Wet your whistle and raise your spirits

Bend may be Beer Town USA, but if it’s distilled spirits you crave, we’ve got you covered. Discover and savor all the great ways to mix, stir, and shake things up with locally made small batch whisky, vodka, gin, and more. Bend distilleries boast award-winning liquors that make any cocktail sparkle and your taste buds sing. Or have your booze on the rocks with premium, flavorful, and approachable spirits.

What makes our distilled libations so delicious? Ingredients. Starting with our pristine water. The fresh, spring-fed water from the Cascade Mountains has low mineral content, making it ideal for distilling a wide range of spirits. 

Diverse agriculture also surrounds us, providing distillers with fresh, locally sourced Northwest ingredients. One that will always be in steady supply is the abundance of juniper. It plays a starring role in one of our beloved favorites—gin. There are also the delicious apples, pears, and berries from the Willamette Valley that add a touch of fruity infusion. With base ingredients such as grains, herbs, and botanicals in close proximity, Bend has all the right stuff to craft heavenly elixirs.

A cocktail on the porch overlooking the Cascade Mountains at sunset. A nip of Crater Lake Reserve Rye Whiskey while fly fishing on the Deschutes. Or how about toasting with friends around a roaring fire on a wintery day? Whatever the occasion, you’ll find delectable specialty cocktails to classic favorites using local Bend, Oregon spirits. 

Meet the Bend distilleries

Explore our community of distilleries eager to share their passion for crafting exceptional spirits with distillery tastings and tours. 

Crater Lake Spirits has a rich history in Bend and has been crafting award-winning spirits since 1996. Their success started with the launch of Crater Lake Vodka and the well-known Prohibition Gin. Over the years, their line has greatly expanded. Today, you’ll find infused vodkas, gins, rye whiskeys, Reserve offerings, and Special Rare Spirits. 

As one of the most acclaimed small-batch distilleries in America, they now distribute to over 30 states. In 2010, the distillery expanded, moving to the small community of Tumalo, just a few miles outside of Bend. Located on a 24-acre plot framed by the Cascade Mountains, Crater Lake Spirits offers a tasting room, tours, and a gift shop. 

Oregon Spirit Distillers has been making top-notch whiskeys and spirits since 2009. They’re big on supporting Central Oregon by using local grains and Cascade mountain water to make some seriously good hard stuff. Making traditional American whiskey takes time, but Oregon Spirit knows it’s worth the wait. Their bourbon, wheat, and rye whiskeys age for a minimum of four years, earning them multiple gold medals. Yet, they also expertly craft gin, vodka, and absinthe. 

The best way to savor a sample is by visiting their tasting room in Bend. Here, you can relish a flight or a cocktail in the lounge or outside on the patio. Learn about their production process with a distillery tour. And take home a bottle or two from their bottle shop.

BackDrop Distilling is a family-owned and operated distillery in Bend, founded in 2015. The distillery earns recognition for crafting award-winning vodka and gin using fresh, local ingredients and distilling them in a custom-made German copper still. BackDrop also produces a variety of other spirits, including rum, whiskey, and liqueurs. Although tastings and tours are not available at their distillery location, which is situated within Goodlife Brewing, you can enjoy their spirits at numerous local bars, pubs, and restaurants in Bend.

Other distilleries near Bend

Cascade Street Distillery is located in Sisters, and produces award-winning potato vodka. Their vodka is 5x distilled, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious. Visit their tasting room for a flight or mini cocktail using their award-winning vodka. And be sure to take a bottle to-go for cocktails on the patio at your Bend vacation rental.

Gompers Distillery is Redmond’s first and only gin producer crafting smooth, small-batch gin and vodka using local ingredients. Herman Gompers had a remarkable life journey, from wartime invasion by the Nazis to establishing a beloved bakery. These experiences are what fuel the passionate spirit of this family-run distillery. Their prohibition-themed speakeasy welcomes you for distillery tours, tasting flights, craft cocktails, and merchandise. 

Badlands Artisan Distillery is located in La Pine and creates fantastic, handcrafted spirits using top-notch local ingredients. Their lineup includes Cucumber Gin, Plum & Sloe Berry Vodka, Wine Cask Vodka, and Double-Barrel Rye Whiskey. Badland’s dedicates itself to high-quality spirits and pushing the boundaries of flavor. Visit their tasting room, where you’ll also find a restaurant, whiskey bar, and food truck. 

Distillery tours and trails

If you’re distillery curious, be sure to check out the Drinkable Diversions along the Bend Ale Trail. This self-guided tour will take you to many of Bend’s distilleries, cideries, and wineries. You’ll discover amazing micro-distilleries offering tours and tastings. Explore the region’s handcrafted award-winning whiskeys, vodkas, gins, and other exquisite spirits.

Many distilleries offer tours where you can get a firsthand look at the process, from mixing to aging. For an experience that blends booze with the outdoors, Wanderlust Tours has several tours that feature Bend’s local spirits and craft beverage scene. Take a distillery journey on The Local Pour Tour with the Bend Brew Bus. They’ll pick you up and take you to some favorite spots for tastings, nibbles, and tours. For a historical twist, take the Prohibition Cave Tour. You’ll go underground to explore a cave system once used for making spirits. Your adventure will end with a tasting session at a nearby distillery.

Beyond the distillery doors, Bend’s local spirits have made their mark throughout the city’s restaurants and cocktail bars. Sip on a Crater Lake gin and tonic or two at 900 Wall’s happy hour. Or find local spirits in many of the creative offerings at San Simon. 

No matter where, there are plenty of delicious and exceptional spirits to enjoy that will keep you warm, happy, and smiling. Cheers!