Overview: Copperworks Distilling Co. has introduced a new American Single Malt Whiskey through a collaborative barrel-swap with Urban Family Brewing in Seattle. The release is part of the Whiskey Club membership program and features whiskey aged in casks previously holding Treehouse in the City barleywine. This partnership highlights the ongoing relationship between the two Seattle-based producers.
The Full Story
Copperworks Distilling Co. and Urban Family Brewing have established a significant partnership within the Seattle craft beverage scene. The distillery’s next Whiskey Club offering, Copperworks American Single Malt Urban Family Barley Wine Cask, represents a continuation of their mutual interest in each other’s work. Urban Family Brewing has operated since 2011, originally opening in historic downtown Ballard on Ballard Ave before relocating and evolving into a brewery known for its rotating lineup ranging from fruited sours to IPAs and robust barleywines. The collaboration involves a barrel-swap where whiskey is aged in casks previously holding the brewery’s Treehouse in the City barleywine.
Jason Parker, President and Co-Founder of Copperworks Distilling Co., noted that mutual fans of each other’s work naturally formed an ongoing partnership which has led to this exciting cask collaboration. This isn’t the first time the two entities have collaborated on a project involving whiskey and barleywine; a similar project occurred in 2023. The distillery’s next Whiskey Club offering is made in partnership with Seattle’s Urban Family Brewing, which has built a reputation as careful experimenters leaning into complex yeast strains and unusual hop profiles.
Production & Profile
The production process for this release involves a specific back-and-forth barrel exchange that only works when both sides genuinely like what the other is making. Copperworks handed over a cask that had previously held its American Single Malt Whiskey to Urban Family, who used it to mature their Treehouse in the City barleywine. Once that barleywine was ready, the cask came back to Copperworks carrying its own layer of barleywine character. Copperworks then filled it with three-and-a-half-year-old signature 5Malt whiskey and let it finish for another ten months before bottling at 50% ABV.
Tasting notes reveal sweet malt and orange sorbet on the nose, with cocoa nibs and sandalwood right behind. Those flavors carry through to the palate, joined by tobacco, black walnut, cinnamon, and ripe blackberry. The finish lightens up, leaving sandalwood and dried raspberry, strawberry and peach candy, and a touch of floral hops. This is a limited release — just 330 bottles at 700ml each, bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof).
Brand & Industry History
Urban Family Brewing has been a fixture of the Seattle craft beer scene since 2011. The original brewery opened in historic downtown Ballard, on Ballard Ave, before relocating and changing hands over the past decade. It evolved into a brewery known for its constantly rotating lineup, ranging from fruited sours to IPAs and from light lagers to robust barleywines. They’ve built a reputation as careful experimenters — leaning into complex yeast strains, unusual hop profiles, and fresh ingredients.
What This Means
The collaboration signifies an ongoing partnership between the distillery and brewery. Copperworks Distilling Co. and Urban Family Brewing hooked up for a barrel-swap whiskey involving the distillery’s whiskey and the brewery’s Treehouse in the City barleywine. This release is part of the Whiskey Club requiring membership, indicating a dedicated channel for these inventive whiskeys delivered straight to their door.
Consumer Takeaway
Copperworks American Single Malt Urban Family Barley Wine Cask is available exclusively to Whiskey Club members, and memberships are still open if a member wants to join before this one ships. Club members get quarterly releases of Copperworks’ most inventive whiskeys delivered straight to their door, plus a handful of extra perks including early access to additional special releases throughout the year. Members receive 25% off a single order as a sign-up bonus valid within the first 30 days, free tastings for the member and a guest, and a club-exclusive Glencairn glass included with the first bottle(s). Given the size of this release — 330 bottles represents a limited quantity — membership is required to secure access.
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