I’ve always liked the name. I’ve called it quirky, odd, and memorable, but I never really took it too literally. Crux Fermentation Project, I always assumed, was just a clever name for a brewery. Turns out, the fermentation part has always suggested other possibilities. So says an announcement from the company introducing a new distilled product: Crux Fermentation Project Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Batch 1.
Larry Sidor, the brewmaster at Crux Fermentation Project, teamed up with the folks at Pursuit Distilling of Enumclaw, Washington to create “a meticulously crafted wash… to capture all of the very best flavors, textures, and aromas possible for a truly unique whiskey.” The result is Crux Fermentation Project Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Batch 1. It was aged for over two years in charred new American oak barrels.
“Like beer, whiskey is full of possibilities,” said the announcement from Crux Fermentation Project, which describes the whiskey as “the latest chapter in their quest of fermented perfection.”
“This collaboration has been nothing short of inspirational,” said Larry Sidor of Crux Fermentation Project. “Sam and Tyler [at Pursuit Distilling] have embraced the concept from the start to develop a whiskey that defies the norm with layers and layers of intrigue.”
Sam Agnew and Tyler Teeple, the cofounders of Pursuit Distilling, describe the collaboration project like this: “It has been a dream collaboration to work with Larry and the Crux Team in creating and developing a unique mash bill that truly will pave the way for the future of spirit innovation. It’s collaborations like this that keeps things exciting and fresh for us at Pursuit.”
The small-batch whiskey will be available starting this Friday, February 18th at the Pursuit Distilling tasting room in Enumclaw. They’ll also pour samples at Crux Fermentation Project’s location in Bend, Oregon. A limited number of bottles will find their way to select liquor stores around Bend.