Kelowna, of course, is known for its established vineyards and world-class wine. What’s less known is that it is also home to a blossoming craft spirits industry.
As a farming community, accessing fresh ingredients from local farmers and orchard growers has made the growth of distilleries an easy one. Here are four farm-to-glass distilleries guaranteed to keep your spirits up.
Urban Distilleries – Industrial Innovation
First stop, Urban Distilleries opened in 2011 by master distiller and owner, Mike Urban. Located in an industrial complex on the edge of downtown Kelowna, Urban doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the minute you open the doors, you’re transported into spirit land.
A tour will teach you the distilling process in the giant vats and the oh-so-pretty copper stills with their various columns, bells and whistles, and allow a peek at the classroom where students from all over the world study the art of distilling.
Next comes the hands-on part – tastings of spirits like gin, vodka and BC’s first single malt whisky (note in Canada, distilleries cannot use the word “scotch” for their products, Scotland has patented that word), fruit liqueurs and Urban’s latest creations, mead honey wine and a bourbon.
Concepts are innovative as well, with proceeds from sales of their Spirit Bear line donated to a foundation that supports these rare British Columbian creatures. And the Urban Single Malt Whisky is bottled with a piece of French oak barrel, which helps give the spirit its distinctive flavour and colour (and looks cool).
According to Steve Francis, one of Urban’s tour/tasting gurus, “There’s a current home-entertainment trend; people want to show off their mixologist skills, and they’re recognizing the superior taste of premium craft spirits.”
Francis’ tip: Going camping? For a Dirty Caesar, all you need is a bottle of the Spirit Bear Dill Vodka and Caesar mix. No fuss, no muss.
Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery – Main Street Chic
This store-front distillery is located in trendy downtown Kelowna, but houses a small copper still for demonstration. Here, a tasting room expert like long-time bartender, Duell Donaldson, will explain the industry, while pouring a wee dram of whatever spirit you fancy.
By regulation, craft distilleries must source all ingredients from within the province, distill and age their own alcohol on-site and keep production under 50,000 litres per year; for context, commercial distilleries produce two to three times that per day.
The Vernon flagship location of OK Spirits was started back in 2004 by the Dyck family, and is where the bulk of their products are made. Most of their alcohol comes from local apples, and each 750 ml bottle takes a whopping 20 pounds of fruit.
Aside from the regular spirits like gin, vodka and whisky, OK Spirits also makes fruit liqueurs and specialty products like aquavit and absinthe. The 60 per cent proof absinthe, called Taboo (it’s still banned in some countries due to its bad rap when the likes of Van Gogh suffered brain damage from improperly distilled absinthe), is a cherry-base with herbs including the signature ingredient, locally-foraged wormwood.
During the summer months, the patio here is the place for cocktail aficionados to indulge, a local favourite being the Moscow Mule, served in a traditional copper mug. And heads up gin-haters, people who don’t usually like gin are finding craft gins so different to commercial ones that they are actually enjoying gin cocktails. “But be careful,” Donaldson warns, “craft spirits can be so smooth that visitors say, ‘is there even any booze in this?’”
Donaldson’s tip: Add fruit liqueur to whipped cream to serve with your desserts. Raspberry is most people’s favourite, even Kate Middleton’s, when she did a tasting with the Royal Family.
Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co.– Orchard Ambiance
Next, make the scenic drive through orchards and past equestrian stables to Forbidden Spirits in southeast Kelowna. Owners Blair and Kelly Wilson had been selling apples from their orchard for juice, but realized the unique opportunity for craft distilling with Kelowna being both a farming community and a tourist destination.
Set to open its doors this summer, the distillery has massive German copper stills, visible from the beautiful, old church-style tasting room, complete with stained glass windows. “In honour of the old Casorso ranch that used to be located here, we’ve built our tasting room with old wood from their barn to maintain tradition,” says Blair.
All products will be apple-based, from their own and other local orchards, starting with Rebel vodka this year, moving into gin and whisky, and eventually brandy and rum. Forbidden Spirits will also take advantage of their orchard ambiance to host weddings, and later a picnic area licensed to BYOB and food, where you can enjoy the views and stroll through the orchards on a sunny, summer day.
Wiseacre Farm Distillery – Rustic Country
Final stop is at Wiseacre, a working farm on the rural edge of Kelowna. They already host weddings and culinary events, but plan on opening their farm distillery this fall (just waiting for government paperwork, which is extensive).
At Wiseacre you will be able to check out the field where the grains for the distillery are grown, before strolling through the chicken, donkey and cow pasture, catching a demo at the small blacksmithing shop, then ending at the distillery for a tour and tasting.
Initially owned by Kristi Caldwell’s parents’ before she and her husband, James, took over, there is an amazing collection of 30 of Kristi’s dad’s antique trucks and farm equipment where you can see the likes of a 1905 International Harvester Hay Press or a 1919 National Truck. And because they use traditional farming methods, a 1962 Massey Ferguson combine is used to harvest the grains.
Wiseacre plans on keeping things small-scale, starting with vodka and gin (made with juniper grown on site), whisky and some liqueurs. “We envision a hands-on approach to the crafting and want our clientele to feel invested by helping with the harvest and other parts of the process,” says Kristi.
Really, it’s no surprise with the trend for all-things-local, that craft spirits would be next. Amazingly, in the short time they’ve been operational, Urban and OK Spirits have already won global awards. Forbidden Spirits and Wiseacre Farm, when they open, won’t be trailing far behind. Bet you can’t visit one of these distilleries without buying a bottle to take home.
When You Go:
Urban Distilleries: www.urbandistilleries.ca
Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery: https://okanaganspirits.com
Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co.: www.forbiddenvodka.ca
Wiseacre Farm Distillery: https://wiseacrefarmdistillery.com
Arrange a tour so you can indulge freely in tastings: http://kelownaconcierge.ca/
Stay at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort for the best lakeview sunsets. Eat on the patio at Oak & Cru Social Kitchen and Wine Bar (http://oakandcru.com/), which specializes in local ingredients and serves cocktails made from local spirits. Try the “One for the Ladies” – rhubarb infused vodka cocktail – sublime!
RauDZ Regional Table (http://www.raudz.com/) is another great choice for farm-to-table and its unique community table atmosphere. Sample the house martinis, made with local spirits and local fruits all year long (they purée and preserve the fruit).
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