Hideaway Distillery sits on South Santiam Highway in Lebanon, Oregon, occupying a converted industrial building that founders Derek and Kimberly Brown transformed into their craft spirits operation in 2018. The Browns, both former tech professionals from Portland, decided to chase their passion for distilling after years of home brewing and weekend distillery visits throughout the Pacific Northwest. Their 3,000-square-foot facility houses custom copper stills and fermentation tanks where they produce bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, and gin using locally sourced grains from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Derek handles the production side with his background in process engineering, while Kimberly manages operations and recipe development. The couple spent two years navigating permits and retrofitting their building, including installing specialized ventilation systems and meeting Oregon’s strict distillery regulations. Their philosophy centers on small-batch production with attention to each step of the process, from milling grain to hand-labeling bottles. They’ve built relationships with local farmers for their corn and wheat, and source their rye from eastern Oregon. The tasting room features reclaimed wood from local barns and offers visitors a chance to sample their spirits while watching production through large windows into the distillery floor. You’ll often find Derek or Kimberly behind the bar, eager to explain their process and share stories about their journey from tech careers to craft distilling. The atmosphere feels more like visiting friends than a commercial operation, with comfortable seating areas and displays of their copper equipment.