Clear Creek Distillery in Portland, Oregon was founded by Steve McCarthy in 1985, and long ago made a name for itself with its distinctive pear brandy. McCarthy was a pioneer in the craft distilling movement in the Pacific Northwest, and was able to capitalize on the fruit produced by family orchards near Mount Hood. This year, he’s nominated for a James Beard award for Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional.
The brandy, and other liqueurs in the distillery’s arsenal, are crafted in the European-style of making eau de vie, distilling fruit in a pot still, resulting in the clean, pure flavor of the fruit, rather than relying on artificial flavor or coloring. While the pear eau de vie is their flagship product, they also offer unique liqueurs made with various berries grown in the Pacific Northwest, brandy, grappa, single-malt whiskey and eaux de vie made from cherries, plums, raspberries and apples. It’s their Douglas Fir eau de vie, however, that recently caught my attention.
Released on the market about 10 years ago, the Douglas Fir eau de vie took many years for head distiller Daniel Ruiz to perfect. Early iterations were too resinous, giving the brandy an intensely piney flavor. Once Ruiz started using fir buds – the young, bright green tips of the needles that burst open at the ends of the leaves – he found the delicate, yet bright and citrusy flavor he was looking for. The brandy clocks in at around 96-proof. This high-octane, combined with the unique flavor, makes it an ideal mixer for cocktails.
Matt Mount at Merit Badge Co. in Portland likes using Clear Creek’s Douglas Fir eau de vie in a variety of cocktails. It works equally well in bourbon and gin-based drinks. Mount has a long history in the Portland cocktail and distilling scene. He was a distiller at House Spirits Distillery for seven years, and launched Merit Badge Co. in 2012, offering custom cocktail classes, team building events, and cocktail catering services. His recipe for a Forest Old-Fashioned includes an all-Portland lineup of Temperance bourbon, Clear Creek’s Douglas Fir eau de vie and aromatic bitters from The Bitter Housewife.
Forest Old-Fashioned by Matt Mount
2 ounces Temperance Trader Bourbon
1/4 ounce Clear Creek Douglas Fir eau de vie
1/4 ounce cane sugar syrup (1:1 – water:granulated sugar)
4 dashes of The Bitter Housewife aromatic bitters
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice, stir, strain over fresh ice. Serve in a double old-fashioned glass, garnish with a pinch of Jacobsen Salt and orange peel.
