The man at the helm of one of the most award-winning craft distilleries in the United States is Edina native Alan Dietrich. Bendistillery, based in Bend, Ore., produces handcrafted spirits, including Crater Lake vodka and Crater Lake gin. Dietrich moved to Bend after graduating from St. Olaf College in 1989, as he looked for a place to transition from student to working adult. The decision proved fortuitous, as it led to Bendistillery, where he started work in 2000 (the company was 4 years old).
After rising to the rank of CEO in 2012, Dietrich lives in Bend with his wife, Angela, and their two children, Scarlett, 15, and Coco, 4. He remembers Edina as “a great place to grow up with a wonderful park district, community youth programs and a neighborhood that everyone is nostalgic for.” Cheers to that!
Crater Lake products are available at 44th and France and Edina Liquor, and across the metro area at MGM and Haskell’s.
