To look at the production team at Oregon Spirit Distillers, you’ll find a story of how amazing spirits aren’t simply made. World-class spirits are a product of a solid worth ethic and a growth mindset. Many of us worked our way up in the production department due to that solid work ethic, an unwavering commitment to quality, and most importantly, an enthusiasm for learning. We humbly nod to those who showed us the way, their ability to teach, and a willingness to share.
We are thankful for the body of knowledge created and passed down from generations of distillers that helps us make traditional and authentic spirits from scratch and by the senses. Our goals are lofty, and we accomplish them because of our strong team dynamic. It’s in our name, we are the spirit distillers of Oregon Spirit Distillers. We are proud to work together and make spirits we love to enjoy.
BRAD IRWIN
Owner/Head Distiller
Whiskey has three main ingredients: grain, water, and passion. Brad found a natural bounty of all three in his hometown of Bend, Oregon.
In 2009, Brad and his wife Kathy embarked on the journey that would eventually create Central Oregon’s first grain to glass whiskey distillery. Local high desert grain and mountain water were easy to source. The region's unique climate provided plenty of corn, barley, wheat, and rye. Crisp and pure water from the Cascade Mountains was abundant. Brad’s passion for history, tradition, and quality is delivered in every drop that Oregon Spirit Distillers produces.
2025 has found Brad back on the Production floor and he is loving every minute of it! "It's great to get my hands dirty again and continue to expand and perfect our processes and products!"
STEVE DENFELD
Head Blender
Steve can be found in our blending room, where he spends his days proofing spirit and combining barrels of whiskey. We produce 12 barrels at a time of each of our whiskeys, and when they come of age 11 of those barrels are blended for consistency (with the other 1 barrel going to our Bottled in Bond series) before being proofed down. Steve's work is critical for finishing out the final product before bottling. Beyond his blending work, he is known around the distillery for his exceptional pallet and is often in charge of picking barrels for our Single Barrel program.
A huge whiskey, beer, and music enthusiast, outside of work Steve can be found sipping on a nice drink while enjoying music on his record player.