Astoria Distillery That Just Changed Its Name Gets Sued Over New Name

An Astoria brewery will probably be forced to change its name for the second time.

Portland's House Spirits—home to Aviation gin, Volstead vodka, whiskey, coffee liqueur as well as a very pleasant Krogstad aquavit—is suing Astoria distillery Pilot House Spirits in federal court over the name of its company.

House Spirits was founded in 2004. In November 2015, the distillery moved into a 14,000-square-foot production facility in the central eastside that is the state's largest craft distillery. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Charlie Hales.

Pilot House makes Painted Lady gin, Bar Pilot vodka, whiskey, coffee liqueur and a very pleasant absinthe.

The distillery was founded in 2014 as North Coast Distilling. However, it was sued by California's North Coast Brewing Company, makers of the famed Old Rasputin, over the similarities in their names. In December 2015, the company announced its name change to Pilot House Spirits.

"I feel like I'm getting pushed around by these faceless entities," says Pilot House distiller and owner Larry Cary. "It's disgusting."

In the current suit, House Spirits seeks to force Pilot House Spirits to change itsr name, because it is "likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception in that persons are likely to believe that the products [Pilot House Spirits] markets and sells are in some way connected with, sponsored by, approved by, or endorsed by [House Spirits]."

House Spirits had initially sent cease-and-desist letters before filing suit, but Pilot House denies the legitimacy of its claim.

"I think it's ridiculous," says Cary. "The names are completely separate. Why don't you look up what a pilot house refers to, and what a house refers to. I think it's a case of a large company pushing around a small company. They've got no legal standing."

A pilot house is the bridge of a small ship, where the helmsman steers the vessel.

House Spirits lawyer Steven Wilker was succinct on the matter. "We issued a cease and desist," he says, "and then they didn't, and then we sued."

Cary says he'll see what happens in court.

If House Spirits wins, he says, "we'll be put out of business and they can come buy our machinery."

Willamette Week