You may wonder what happens behind the scenes at Straightway… Well, we're thrilled to finally have a platform to show you more of what’s behind our proverbial curtain!

Over the last six years, Co-Founders Cy Cain & Casey Richwine, and the team at Straightaway have built a brand known for crafting some of the best cocktails in the country. Being a mission driven brand and certified B Corp, Straightaway  strives to make a positive impact on the community and the planet all while being one of the best places to work in Portland.

So where did this all start? Grab your cocktail, take a sip, and read along. 

Origin Story: Bootlegging & Sidewalk Lemon Juice

Legend has it, Straightaway was born when two pals decided they’d rather enjoy great cocktails with their guests at their parties than spend the night stuck behind the bar. It all started with a spark of ‘lightning’. AKA, The Lintik- a little known cocktail from the Philippines. Which, in Tagalog, translates to lightning (and happens to be an expletive as well, oops!). Casey discovered The Lintik in a cocktail book from the 1930s called The Gentleman’s Companion written by Charles H. Baker Jr. The cocktail pairs gin with lemon, bitters, and simple syrup. The Lintik became one of the first batched cocktails that Cy & Casey worked on together. However, after realizing they were lowkey bootlegging cocktails, they decided to get serious about starting a business.

 

Cy & Casey signed the lease on the Tasting Room on Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, Oregon in January of 2018. They scaled production on our first cocktails in the back room, which is hilarious if you’ve ever seen it (it’s tiny…like, drums of ingredients becoming makeshift desks tiny). The key ingredient to Lintik is fresh lemon juice. So, we had to buy a juicer! Cy has said they tried at least four different juicers before they found one that worked. They would roll it outside on lemon juicing days and squeeze fresh lemon juice right there on 9th & Hawthorne. 

The recipe may sound simple but there were over 50 versions of Lintik before the final version that would go to market. This is a philosophy that remains today: If it makes it better, we make it. Meaning, our team will always do what it takes to make the best possible cocktail even if that process is extremely inconvenient. Craft has always been at our core, and all drinks must pass the I.N.M.O.T.I.M.L. test (I need more of this in my life). And we needed more Lintik in our lives. 

Cocktail Philosophy 

When we think about building cocktails, balance is first and foremost. We source the best ingredients we can find and craft them into a delicious cocktail. We build nearly everything that goes into a cocktail in-house with the exceptions of whiskey, tequila, and mezcal, which we source the best of those spirits available to the market.

With Accompani, our line of liqueur, amaro, and vermouth, we have the opportunity to create incredible building blocks that bar programs could incorporate into their own cocktail menus. When it comes to building new cocktails, a lot of the time it comes down to restraint. We often start with a bold idea, then refine it by focusing on what we can remove rather than add, creating the best possible experience.

Our Impact

Since day one, giving back to the community has been at the heart of our business. We’ve been members of 1% for the Planet since 2023 and give an additional 1% of revenue to organizations that focus on human rights and social justice. In the last year we became a Certified B Corporation (one of only 43 distilleries worldwide!) which crystalized a philosophy that has been here since the beginning: let’s make this brand bigger than us, make it something that always gives back. Do good by doing well. 

The Team - A few words from our Co-Founders

Arguably our greatest accomplishment is our team. Cy has said “We have a team of connectors and doers who live to bring people together through our work and enjoy a great cocktail. Straightaway is honored to have earned the distinction as one of the Best Places to Work in OR/SW WA for the 2nd consecutive year. I have to give a shout out to our leadership team, and every team member in our company, for helping build and practice the team culture we set out to build. Their infectious energy, and commitment to doing things the right way no matter the task at hand, has led to recognition I couldn't be happier to share.” 

A ‘pinch me’ moment for Casey was “when we started to get incredibly talented people who wanted to come work for us. You could go anywhere but you’re choosing to come here. People believe in this thing you’ve built. It’s a place where folks want to be.” 

Thank you for reading and imbibing throughout the years!

Team Straightaway