SUSTAINABLE SIPS
3 6 SPRING 2020 FOOD & DRINK
An inedible waste product
from Ontario dairy farms,
the unused sugars called
milk permeate, are turned
into deliciously smooth,
gluten-free vodka using a
process that requires half
the energy of traditional
distilling. Using lighter,
Ontario-made glass
reduces the footprint of
its unique bottle, too.Vod kow
LCBO 11573, $36.00MOO-RE VODK A!
Ontario spirit makers are installing “smart”
irrigation systems and solar panels, planting
trees and reusing hot water—easing the load
on resources as they go.
Distilling can be a resource-intensive process,
which Ontario spirit makers are working to
counter. For instance, many—including Still
Waters in Concord (makers of Stalk & Barrel
whiskies)—try to reuse as much of the hot
water from the distilling process as possible.
Because spirits are distilled from agri-
cultural products—potatoes and grains, for
instance—sustainability starts on the farm.
Viritus Organic Vodka is Certified Organic
and is made using 100-percent organic
Canadian corn.
Beattie’s Vodka is made on an Alliston
potato farm that uses water from an on-site
well, has a “smart” irrigation system for crop
watering, and uses eco-friendly features such
as solar panels and thermal heating.
Kinsip House of Fine Spirits, which is
nestled in Prince Edward County and limits
chemical spraying on the grains it grows there,
recycles its spent-grain mashes as feed at a
local dairy farm. And all of its tasting-room
bottles are reused to hold products by
Harrowsmith’s Farmacy Bath & Beauty.
That’s not all: Top Shelf Distillers, makers
of Reunion Moonshines, expects to plant up
to 300,000 trees in Ontario this year through
its #moretrees initiative (look for the logo
displayed on bottles at the LCBO).
Distilling wisdom
JOHNSTOWN, ON | KLCRAFTDISTILLERY.CA
Spent organic corn and rye grains from this distillery (all sourced
from within 75 kilometres) go back to local farms to feed dairy
cattle or fertilize land. Renewable electricity and natural gas come
from Bullfrog Power, a Canadian company specializing in renew-
able and low-impact energy solutions. The distillery has carbon-
footprint- reducing features like LED lighting and in-floor heating,
and completes processes such as bottling and labelling by hand
instead of by machine, to minimize energy use.King’s Lock Craft Distillery
The King’s Lock
energy tab is
equal to or below
many average
household bills.Shop online for products.KING’S LOCK IMAGE BY DIVERSE DESIGNS