Bourbon, bites, Washington spirits. New Tacoma-area tasting room set to open soon

Nearly a decade after bottling its first batch of spirits in University Place, Chambers Bay Distillery will add a full-service tasting room with cocktails, formal whiskey service and light bites.

Co-founders Alan Davis and Jeff Robinette are putting the finishing touches on their bar at 3610 Bridgeport Way W., just over a mile southwest of their production facility. They anticipate opening the doors Dec. 1, in conjunction with the city’s tree-lighting across the street.

There, in addition to a tour around the stills, visitors have been able to sip a very tightly monitored 2 ounces of liquor — a maximum of four half-ounce tastes, as required by state law — within the confines of a modest, 8-seat tasting room. At the new digs, there will be far fewer limitations.

Cocktails will spotlight the distillery’s spirits in the form of classics: old fashioneds, Manhattans and sours, some available smoked. Seasonal concoctions, starting, of course, with winter, include a spiced hot chocolate with CBD’s hot-pepper-imbued Ghost Dog Whiskey finished with Angostura whipped cream and a steamy apple cider.

Local bartender Rose Peterson, who has worked at the likes of 1022 South J, ALMA and most recently The New Frontier Lounge, consulted on the menu and has been helping to train staff.

Flights will arrive on the curved stave of a barrel carved with four petite notches for four small glasses. (Like at the distillery itself, this presentation of tasting must be limited to one serving per person, per day.) You can also indulge in a full pour, served in a Glencairn glass — the preeminent whiskey tasting glass — on a round wooden tray with a cool glass dropper and ice cubes, so you can explore how the whiskey changes with dilution.

Davis, who manages marketing and sales for the distillery, said the whiskeys will be a big draw.

“We also want it to be educational,” he said.

The tasting room will function much like a typical bar, but with highly curated offerings. Drinks, which will also feature low-ABV and nonalcoholic choices, feature other Washington-made liquors, including Brovo Spirits’ vermouths and curacao (Woodinville) and Fast Penny Spirits’ Americano (Seattle).

It’s “all in the goal of making it as local as possible,” said Davis.

He and Robinette began thinking about a second tasting room a few years ago, just as the state was working through legislation that would allow distilleries to operate off-site tasting rooms. They looked for the right space in the greater Tacoma area but ultimately preferred this as-yet-unused retail unit across from University Place City Hall and Whole Foods.

“This was the best fit in every way,” added Davis.

It seats about 60 people, who can belly up to the bar, find a seat at various tables or on one of the tufted pine-green leather couches. The walls are painted slate-gray with big windows and Edison-bulb chandeliers overhead. For those who supported the distillery’s fundraising efforts last year, there is a cozy, eight-person table tucked into the back corner that only members of that “Founder’s Club” can reserve.

The owners also hope that the tasting room can fill a hole for non-fast-food in the neighborhood. With a TurboChef oven, small or shareable plates include a charcuterie board, flatbreads and a pulled pork sandwich, the barbecue sauce infused with Ghost Dog Whiskey. Chef Hudson Slater, who spent several years at Asado on Sixth Avenue before focusing on personal cooking endeavors, consulted on the menu.

Guests can also consider takeout from nearby restaurants.

CHAMBERS BAY DISTILLERY EXPANDING

Davis and Robinette launched the brand in 2015 with Ghost Dog Whiskey. At the same time, they distilled the first batches of what would become their Greenhorn Bourbon, a nice 88 proof crafted with yellow corn and soft white wheat from Grant County, Washington.

Though relatively young — it spends about a year-and-a-half in 25-gallon barrels — it earned a gold medal in the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a coveted recognition in the craft-distilling industry.

The following year, CBD released the first of its straight bourbon, which, per federal regulations, must be aged in new American oak barrels for at least two years. Around then, there were about 1,500 craft distilleries in the United States, according to the American Craft Spirits Association. Today there are nearly 2,300, with more than 100 in Washington state.

Davis pointed out the state’s wine-making and brewing history, as well as close access to raw ingredients like barley and wheat, as reasons for the subsequent distilling boom.

CBD is unique in its hyperlocal approach and rare aging process: First, the mash is fermented with a wild yeast strain sourced from Curran Apple Orchard in University Place. Second, the barrels rest (or bobble, depending on the currents) on a boathouse floating somewhere around the Tacoma Narrows. The exact location is a trade secret.

CBD also distills its Rán Vodka with San Juan Island sea salt, which the owners have dubbed “the mineral water of vodkas.”

At the tasting room, they will unveil their first-ever gin, which Davis described as “light, very drinkable, just slightly botanical” thanks to a maceration with the must-have herbs and spices (juniper, notably) and, sticking with their maritime theme, sea botanicals.

CHAMBERS BAY DISTILLERY - FLAGSHIP TASTING ROOM

▪ 3610 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, chambersbaydistillery.com

▪ Tuesday-Sunday starting Dec. 1, exact hours TBD (follow Facebook and Instagram for updates)

▪ Details: tasting room for local spirits with whiskey service, cocktails, sparkling wine and three beers on tap, plus small plates and retail shop for bottles and merch

▪ Minors welcome in main seating area

CHAMBERS BAY DISTILLERY - PRODUCTION

▪ 2013 70th Ave. W., University Place, 253-292-5962

▪ Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

▪ Details: bottle sales and tastings available (straight and in mini cocktails)

▪ Find CBD on the shelf/bar at dozens of stores and restaurants around Pierce County and beyond

This story was originally published November 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM.