HR Distillers reopens downtown tasting room

Hood River Distillers is an 86-year-old family-owned and operated company and the oldest continuously operated distillery west of the Mississippi.

Hours are Thursday to Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m. Closely following the recommendations of local health authorities and the CDC, it will operate with limited capacity, allowing a maximum of 10 visitors inside at a time.

Staff guidance, floor markings and well spaced out seating areas will ensure six feet of distancing between each party. Employees adhere to strict and frequent hand washing and surface sanitation procedures, including a thorough disinfection of seating areas after each guest. Masks will be essential for staff and required for guests until served. Hand sanitizing stations using sanitizer made in-house, at the Clear Creek Distillery will also be available.

“While our number one concern is for public safety, the reopening of our tasting room is a meaningful first step towards normalcy,” said Joe O’Sullivan, head distiller for Hood River Distillers. “Throughout this whole pandemic the Hood River Distillers plant remained buzzing. It wasn’t just hand sanitizer, it was our whole portfolio of brands being bottled. The liquor stores stayed open so that meant we had to discover COVID-safe ways that we could too. The only thing missing was the one-on-one feedback the tasting room provided, so being able to greet the public with more of a personal touch feels like a small but welcome reason to celebrate.”