38 artisan distilleries from across the province will be bringing their spirits to the sixth annual BC Distilled Festival on Saturday, April 6.
Attendees will have the chance to taste some of the best spirits in Canada. 25 of the distilleries in attendance this year won medals at the recent Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition – Canada’s only national spirit competition reserved exclusively for small distilleries, with a national panel of independent judges completing blind assessments of artisan spirits submitted by distillers across the country.
“This demonstrates the leadership role BC is playing in making Canadian spirits,” says Alex Hamer, BC Distilled’s founder. “The overall quality and variety of spirits has improved every year that I’ve run the festival. There’s never been a better time to get into local spirits.”
BC Distilled has several unique qualities among Vancouver tasting events:
- Samples are not ticketed. Attendees are encouraged to try spirits without the pressure of finishing every drop to get their money’s worth out of a sample ticket.
- The venue is not sold to maximum capacity, so there is room to move and relax, and attendees won’t face long lineups to try spirits and other samples.
- Each distillery is represented by staff (in most cases the distiller is present), which means attendees get to talk to the people who actually make the spirits – not just agents.
- The Legacy Liquor pop-up shop is one of the most popular aspects of the show – it has the best selection of BC spirits anywhere in the province – for one night only!
BC Distilled is once again partnering with Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS), whose participation is among attendees’ favourite parts of the event. Volunteers with dogs will be roaming the event while offering tickets to a 50/50 draw. Last year the festival raised close to $5000 for the organization.
Forage Distillers Dinner Is Back!
On Friday, April 5, the Distillers Dinner returns for its third year at Forage restaurant. Chef Welbert Choi will feature six cocktail and spirit samples from BC distilleries, paired with six terroir-based courses. An optional cocktail reception preceding the dinner will be hosted at Timber Gastropub, with a seventh distillery providing cocktails.
| BC Distilled 2019 Participants: | |
| After Dark Distillery Ltd. | Pacific Rim Distilling |
| Alchemist Distiller, Inc. | Pemberton Distillery Inc. |
| Ampersand Distilling Company | Resurrection Spirits |
| Arbutus Distillery | Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery |
| Bruinwood Estate Distillery | Shelter Point Distillery |
| Central City Brewers & Distillers | Sheringham Distillery |
| de Vine Spirits | Sons of Vancouver Distillery |
| Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers | Taunton Bay Spirits |
| Fermentorium Distilling Co. | The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery |
| Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co. | The Dubh Glas Distillery |
| Legend Distilling | The Liberty Distillery |
| Mad Laboratory Distilling | The Woods Spirit Co. |
| Maple Leaf Spirits Inc. | Tofino Distillery |
| Merridale Cidery & Distillery | True North Distilleries |
| Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery Ltd. | Tumbleweed Spirits |
| Moon Distillery Ltd. | Urban Distilleries & Winery |
| Odd Society Spirits | Victoria Caledonian |
| Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery | Wayward Distillation House |
| Old Order Distilling Co. | Yaletown Distilling Company |
BC Distilled
Saturday, April 6
Trade/VIP Tasting: 2:00 – 4:30pm
Public Tasting: 6:00 – 9:00pm
Croatian Cultural Centre, 3520 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Early bird tickets are on sale now for $59.99.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bcdistilled.ca/tickets.
BC Distilled is grateful for the support of its sponsors: South Peace Grain, Legacy Liquor Store, and The Alchemist.
