Chuckanut Bay Distillery’s sister business, Penny Farthing, opened July 23 at 1309 Cornwall Ave. in downtown Bellingham. Connected to the distillery tasting room by an industrial barn door, Penny Farthing operates as the distillery’s bar and restaurant.
Upon entering, a few small tables, window seats and a handsome wrap-around bar make up the bar seating. Stairs lead up to a secondary bar space and loft overlooking the restaurant. Back on the main level, restaurant seating along a wall of windows offers views into the distillery.
Upon entering Penny Farthing, a few small tables, window seats and a handsome wrap-around bar make up the bar seating. Stairs lead up to a secondary bar space and loft overlooking the restaurant. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
The space feels warm and lived-in, yet sleek and modern. Hardwood and brick hint at the building’s history — the century-old facility was home to a JCPenney store until 1960. Chuckanut Bay Distillery co-owners Matt Howell and Kelly Andrews had their work cut out for them when it came time to restore it.
“Though structurally sound, the 18,000-square-foot building was an absolute wreck when we purchased it, in a state of deterioration from over a half-century of neglect,” Andrews said. “The restoration that Matt Howell and his team has done is nothing short of amazing.”
Andrews explained that nearly the entire bar and restaurant is made from reclaimed materials from the building — primarily steel and original old-growth timber.
“Even the iconic penny farthing bicycle featured on the back bar was made using parts from the building,” he said.
The namesake bicycle pays homage to the history leading to Penny Farthing’s development.
Longtime friends, Howell and Andrews began laying the groundwork for Chuckanut Bay Distillery in 2011. Their first spirit, a potato vodka, was made using an apple grinder connected to a bicycle frame. Howell pedaled away, grinding more than 13,000 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes from Skagit Valley.
The potato-pedaling effort paid off in the form of a double gold medal from the New York International Spirits Competition.
Penny Farthing uses Chuckanut Bay Distillery products for their cocktail drinks. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Penny Farthing uses Chuckanut Bay spirits in most of its drinks. The menu offers a dozen craft cocktails using house-distilled spirits, from classics such as the Old Fashioned to fun concoctions like the Maraska Sparkling Lemonade (Chuckanut Bay vodka, house-made sparkling lemonade and a float of Luxardo Maraska syrup). Cocktail prices range from $10–$13.
When ordering, little graphics on the menu show how your drink will be delivered: in a rocks glass, collins or coupe. I tried the Sazerac, made with Chuckanut Bay 100% Rye Whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters and cane syrup in an absinthe-rinsed rocks glass. The cocktail was strong and aromatic, with a hint of licorice from the absinthe and specialty bitters.
In addition to Chuckanut Bay spirits and cocktails, Penny Farthing offers wine, beer, non-alcoholic options and, of course, food. I didn’t try any of the sharing plates, as the menu was limited during my visit. The food sounds promising though, with dishes prepared by former Las Vegas chef Erik Szalmas.
“The dishes he prepares are nearly as beautiful to look at as they are to eat,” Andrews said. “Pretty much everyone has tried a Caprese salad, charcuterie board or Mediterranean mezze platter before, but Erik’s interpretations of these staples are unlike any I’ve ever come across. And his Tuscan ribs, Catalan shrimp and filet mignon medallions? Forget about it. They’re just epic.”
Andrews is excited to finally be able to share Penny Farthing with the Bellingham community after years of hard work.
Penny Farthing hopes to have its 6,000-square-foot event space and rooftop bar open in 2023.
Beer and Spirits News
The North Fork Barrel House opened Thursday, Aug. 4. The tasting room in Sunnyland is the North Fork Brewery’s second location, and features 10 taps which include a variety of vintage sour beers, ales and lagers. (Photo by Brandon Fralic)
• The North Fork Brewery opened its second location, the North Fork Barrel House, on Thursday, Aug. 4. Located at the corner of Ohio and Grant streets in Sunnyland, the barrel house is within walking distance of several nearby breweries including Wander Brewing, Otherlands Beer and Twin Sisters Brewing. The cozy tasting room features 10 taps which include a variety of vintage sour beers, ales and lagers. Specialty bottles are available for purchase, along with cans from Bellingham Cider Company. The barrel house is open six days a week (closed Wednesday) from noon to 7 p.m. No food service is available at this time.
• Stemma Brewing has canned a beet Berliner Weisse called Ben’s Beets to Drink To. Made with real beet powder, this sour style is light (4.7% alcohol-by-volume) and … beety? I haven’t tried it yet, but color me curious.
• Bellewood Distilling recently won yet another award (gold at The Fifty Best awards) for its apple gin. If you haven’t tried it before, stop by Bellewood’s Lynden tasting room to sample apple-based brandies, vodkas, liqueurs and a new pear brandy.
Brandon Fralic’s Drink Cascadia column runs every other Wednesday. Reach him at drinkcascadia@gmail.com.
