Steve McCarthy, Dies, Founded Clear Creek Distillery

He died a week shy of his 80th birthday on Jan. 2 from Parkinson's Disease.  He founded Clear Creek in 1985 after discovering Poire Williams, a clear brandy made from Williams pears, during a business trip to Europe.  McCarthy thought it was a way to use fruit from McCarthy Family Farm, his family's pear orchard.  He was trained in distilling by Jorg Rupf, founder of St. George Spirits.

McCarthy sold Clear Creek Distillers to Hood River Distillers in 2014.