The Distiller’s Art

Make the Perfect Eau-de-Vie of Pear
with Clear Creek Distillery’s Stephen McCarthy

Wednesday, October 13 – Friday, October 15, 2010

For the first time ever, master distiller Stephen McCarthy will welcome a small group of spirits enthusiasts to a hands-on seminar at his world-renowned Clear Creek Distillery, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010. You will experience the entire process of making Clear Creek’s  best-known spirit, pear eau-de-vie. Spend two days during the height of the harvest season creating Stills with 4this magical fruit brandy from beginning to end – from crushing and fermenting the ripe Oregon pears, through the distilling process in Clear Creek’s beautiful copper stills,  to bottling and labeling, under the tutelage of Stephen and the distillery team.

The class begins Wednesday evening at the distillery, with a casual dinner and a tasting of Clear Creek’s extraordinary bottlings led by Stephen, and ends Friday before lunch, around noon. Each participant will return home with a bottle of Clear Creek Pear Brandy they have made themselves.

Registration and Fine Print

Regular tuition is $1995 per person for this professional-level class. To qualify for the $1795 early enrollment discount tuition, you must be enrolled and paid in full by August 1, 2010.

Hand labeling Pear bottleTuition includes:

  • all instruction
  • dinner Wednesday night
  • lunch Thursday
  • morning coffee, drinks and snacks on Thursday and Friday
  • all tastings
  • all materials
  • one 750ml bottle of Clear Creek Pear Brandy you have made yourself

Participants from outside the Portland area can contact us for help with arranging hotel accommodations.

A deposit of $695 is required for registration, and is non-transferable. Payment in full for discount tuition of $1795 is due by August 1, 2010. Registrations after September 1, 2010 must be accompanied by payment in full.  We accept VISA, Mastercard and Discover, and checks.

For questions or to register, please contact Food by Hand Seminars director Heidi Yorkshire by email at foodbyhand@gmail.com or by phone at 503-335-3155. We want to communicate directly with every potential participant to make sure that the seminar meets their needs, interests and expectations.

Cancellations: Notification must be made in writing by mail, fax or email, and received by Food by Hand Seminars LLC by September 1, 2010. Through September 1, 2010, all payments will be refunded in case of student cancellation minus a $100 administrative fee. After September 1, 2010, there will be no refunds in case of student cancellation. Food by Hand Seminars LLC  reserves the right not to refund.

Food by Hand Seminars LLC reserves the right to cancel the course if a minimum enrollment is not met. In that case, all payments will be refunded in full. A final decision on whether the course will take place will be made no later than September 15, 2010. Food by Hand Seminars LLC is not responsible for any non-refundable travel expenses incurred by individual students.