Blue Run Distilling Company: Distilling Spirits the Old Way

What is Bull Run Distillery, and what can you do when you visit?

Bull Run Distillery sits in a walkable, high-density pocket of northwest Portland, near other craft distilleries, breweries, bars, and restaurants. From the start, a retail store inside the distillery was a priority: it is the public front, where staff can pour the spirits and tell the story. Oregon’s distillery license is generous here, allowing a producer up to six tasting and retail locations, and today Bull Run runs two: its Portland home and a second tasting room in Carlton, in Oregon wine country.

Every spirit is available to sample, from the regularly distributed whiskies, rums, and vodka to small-lot, experimental bottlings sold only at the distillery, so there is usually something new and limited on the shelf. The distillery has changed over the years, too: it now leans heavily on barrel finishing and a merchant-bottling program, and regular daily production tours are no longer offered, given a busy production schedule and limited space.

· ◆ ·

Where does the name Bull Run come from?

The name points to the Bull Run Watershed, the source of Portland’s drinking water. The Bull Run reservoir rests in the foothills of the Cascades and, as Medoff notes, has been a federally protected area since 1904, which keeps the water about as pure and untreated as you can get.

Water matters more to spirits than people often realize. It is used to cut a spirit down to barrel strength and, eventually, bottle strength. It should not add aroma or flavor, but it can change texture, and that is where Bull Run’s source earns its keep.

As Medoff explains it, the soft Bull Run water lends a smooth, creamier character than the hard, calcified water found in many places. It is the kind of unadulterated source most distillers can only wish for.

· ◆ ·

How does Bull Run blend old traditions with modern techniques?

Medoff has a real affection for the old ways of making spirits, and he points out that the act of distillation itself has barely changed in centuries. It has grown more efficient and reliable, but there is still a person tending the ferments, making the cuts, and overseeing years of maturation and blending. For him, the appeal is being part of a long American story: whiskey-making that began in New England, traveled down the Ohio River Valley, and has now reached the Pacific.

“Embracing what we have here in the Northwest rather than trying to conform creates variety and, in the long run, a tradition all our own.”

— Lee Medoff, founder and head distiller, Bull Run Distillery

That is the balance Bull Run strikes. The history gives the distillery a reference point and a context, but because of where it sits, it is not bound by anyone else’s rules. Leaning into the Northwest, rather than imitating Scotland or Kentucky, is how the distillery builds variety now and, over time, a tradition of its own.

· ◆ ·

What is barrel-aged vodka, or Starka?

Barrel-aged vodka, known as Starka, has a long history in Russia, Poland, and the Baltics, wrapped in plenty of colorful stories. The idea solves a particular problem: spirits are stable and do not age in the bottle the way wine or beer do, so one of the few ways to change or deepen a vodka is to put it in a barrel.

Depending on the barrel, and on whatever was stored in it before, the spirit picks up real complexity, a smoother taste, richer aromas, and color. The fun, Medoff says, was in trying different barrels and then blending, and the team eventually settled on Oregon Pinot Noir barrels. It was a natural way to expand the Medoyeff Vodka line, since barrel aging and finishing is what Bull Run primarily does, and it stands well apart from the crowd of flavored vodkas.

· ◆ ·

What makes Bull Run’s Oregon whiskey different?

Where many distilleries chase Scotch or bourbon, Bull Run set out to make a distinctly Oregon whiskey. Its whiskey is built on unpeated, 100% malted barley, a choice that came straight from Medoff’s years as a brewer: the great ales of the Northwest are made from malted barley, so it was a natural ingredient and a direct link to the region’s established brewing culture. Most of the whiskey is matured in new American oak, with a portion in used American oak to keep ample stock for blending, and a more select project ages exclusively in Oregon oak.

The Bull Run Lineup

The whiskey program has evolved since those early years. After distilling on site for a while, Bull Run paused production in 2015 amid changes to Portland’s distillery rules, and shifted toward barrel finishing and a merchant-bottling program that sources and bottles bourbon and rye. Its Pinot Noir-finished American whiskey became its most widely available expression. The distillery is now upgrading its facility to resume making its own whiskey, with a new release expected around 2027.

· ◆ ·

Frequently Asked Questions About Bull Run Distillery

🥃 Bull Run Distillery at a Glance

Key facts about the distillery, its people, and its spirits.