From wine to whiskey

Feb 1

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From wine to whiskey:

Well-known winemaker Andrew Browne starts new distilling venture in hometown of Spokane

BY ERIN HUT

The name “Andrew Browne” is well-known to Washington winos. Browne Family Vineyards has been producing and distributing wine across the state for years, but a new venture is underway right here in the Inland Northwest.

Browne has teamed up with Kentucky-native Aaron Kleinhelter to start Browne Family Spirits. And while Browne is new to the whiskey business, Kleinhelter is a seasoned pro.

Kleinhelter grew up just miles from the Jim Beam plant and stayed in Kentucky to attend Murray State. He earned his marketing degree, but quickly knew he wanted to do something different with his career. The answer was distilling.

A few years and a few certifications later, Kleinhelter started to move his way up in the business. He started at a small artisan distillery in his home state before ultimately packing up and moving west to Spokane to take on the role of head distiller at Warrior Whiskey.

Warrior Whiskey was the project that took local entrepreneurs Rich and Mary Clemson out of retirement. They spent a few years building up the business before ultimately deciding to retire for good. That’s where Browne comes in.

A head distiller was in need of a job. Fully functional distilling equipment was waiting to be used. The facility was located in his hometown. It was his next opportunity.

“I had been seeking a way to return to my hometown after spending the majority of my adult years on the western side of the state,” Browne said. “When the facility became available and I forged the connection I did with master distiller Aaron Kleinhelter, the opportunity seemed like a no-brainer given recent industry growth.”

In true Spokane fashion, the mission behind Browne Family Distilling is to keep things local and that starts with their ingredients.

All grains used in their whiskey, bourbon and rye are sourced from across Washington.

“We like to support local,” Kleinhelter said, adding that they primarily source from farmers in Ritzville and Colfax. “After our grains are used, we pull off all that alcohol and the grains are then redistributed to local farmers to feed their cattle. It’s a full-circle process.”

But grains are only one part of the whiskey formula. Browne also said there is something special in the water.

“Spokane has the best water in the world, and water is key to the distilling process,” Browne said. “By sourcing from the local Spokane Valley Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer for a key part of our distilling process, we’re leveraging fresh glacier water that is held to some of the highest standards for drinking water in the US, giving us some of the best products possible.”

That local grain and local water come together to make a lineup of liquors that are now available for purchase.

The Browne Family Spirits lineup includes the Monogram Collection, First Look Reserve Collection and the Lab Series Collection. The latter is a collaboration between Browne and Kleinhelter that will include seasonal offerings of bourbon infusions.

Those looking to get a taste can do so right now at the Browne Family tasting rooms in Spokane, Bellevue and Seattle. While spirits are currently limited to the tasting rooms, plans are underway to take the operation to a larger scale.

“We’re excited to continue experimenting and perfecting our spirits lineup for those visiting our distillery and tasting rooms and are eager to bring something to those living beyond the Washington state borders later this year,” Browne said.