Some breweries start with a recipe—Talking Cedar started with a revolution

written and photographed by Jackie Dodd

For 184 years, a federal law told Native nations they could not distill spirits on their own land. It was one of those archaic rules that linger far longer than they should have. The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation decided that was unacceptable. They pressed Congress to repeal it, and in 2018 the ban was overturned and signed into law. That victory was not just about spirits. It was about sovereignty, justice and freedom.

Talking Cedar was born from that victory. It is a 35,000-square-foot brewery, distillery and restaurant on Chehalis tribal land in Washington. It is the first tribally owned, legally operated distillery in the United States, both a symbol and a working example of what happens when determination meets craft.

As the legacy grows, the brewery’s offerings expand beyond a core lineup that includes pilsner, juicy IPA, Pacific Northwest IPA and amber. Next year, the team plans to add a small pilot system to complement the 60-barrel brewhouse, focusing on one-off, small-batch beers that spotlight local and Native ingredients. The goal is to collaborate with nearby craft breweries and tribal businesses, turning out limited kegs that showcase the heritage and history of the land.

Talking Cedar welcomed master distiller Matt Hofmann as general manager earlier this year. Known for pioneering American single malt and helping define Pacific Northwest whiskey as a co-founder of Westland Distillery, Hofmann brings a rare mix of innovation, deep category knowledge and respect for place. His leadership connects the brewery and distillery, guiding Talking Cedar into a new era of craft rooted in both heritage and experimentation.

This fall, the story extended from the brewhouse to the kitchen with the arrival of executive chef Richard Jensen, who brings decades of culinary experience and a deep sense of local pride to the table.

Born and raised in Washington, Jensen started in a dish pit and worked through some of the country’s finest kitchens, including Aqua with Michael Mina, Redwood Park with George Morrone and Meadowood Napa Valley, where he worked on a three-Michelin-star team. He trained under a German master chef, honing classical skills before moving into contemporary cuisine that celebrates both flavor and story.

His leadership style is built on mentorship and collaboration. “A kitchen is only as strong as its team,” he said, and it shows. The new Talking Cedar menu reflects that spirit of unity: seasonal, regionally inspired and rooted in tribal values while respecting the patrons who come in for comforting pub food.

The refreshed lineup keeps brewpub favorites you would expect, like burgers, wings and fish and chips, with flawless execution worth the drive to Grand Mound. It also layers in ingredients that honor the land and the seasons, the way the tribe always has. Think whole wild-caught Chinook salmon filleted in-house, locally grown huckleberry turned into vinaigrette, blueberries from the Chehalis tribe’s farm and roasted acorn squash. It’s food that tells a story, balancing the familiar with the Indigenous, and the modern with the traditional.

It is not a departure from what Talking Cedar has always been—it’s an evolution. The brewery and distillery were built to celebrate what the Pacific Northwest has to offer, brewing every beer with pure aquifer water drawn from beneath tribal land and sending spent grain to local farms as cattle feed. The menu now mirrors that same circle of respect, sustainability and regional pride.

With only a few years under its belt, the brewery is stacking wins. Chehalis Light, a Double Gold award-winning light lager, is brewed here in the Pacific Northwest at a time when many legacy labels are brewed elsewhere or no longer in production. It is proof that heritage and craftsmanship can coexist with an easy, crushable beer.

Talking Cedar is more than a brewery. It is proof that craft can be cultural reclamation. It is a reminder that good food, good beer and good spirits can change history and taste damn good doing it. So, yes, they fought the law. But the law never stood a chance.

TALKING CEDAR
19770 SARGENT ROAD SW ROCHESTER
www.talkingcedar.com