Gompers Distillery and Speakeasy operates out of a 5,000-square-foot facility in Redmond’s industrial district, where husband-and-wife team Steve and Connie Gompers have been crafting small-batch spirits since 2014. Steve brings a mechanical engineering background to the operation, while Connie handles the business side—a combination that shows in their methodical approach to distilling. They produce bourbon, rye, vodka, and gin using a 500-gallon copper pot still alongside smaller 50-gallon stills for experimental batches. The Gompers started this venture after Steve’s retirement from aerospace engineering, driven by his fascination with the science behind fermentation and distillation. What began as a hobby in their garage evolved into a licensed operation when they realized their bourbon was consistently impressing friends and neighbors. They spent three years navigating Oregon’s regulatory landscape before opening their doors, learning distilling techniques through trial, error, and consultation with established craft distillers across the Pacific Northwest. The speakeasy portion isn’t just marketing—they’ve created an authentic 1920s atmosphere complete with period furnishings, jazz music, and cocktails made exclusively with their own spirits. You’ll find Steve behind the bar most evenings, mixing drinks and explaining their distilling process to anyone curious enough to ask. The space feels more like a private club than a typical tasting room, with dim lighting, leather seating, and walls lined with aging barrels that fill the room with the scent of oak and vanilla.