Ashtown Brewing Company
“Ashtown” was derived by one of the most significant events in Pacific Northwest history and one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America. An eruption that shook Washington State and the surrounding areas on the morning of May 18th, 1980. Not only did it demolish the surrounding area of lakes and forest but it sent mud raging and ash spewing as far as 17 miles away. Our little town of Longview was covered in a thick blanket of ash and debris blocking the sun and causing darkness in the middle of the day. It caused rivers such as the Toutle to reroute and new channels to be formed in the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers. Forty years later, these river’s shipping channels are still regularly dredged of the ever-settling ash.
At Ashtown we continue to celebrate and honor the magnitude of this event on our community and the beautiful return of nature. Here’s a toast to the ones that lost their life that morning living & working in the path of her destruction.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
