A Craft Producer Turns Its Eastern Washington Ties Into Help for Neighbors in Need
When wildfire tore through the Spokane area in August, the damage reached well beyond the land itself. Families lost homes, and many people in the region needed help covering rent, getting around, and replacing basic medical equipment. Hundreds of miles west, a Seattle craft distillery decided it couldn't just watch. Copperworks Distilling Co. said the farming families around Spokane were part of its own story, and it set out to help them in the one way it knew how.
The result was $2,240 raised for the H.O.M.E. Starts Here Spokane Complex Fire Relief Fund. It isn't a huge sum by disaster-relief standards. But the way the effort came together says a lot about how small businesses can stay connected to the places and people they depend on.
How the Fundraiser Worked
Throughout August, Copperworks pledged $20 from every bottle sold of one specific product, its Farmsmith American Single Malt Whiskey. The money went to the H.O.M.E. Starts Here Spokane Complex Fire Relief Fund. The company tied the pledge to a single product on purpose. Farmsmith is made with barley grown near Spokane, so the connection to the affected area was already built in.
Image credit: Kevin Donovan/Copperworks Distilling Co.
Once the month wrapped up, the totals came in at $2,240. Copperworks credited its customers for making that number possible.
"The farming families and partners around Spokane aren't just our suppliers; they are our friends," said Jason Parker, President and Co-Founder of Copperworks Distilling Co.
That line sums up why the company got involved. For Copperworks, the people growing the grain are not faceless names on an invoice. They are long-time partners, and when those partners were hit by disaster, the company treated it as a personal matter.
Where the Money Goes
The H.O.M.E. Starts Here Spokane Complex Fire Relief Fund is set up to help people through both the immediate aftermath of the fire and the long road that follows. According to the information provided, the fund supports:
- Short-term and long-term rent assistance
- Medical equipment
- Transportation services
- Other critical resources that help the community recover
Anyone who has been through a house fire, a flood, or any major loss knows that the first few days are only the beginning. Housing costs, getting to work and doctor's appointments, and replacing medical gear can pile up for months. A fund that covers rent and transportation over the long term fills a gap that a one-time check often can't.
The fund is still open. Donations continue to be accepted for individuals and families affected by the Spokane Complex Fire. Those who want to learn more or give can find details at my.spokanecity.org/wildfireinfo/ways-to-help.
The Farmsmith Story: One Barley, One Farm, One Year
To understand why this particular product was chosen, it helps to know what Farmsmith is. The whiskey was created to celebrate the barley fields of Washington. It explores a question that most large producers never ask: what difference does it make when the barley comes from a single variety, a single farm, and a single growing year?
In most large-scale production, grain from many sources gets blended together. Farmsmith goes the other way. The current release is made with a single variety of barley called Genie, grown on a farm about 20 miles west of Spokane. That means the finished spirit reflects one piece of land and one season, rather than an average of many.
The barley doesn't go straight from the field to the still. It is first malted by LINC Malt, a company in Spokane. Malting is the step where grain is soaked, allowed to sprout, and then dried, which prepares the barley for distilling. Copperworks describes the people at LINC Malt as friends who have been important to its distilling journey for many years.
LINC Malt and the Farmers Behind the Grain
LINC Malt plays a big part in the story. The company honors the work of skilled farmers in the Inland Northwest and stays committed to farmer-owned farms. It also puts a priority on relationships that stretch across the whole grain supply chain, from the person planting the seed to the person making the final product.
That kind of approach matters in agriculture, where a bad season or a natural disaster can threaten a family's livelihood overnight. When a wildfire sweeps through a farming region, the effects are felt by everyone who relies on that land, including the malt house, the distillery, and the neighbors who live and work there.
Local Sourcing Is Part of the Company's Identity
The fundraiser wasn't a one-off gesture from a company with no ties to the area. Local agriculture and local communities are at the heart of every Copperworks release, according to the company. The distillery is committed to sourcing local barley. When it is available, it uses Salmon-Safe certified barley, a label tied to farming practices that protect nearby waterways and fish habitat. Copperworks also aims to show off the unique characteristics of Washington's different growing regions in what it makes.
In other words, helping Spokane wasn't a departure from the company's mission. It was an extension of it.
A Look at Copperworks Distilling Company
Copperworks opened in 2013 and operates as a craft distillery, tasting room, and gift shop in the busy waterfront tourist district of downtown Seattle. The company produces small-batch American Single Malt Whiskey, a series of gins, and vodka. Every one of those spirits is made from malted barley.
The company was founded by two co-owners and distillers, Jason Parker and Micah Nutt. Both were craft brewers with more than 30 years of experience in the alcohol industry. They started the distillery to answer a question: "How would spirits taste if they were distilled from superior craft beer (without the hops) instead of the typical methods or ingredients of conventional distilleries?"
Pursuing that answer led the company to become a pioneer in American Single Malt Whiskey, a fast-growing category that has drawn considerable interest across the United States and overseas.
Copper Stills Made in Scotland
Another detail that sets the operation apart is its equipment. Copperworks distills its spirits in traditional copper stills that were built in Scotland. They were designed specifically for the distillery and for the distillation of each individual spirit.
Awards and Recognition
The company has collected a fair number of honors over the years:
- It was named 2018 Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute.
- Its whiskey and gin have won Double-Gold medals.
- Its products have scored between 94 and 96 points in well-regarded spirits competitions.
- It was voted Best Distillery in the 2023 Best In The PNW contest, presented by The Seattle Times.
Copperworks products are carried in bars, restaurants, and retail stores around Washington State. The company also runs tastings, tours, and other educational events about distilled spirits, including a hands-on single-malt whiskey blending workshop.
Why Stories Like This Matter
Disasters like the Spokane Complex Fire tend to dominate the news for a few days, and then attention moves on. The families dealing with the aftermath don't get that luxury. Their needs for housing, transportation, and medical support continue long after the smoke clears and the headlines fade.
That's what makes efforts like this one worth noting. A company with roots on the other side of the state saw a connection to the affected area and acted on it. The $2,240 may not rebuild a neighborhood, but it goes toward rent, rides, and equipment for people who need them right now.
How to Help
The fund is still collecting donations for individuals and families affected by the Spokane Complex Fire. Information about contributing is available at my.spokanecity.org/wildfireinfo/ways-to-help. More about the distillery can be found at copperworksdistilling.com.
