3-Day Hands-On Distilling Workshop — Vancouver, WA (May 1-3, 2026)

Your Exclusive Pass to the Ultimate Distilling Workshop in Vancouver, WA

Are you tired of YouTube rabbit holes and conflicting advice? This 3-day, hands-on workshop puts you on real equipment with master instructors so you can distill with confidence—end to end, from mash to bottle.

What You Get: An All-Access Pass

• Reserved seat for all 3 days at a working craft distillery.
• Lifetime Access membership to DistilleryUniversity.com ($499 value).
• Supplementary toolkit: slide decks, business plan template, fundraising deck & more.
• After-Hours Tasting & Sensory event for networking and palate training.

Is This for You?

• Aspiring owners and serious career-changers who want the full, end-to-end experience.
• Working pros who want to standardize methods and refine cuts, proofing, and QA.
• Teams who need a shared, repeatable process back at the shop.

You’ll Leave Able To…

• Run mash, fermentation, and a spirit run safely and repeatably.
• Make confident cuts (heads/hearts/tails) by sensory & numbers.
• Proof, blend, and finish to target flavor and labeling requirements.
• Understand the essentials of compliance, costing, and pricing.
• Troubleshoot typical shop issues and equipment behavior.

Curriculum Overview

(Instructor: Todd Buckley. Hosting distiller: Randy & Darin Kyle, Quartz Mountain Distillers)

Day 1 — Foundations & Spirits Heritage

• The beverage alcohol industry, competitive landscape, & key US regulations
• Essential spirits science: congeners, flavor development, temp control
• Fermentation mastery: substrate selection, yeast, vessels, QA

Day 2 — Core Distilling Techniques

• Spirit runs on professional equipment; making precise cuts
• Vodka & gin production: botanicals, extraction, filtration, proofing, bottling
• Whiskey, rum & brandy: substrates, distillation profiles, aging fundamentals

Day 3 — Advanced Production & Operations (Hands-On Focus)

• Operating the still and support equipment (pumps, chiller, heat)
• Blending & proofing techniques; quality control & testing
• Bottling your own spirit to take home
• Practical operations: safety, maintenance, compliance & record-keeping

Full, detailed curriculum is provided in your toolkit. Content may adjust slightly to match the host distillery’s production schedule—your hands-on time is maximized.

Schedule & Logistics

• Dates: May 1–3, 2026 (Fri–Sun)
• Daily start: 9:00 AM • End: ~4:00–5:00 PM (Q&A can extend)
• After-hours tasting: One evening session —bring a guest!
• Hands-on day: Closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing required.
• Venue: Quartz Mountain Distillers, Vancouver, WA (address provided after registration with parking & arrival details).

Meet Your Instructors

Todd Buckley — Todd Buckley is Distillery University’s lead instructor and a hands-on master distiller known for turning complex production into a clear, repeatable process. In this 3-day workshop, Todd will guide you through the real-world workflow of a working distillery—from mash and fermentation to distillation, cuts, proofing, and finishing—so you leave with skills you can actually use.
Randy & Darin Kyle (Vancouver hosts) — Quartz Mountain Distillers is a family-owned, award-winning distillery led by this father-and-son team. Since launching in 2020, QMD has earned dozens of medals across major competitions—and they’ve become a standout example of how far a new distillery can go with the right process and execution. You’ll train inside a real production facility and learn in the exact environment where award-winning spirits are made.

Bonuses Included

• Lifetime Access membership to DistilleryUniversity.com ($499 value)
• Digital resource pack: slide decks, business plan template, fundraising deck
• Follow-up support by phone/email

Pricing & Early Registration

• Early Registration: $1,999 if you register ≥30 days before class
• Standard: $2,399 after the early registration window
• Bring a friend: Email info@distilleryuniversity.com for 20% off additional seats
• Pay over time: Select PayPal “Pay Later” at checkout or email info@distilleryuniversity.com for custom payment arrangements

Travel

Vancouver, WA is just a short 15 minute trip from the Portland OR airport. As an added benefit, Portland is home to one of the highest concentrations of craft distilleries in the US, making going out for tours and tastings even easier!

Cancellation Policy

• 60+ days out: full refund
• 31–59 days: 50% refund
• ≤30 days: no refunds, but we’ll hold a seat for a future Workshop at no extra cost

Questions?

Call (509) 999-1244 or email info@distilleryuniversity.com—we’re happy to help.