Pink Bench Distilling

Local. Sustainable. Delicious.

It all starts in the forest

The Kootenai River Valley is home to an abundance of fruits and botanicals, from the famous huckleberries to thimbleberries, spruce tips, arnica, dandelion, apples, and much more. In the 1800s, Troy was actually marketed as the fruit basket of Montana, with heirloom orchards dotting the land. Many of our neighbors have such an excess of fruits that they attract bears in the fall when they are storing up for hiberation, causing potentially dangerous conflicts.

<< the best way to keep bears out of trouble is to remove food from our yards >>

we use local fruit and wild botanicals at our hometown distillery

Located in the heart of Troy’s old downtown, Pink Bench Distilling is a special place: Our one hundred year old building is away from the highway with safe street parking, ample outdoor space, and a direct connection to Troy’s paved walking trails, which access the city park and river in just a ten minute walk. The Cabinet Mountain Wilderness is mere minutes away, and a Kootenai River boat launch is just down the street.

Our brandies promote better human-bear relationships

By using the over-abundance of local fruit that attracts bears to residents’ backyards, we reduce conflicts.

Our gins and liqueurs promote the value of our incredibly diverse mountain home

By conscientiously sourcing specialty crops and local forest botanicals, we encourage holistic land stewardship.


We Are Invested in the Future of Our Home


Troy, Montana in the early 1900s
Troy, Montana in the early 1900s.

The times Are Changing

Booms and busts in timber and mining jobs in Troy have rooted a culture of self-reliance and working in the woods.

<< economics and population are shifting >>

That said, Troy is no longer a logging town and our mines are closed. We must find new ways to integrate our history with our future.

A New Way Forward

Economics change fast, but culture does not. We’re an outdoor people, the Kootenai is our home. That’s why our gins and liqueurs are made from sustainably sourced wild botanicals, to support jobs in the woods and keep us close to the roots that make our home special.

Top Shelf Quality With a Homemade Touch

Owners Shawna and Kris apprenticed for years with Whitefish Handcrafted Spirits to learn the ropes behind distilling, and we apply that experience to our very own bain marie brandy still. Our distillery produces brandy, gin, and flavored vodka – all crafted from locally grown and wildcrafted ingredients. If you’re looking for authentic flavors of the forest that can’t be found at other distilleries, you will find them uniquely housed at ours.

It’s time to make lemonade from lemons, or in our case: Brandy from apples.

to us

It’s imperative to embody, honor, and champion the lush natural heritage and intrepid people of the far northwest corner of Montana.