News
BYOB (Blend Your Own Barrel/Bottle) Opens in Fremont
BYOB, Seattle's first custom-crush winery, opens its doors to the public this fall. Located in the former Diers Bindery next to the Ship Canal and two blocks from the Fremont Bridge, the 20,000 square foot building houses the custom-crush facility, a microdistillery, air-conditioned storage bays, office space, a future restaurant space, and ample on-site parking.
After a year of operating in the location with a limited number of private clients, owner-winemaker Michael Almquist is now offering BYOB's services to the broader public, "We have the capacity to produce 50,000 cases a year on this site, so I think it's time to invite a few more winemakers to the party."
"We've been talking to Washington farmers and visiting vineyards all summer, keeping a close eye on the fruit. We've also been discussing various oaks, forests, toasts, with coopers in France, Hungary, Australia, and USA, to make sure we have the best barrels for our wine. Last harvest, we spent a lot of time fine-tuning the facility and the equipment. Now that we're familiar with the space, we're ready for a few strangers to join the fun."
There are limited spots to crush by the barrel. For more information, see www.byobwinery.com or call 206 352 BYOB (2962).
BYOB (Blend Your Own Bottle) Gets a Distiller's License
After a long and grueling process involving the Feds, the State, and the city of Seattle, BYOB has succeeded in becoming Washington State's first urban combination winery/distillery and only the 10th licensed distillery in the state of Washington.
"Our timing couldn't have been better," says owner-winemaker Michael Almquist. "We were able to take advantage of this summer's record heat and sun to make amazing fruit brandies."
Washington State produces extraordinary fruit, both cultivated and wild, and BYOB plans to showcase that bounty in small-batch, artisanal liquors. Says Almquist, "We have plans to make strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, peach, apricot, plum, pear, and apple brandies, just to see which ones taste the best."
After crush, Almquist plans to try his hand at distilling other spirits, such as grappa, vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, whiskey.
"These are exciting times for modern-day bootleggers," says Almquist, who is on the forefront of the Northwest's burgeoning wave of microdistillers.
