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Craft Distillery
tell the distillery’s story for them. Kuehler worked as the family’s primary breadwinner, Meemaw
with a designer in Brooklyn to create the design broke through many boundaries. A “good Christian
she feels pays homage to Oregon agriculture, born woman,” Meemaw never touched alcohol. So,
from months of Pacific Northwest raindrops. She when asked how Meemaw would respond to hav-
also wanted to recognize the Teardrop Lounge in ing a distillery named after her, Kuehler laughed.
northwest Portland because the owner was very “I think she’d roll over in her grave, but she would
helpful when they first started out. secretly be proud.”
Prior to founding Freeland, Kuehler ran Zenger From its inception, the distillery highlighted
Farm, an educational farm in east Portland that women producers and distillers. For example,
teaches approximately 10,000 kids annually where Kuehler brought on board women like Molly
good food comes from. From this experience, she Troupe, who has the distinction of being the young-
dreamt of launching a distillery with a focus on est master distiller in the United States. According
producing spirits using the best Oregonian products to Kuehler, “Molly’s Master’s in distilling from
while also celebrating the women pioneers who Scotland is worth noting. At the end of the day, it
make this region unique. While drink-ing Kentucky was her credentials, creativity and desire to create
Bourbon with her friend Cory Carmen, owner of the very best spirits, not just her gender, that drew
eastern Oregon-based Carmen Ranch, Carmen me to her. She was the very best person for the
expressed an interest in incorporating small scale job.”
grain production at her ranch along with beef and
chickens. She offered to grow the rye if Kuehler All other key staffers are women, though they
made Bourbon from it. occasionally hire men. “Our founding story is
launched by women, but we’re for everyone,”
Thus, Freeland Spirits was born in 2017. Kuehler Kuehler said.
chose the name Freeland because it’s her moth-
er’s and grandmother Meemaw’s last name. She Launching a women-owned and operated distillery
grew up in Meemaw’s garden and observed how, proved to be brutal in terms of securing financing.
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