Circle Hook Distilling

The seeds of Circle Hook Distilling began to germinate in 2018 when I became tired of the long absences from my family required by my Alaskan fishing business. I had been a licensed boat captain since I was nineteen and held a 1600 ton master’s license. I had commercial fished in Alaska for over twenty years. Looking out at the horizon or facing into a black gale had gotten old. I felt I had nothing left to prove on the ocean; my only remaining maritime ambition was to express my love and appreciation for our mother sea.
I loved our new home on the Gulf Coast, especially the warm winters, and I had a deep desire to be productive during my time away from fishing. Distilled spirits had long interested me, and over time my interest had grown into a passion for the science (and savoring!) of them. As I learned more about the industry, I realized that distilling fit the bill as a business for which I would have the enthusiasm to see me through start-up challenges as well as one that would be flexible enough to allow for continued management of my fishing business. Distilled spirits only improve with time, so our product would only appreciate while I was away fishing!
My research into distilling evoked my childhood memories of the California wine industry. Every year we would travel to Calistoga and join our family friends in their harvest festivities. There was nothing like the smell of fermenting grapes and a family wine stomp to imprint the generous feeling of a harvest celebration on a young child! I wanted to recreate that feeling for my own family and friends, and show my children what it takes to be an entrepreneur and start a business from scratch.
So, armed with years of research and the determination of a veteran boat captain I set off for a new voyage in life. So far, the support we have received from the community has been amazing. I truly want to create a product we can all enjoy and be proud of here on the Gulf Coast.

Author: Dirk Jahn