News

• Island Shiners Distillery, which held its grand opening on April 15, 2021, was destroyed by an early morning fire, as reported in local media. Investigators are still determining the cause.

• On May 15, BC Distilled is launching a fundraiser for Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) with five B.C. distilleries selling limited-release spirits, with $45 per bottle sold going directly to PADS. The participating distillers are DEVINE Spirits, The Dubh Glas Distillery, Okanagan Spirits, True North Distilleries, and Wayward Distillery.

• In July, watch for the debut of the Journal of Distilling Science, a new international peer-reviewed research publication that’s the creation of Artisan Spirit magazine under the academic watch of lead science editor Dr. Gary Spedding. It will initially be published twice a year, with the first issue expected in July.

• A new book highlighted 21 B.C. distilleries, The Distilleries of Vancouver Island by Marianne Scott, was published by Touchwood in April.

• The Montreal Alouettes CFL team has partnered with Distillerie NOROI in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, to offer its spirits and ready-to-drink beverages at home games this season.

• To complement its wine, beer and distilling programs, Niagara College will offer a one-year Beverage Business Management graduate certificate. Food in Canada reported that it will cover aspects of the beverage alcohol business, from retail and legal/regulatory matters to marketing and exports. As part of the program students will pair with beer, wine or spirits partners or use real-life case studies to tackle an industry problem.

Deals and Openings

• In late April Wines in Niagara reported that Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville, Ontario, was acquired by the Mark Anthony Group (owners of the Iconic Wineries of British Columbia, which includes Mission Hill Family Estate; and beverage alcohol brands including Mike’s Hard Lemonade and White Claw Hard Seltzer).

• Broken Spirits Distillery in Calgary opened last year, and now offers gin, spiced and cream liqueurs and a sugarcane-based spirit.

• A local news site reported that Grit City Distillery in Medicine Hat, Alberta, was expanding to a new tasting-room location called the Whisky District.

• CTV in London, Ontario, reported on the opening of Paradigm Spirits Co. last December. The distillery currently offers vodka, gin as well as bottled cocktails and whisky.

• Local media including Kamloops This Week reported that a former train station will house Iron Horse Distillery, a project of local investors and Alberta’s Two Pine Ventures.

• CBC in Thunder Bay reported that Rheault Distillery in Hearst, Ontario, has successfully rezoned a former auto-body shop property in Thunder Bay for a potential brewery-distillery.