September News

• In B.C., government worker strike action that temporarily halted deliveries to private liquor stores this past summer resulted in a boom for the province's small-batch distillers, Business in Vancouver and Global News reported.

• In an article on tourism to the Gulf Islands off Vancouver's coast, The Seattle Times recommended visiting Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery, which distills spirits from local honey.

• The Fort Distillery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, is partnering with Rogers Place in Edmonton to offer two of its products, Mountain Pass Whisky and the Tumbler & Rocks Cosmo cocktail, at the concert and event venue, local news site The Record reported.

• Global News Saskatchewan reported that the province's Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority was not keeping pace with regulatory oversight targets, with more than half of craft alcohol products lacking valid test-report certification this past summer.

• Dobrowody Distillery in Rama, Saskatchewan, credited the high quality of municipal water there for its recent Double Gold win for its Small Batch Vodka at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, SaskToday reported. Hudson Bay Distillers in Landis, Saskatchewan, was also profiled by SaskToday.ca this past summer.

• As a post-Covid tax-relief period comes to an end in Ontario, the Ottawa Citizen reported that artisan distillers were struggling to recalibrate the costs of doing business.

• Dixon's Distillery in Guelph, Ontario, was named the top spirit in the Liquor Control Board of Ontario's Best of Ontario category at its Elsie Awards this past summer, the Wellington Advertiser reported.

• Dunrobin Distilleries has a new strategic partner in Swiss company Seven Seals Innovation AG, which is infusing a $5.5 investment into the distillery's Vankleek Hill, Ontario, operations and national and global distribution, Stittsville Central reported.

• Paradigm Spirits Co. is a finalist for the Agribusiness Award of the London Business Achievement Awards to be held in London, Ontario, on September 27, the London Free Press reported.

• Saltwire reported that Steinhart Distillery in Arisaig, Nova Scotia, will receive $700,000 in federal loans, including $500,000 from the Tourism Relief Fund for projects such as an event venue renovation and an outdoor stage, and $200,000 from the Jobs and Growth Fund for equipment to produce ready-to-drink cocktails, which it plans to produce from its gin and vodka.

• In New Brunswick, two new distilleries celebrated this summer: Crooked River Distillery in Memramcook held a grand opening (though it's been operating for more than two years, Huddle reported) and First Light Distillery held its grand opening in Hanwell, outside of Fredericton.

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Brewers Association has launched a Craft Brewery Passport (as part of Come Home 2022 festivities), which includes the Newfoundland Distillery Co. in Clarke's Beach.

News & Openings

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News & Openings

• Earlier this year, Shelter Point Distillery founder Patrick Evans sold majority ownership of the distillery to Chris Nelson of Nelson Investment Inc. (Evans continues to farm on the Campbell River, B.C. property where the distillery is located.) Stephen Goodridge, a founder of Goodridge & Williams Distilling, has been appointed Shelter Point's new General Manager.

• Austin, Texas-based Milestone Brands acquired Victoria Distillers in June and plans to double volumes of products like Empress 1908 gin to more than 400,000 cases annually.

Source: https://www.touchwoodeditions.com/book/the-five-bottle-bar/

• This fall, Five Bottle Bar by Jessica Schact of Ampersand Distilling in Duncan, B.C., will be published by Touchwood Editions. It's a cocktail book to help people build a full cocktail bar with just five-plus bottles.

• Modern Luxuria wrote about Anohka Distillery, located west of Edmonton, makers of Tempest Gin.

• Eau Claire Distillery in Turner Valley, Alberta, launched a Stampede Canadian Rye Whisky in partnership with the Calgary Stampede in June.

• Alberta Open Farm Days on August 13 and 14 will include distillers like Pivot Spirits Craft Distillery in Rolling Hills, Alberta.

• PA Now wrote about the vibrant brewing and distilling scene in Saskatchewan, including Last Mountain Distillery and Lucky Bastard Distillers.

• The Ottawa Citizen reported that Dunrobin Distilleries is building a new distillery on the site of a former illicit cannabis grow-op site in downtown Stittsville, Ontario. Local legend has it that Elivs Presley once stopped at a former gas station on the same site to fill up his Cadillac in 1957.

• Apikol, a Quebec micro-distilling and agri-tourism operation, received a $100,000 Canadian Economic Development grant in July to support its beekeeping operations and honey-based spirits.

• In the U.S., on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, women- and LGBTQ-owned Republic Restoratives Distillery in Washington, D.C., announced it would donate proceeds from the sale of its Dissent Gin to the National Network of Abortion Funds.