery Waitsburg Bourbon.
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Local beer brands
Washington is the thirteenth most populous state, with 7.8 million people, and it is also home to 459 craft breweries, ranking fifth in the country. The state’s 7.8 breweries per capita—per 100,000 drinking-aged adults—rank ninth nationally. The state harvested 70,000 acres of barley in 2021, and this number is projected to increase to 75,000 acres in 2022. Washington ranks sixth in the nation for barley production, and about 75% of the hops grown in the U.S. come from the state. This makes Washington an excellent place for brewing beer, as malt, which is made predominantly from barley, is a fundamental ingredient in beer.
Washington's extensive and active network of brewers has contributed to the rise of local beer brands. Some local favourites include Fremont, Georgetown, Icicle, and No-Li, which have gained popularity beyond the state.
There are several notable breweries in Washington, including the following:
- Reubens in the Ballard neighbourhood of Seattle is recommended by several people.
- Bale Breaker is the only brewery that is also a hop farm, growing its own hops.
- Iron Horse in Ellensburg offers a unique dark beer called Irish Death, which has been described as "the smoothest dark beer".
- Logan Brewing in Burien is the closest brewery to SeaTac airport.
- McMenamins in Tacoma has a unique ambiance and serves only proprietary beers on tap.
- Georgetown Brewing has been described as one of the best breweries in Washington, with its beers appearing multiple times on the list of top beers in the state.
- Holy Mountain and Cloudburst in Seattle are also standouts, with Cloudburst being one of the top-rated beers in Washington.
- Fast Fashion serves great beers out of The Masonry, a pizza place.
- E9 Taproom in Tacoma offers fantastic BA sours, saisons, and lagers/pils, and you can get some pizza there as well.
- Fair Isle, Machine House, and Great Notion in Seattle are also recommended.
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Vodka and gin
Washington state is one of the top states in the US for craft spirits, with more than 100 distilleries. Many of these distilleries have tasting rooms and patios where visitors can sample products and enjoy creative cocktails and food. Vodka and gin are among the most popular craft spirits in the state, with unique, sometimes seasonal liqueurs flavoured with locally sourced ingredients like blackberries, coffee, and lavender.
In Seattle, the Oola Distillery, established in 2011 in Capitol Hill, produces vodka, whiskey, and aged gin. The 3 Howls Distillery in SoDo produces the 3 Howls Good Old Fashioned Gin, which uses juniper as its central botanical. The American Aviation Gin was also released in 2006 as a collaboration between bartender Ryan Magarian and the House Spirits Distillery.
Outside of Seattle, the Yakima Valley produces many of the ingredients used in Distillarium's spirits, including locally sourced corn for cask-strength bourbon, riesling and chardonnay grapes for brandy, and rhubarb-flavoured vodka. The Copperworks Distilling Company offers tours of its enormous copper still and a whiskey blending workshop. Its spirits include a plum gin with fruit sourced from Orcas Island.
In Spokane, Dry Fly Distilling sources soft white winter wheat from the family-owned Wisota Farm in Eastern Washington for its vodka and gin. Its flagship gin includes locally grown botanicals like Washington Fuji apples, coriander, lavender, mint, hops, and juniper berries from Oregon.
The Bellewood Distilling tasting room, located outside Bellingham, offers samples of vodka distilled from Honeycrisp apples, as well as gin, pumpkin spiced- and coffee-infused liqueurs, and a signature whiskey-barrel-aged brandy.
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Legality of Everclear
In Washington State, the sale of Everclear 190-proof alcohol, or 95% pure grain alcohol, is banned from store shelves and cannot be purchased in-person. However, it is possible to obtain Everclear in Washington State through online orders or special permits for non-beverage purposes.
Everclear is a highly concentrated form of ethanol, which is safe for consumption only when non-denatured. While the sale of Everclear for beverage purposes is prohibited in Washington, the state does allow the sale of Everclear alcohol bottled at 151-proof (75.5% ABV).
The legality of Everclear in Washington has been a subject of confusion, with some sources indicating that it is completely illegal, while others report being able to purchase it from local liquor stores or online without a special permit. This discrepancy may be due to changes in legislation over time, with some sources noting that Everclear was previously harder to obtain in the state.
The regulations surrounding Everclear in Washington are complex, and it is important for individuals to stay informed about the current laws and restrictions regarding this high-proof alcohol. While Everclear may be available in Washington through certain channels, it is essential to use it responsibly and only for its intended purposes.
The availability of Everclear alternatives in Washington, such as Culinary Solvent and lower-proof ethanol products, provides options for those seeking high-proof alcohols for specific purposes while adhering to the state's regulations.
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Washington's agronomy and agriculture
Washington state is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, with its rich soils, diverse climates, and large-scale irrigation networks. The state's agricultural production, food processing, and trade represent a significant segment of its economy, generating more than $21 billion in revenue annually and supporting over 171,000 jobs. Washington is the top producer of apples in the US, as well as the leading producer of blueberries, hops, pears, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries. The state is also a leader in seafood production, second only to Alaska in shipments of fish and shellfish.
The diverse growing conditions in Washington allow for a wide range of agricultural activities. The cool valleys of Western Washington are suitable for berries, flowers, poultry, nursery products, and dairy cows, while the warmer, drier climate of Eastern Washington is ideal for dairy farms, cattle ranching, wheat, fruits, vegetables, and wine grapes. Washington is the second-largest producer of wine in the US, with 1,000 wineries.
To increase yields and improve crop production, Washington farmers are adopting new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and drones. These tools help farmers make more informed decisions about planting, and satellite and geospatial data help to increase yields. The state also has a robust network of trade associations and commodity commissions that support the agriculture industry.
Washington's low-cost energy, superior crop and harvest yields, and efficient transportation infrastructure also make it an attractive location for agricultural operations and food manufacturing. The state is connected by 75 public ports, 139 airports, and 3,666 miles of railways, ensuring that crops and food products can be transported quickly and efficiently. Additionally, Washington has the largest port-side cold storage facility on the West Coast.
The College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) at Washington State University plays a crucial role in advancing the science and practice of agriculture. CAHNRS supports healthy communities, sustains the economy and the environment, and helps feed a growing world population through education, research, and service. In fiscal year 2025, CAHNRS spent more than $114 million in extramural funding to support its mission.
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Frequently asked questions
Washington State is home to a thriving craft alcohol industry, with a particular focus on beer and whiskey. While it is difficult to pin down an exhaustive list of brands, here are some of the most popular grain alcohol brands available in Washington State:
- Woodinville Whiskey Company
- Dry Fly Distilling
- Westland
- Tatoosh
- Batch 206
- 3 Howls
- Georgetown
- Icicle
- No-Li
- Fremont
The main grains used to make alcohol in Washington State are barley and wheat. In 2021, Washington harvested 70,000 acres of barley, and the state is projected to harvest 75,000 acres in 2022. Washington ranks sixth among the states for barley production.
Washington State has excellent agronomy and a diverse agriculture industry, which makes it well-suited to growing the crops needed to produce alcohol. The state also has an extensive and active network of brewers, which fosters the growth of the industry.
'Actual' Everclear, which is 195 proof, is illegal in Washington State. However, a weaker version of Everclear, which is 151 proof, is available to purchase in the state.
