Dive into a day of exploration with Wilderton Aperitivo Co.! Your adventure begins at the iconic Jupiter Hotel, where you’ll board our comfortable bus and enjoy a warming coffee cocktail as we journey into the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. Our first stop: a guided botanical foraging hike at the breathtaking Wahclella Falls, led by our master distiller, Seth O'Malley. Next, we’ll head to America’s first non-alcoholic distillery in Hood River, where you’ll uncover the magic behind crafting Wilderton’s unique spirits. As a special treat, be among the first to taste our newest liquid (shhhh...)! Finally, shake things up with West Bev Consulting for their course on inclusive hospitality, non-alc cocktail anatomy and construction, menu placement strategy, and the verbiage we use when we talk about this evolving category.

Seth O'Malley, Founding Distiller
Some of Seth O’Malley’s earliest sensory memories are of pulling corks off of spice jars to experience their generous aromas. Eventually, he memorized their names and would quiz himself on spice identification. As he entered his teens, he took up tea drinking as a hobby and became the first person to try all 126 offerings of his hometown tea shop in Bend, Oregon. Armed with a tattered menu covered with notes and ratings, Seth created a curriculum and began conducting regular tea classes with the public. Seth’s infatuation with aromatic plants only grew from there, as did his desire to understand their characteristics, functions, and historical relationships with humans. First exploring the use of botanicals in beer and mead, then homemade liqueurs, he developed a peculiar expertise that he deployed when he took up the role Head Distiller at Townshend’s Distillery at the age of 23. There, he formulated and created an award-winning line of botanical spirits ranging from gin to amari to herbal liqueurs, always drawing on botany and perfumery in an effort to challenge conventions and imagine new ways of drinking. When approached about formulating Wilderton, Seth couldn’t say yes quickly enough. He recognized the opportunity to use his botanical knowledge and distillation experience to forge a new beverage tradition, one that is unbound by narrow spirits categories and instead rooted in flavor exploration and the freedom to have a great distilled spirit without alcohol. Paired with Co-Founder and CEO Brad Whiting’s extensive spirits background and resolute vision for the product, he knew that Wilderton had the makings of a singular and beautiful non-alcoholic spirit.

Brad Whiting, CEO & Co-Founder
For more than two decades, Brad has called the Pacific Northwest his home, his playground, and the source of his inspiration for living a life that blends family and adventure. Growing up on the East Coast, his parents instilled an early love of the outdoors and a passion for working with his hands. A healthy dose of wanderlust always suggested that a life journey Westward might be in the cards. After graduating from Dartmouth college, he set out to craft a life that balanced a career with his outdoor passions. The journey spanned six states across the U.S. while working in sales, marketing, and operations roles within the sports industry until a fateful visit to Hood River, Oregon in 1996, which he immediately called home. A thirst for learning led Brad back to graduate school for an MBA and an unexpected career change that would shape his future. In 2004, he entered the drinks industry working for the oldest and largest distilled spirits company in the Pacific Northwest, Hood River Distillers (HRD). There, he began an ever-expanding fascination with the art, science, and business of spirits. Overseeing procurement and distilling operations, Brad travelled extensively, meeting with producers around the world to learn about their products, processes and history. During his time with HRD, he also oversaw two Pacific Northwest craft distilleries deeply vested in the Pacific Northwest spirits scene: Clear Creek Distillery and Big Gin. In 2018, Brad struck out on his own to begin work on a project to celebrate the greatest parts of the drinks industry while providing options that supported a healthier lifestyle. Over the next two years, that vision became Wilderton, which launches October, 2020. Brad lives in Hood River with his wife, two daughters, and dog, Willy. When not at his desk or on the road in their RV, you will likely find Brad on a bike, surfboard, or skis.

Nora Furst, Partner at West Bev Consulting
West Bev is a beverage consulting group consisting of Stephanie Gonnet(SF), Christopher Longoria(SF), and Nora Furst(PDX)

All-Day Educational Workshop for pre-assigned Student Pass holders.
Location: Wilderton Non-Alcoholic Botanical Spirits, 407 Portway Ave, Hood River, OR 97031
Sponsored by: Wilderton Non-Alcoholic Botanical Spirits