Trail Distilling sits on Highway 213 in Oregon City, about 30 minutes south of Portland, occupying a 6,000-square-foot facility that houses both production and tasting operations. Founded in 2015 by husband-and-wife team Brent and Carly Elliott, the distillery emerged from Brent’s background in home brewing and their shared vision of creating premium spirits using Pacific Northwest ingredients. They opened their doors to the public in 2016 after navigating Oregon’s complex distillery licensing requirements and building out their production space from scratch. The operation centers around a 500-liter copper pot still from Germany, where they produce vodka, gin, and whiskey using locally sourced grains and botanicals. Carly handles much of the business operations while Brent focuses on production, though both are heavily involved in the day-to-day distilling process. The space reflects their practical approach—clean, functional, and designed more for serious production than Instagram moments, though the copper still and aging barrels create an authentic distillery atmosphere. Trail Distilling represents Oregon’s growing craft spirits movement, where small producers are carving out niches with local ingredients and traditional techniques.