“I just can’t believe we made it happen,” Heather Shade, co-owner and distiller at Port Chilkoot Distillery said. “I thought it would take at least another year.”
Shade helped lead the lobbying effort to change Alaska’s distillery laws. She coordinated with the four other Alaska distilleries, along with tourism groups and local chambers of commerce.
“Every step of the way when we were testifying in the committees and working with people to explain importance of this bill, it kind of felt like it was just going to die every step of the way,” Shade said. “And so when it passed unanimously through the Senate floor two days before the end of the legislative session, it just kind of felt surreal.”
Now, distilleries in Alaska can sell limited amounts of their own products on location. Just like wineries and breweries, like Haines Brewing Company, have done for years. Shade thinks the change in Alaska’s distillery laws is a result of a growing state and nation-wide craft distillery industry. Three years ago, there was only one distillery in Alaska. Now there are five.
Anchorage Representative Chris Tuck introduced House Bill 309, which Kreiss-Tomkins co-sponsored.
Shade says there was some push-back against the bill, because it’s helping an industry that creates alcohol. Rates of alcohol abuse are especially high in Alaska.
HB 309 puts restrictions on how many bottles and drinks distilleries can sell per person in the tasting room and what hours they can be open. They aren’t allowed to have live entertainment or bar seating.
House Bill 309 was signed into law in July. In October, the new law went into effect. And, on October 31, Port Chilkoot Distillery opened its tasting room.
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