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Lights now on at After Dark Distillery

Sicamous91Ƶ new craft distillery celebrates grand opening on Saturday, April 15.
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The lights are on at After Dark Distillery and product is ready to roll out.

Sicamous91Ƶ first micro distillery, located at the corner of Main Street and Shuswap Avenue, opened its doors on March 25. A grand opening is scheduled for this Saturday, April 15. Local band Seal Skull Hammer will be performing, and everyone (of legal drinking age) is welcome to take a tour and try out the business91Ƶ alcoholic offerings. They currently specialize in vodka and a variety of flavoured moonshines including Mountain Dew, maple, peach, iced tea, lemonade and apple pie.

Asked if he has a favourite, After Dark owner and master distiller Dean Perry said he likes them all.

91ƵI created them to my taste91Ƶ And everybody seems to agree with it,91Ƶ laughs Perry.

Transforming the former bowling alley and retail space into a fully-operational distillery has been about a year-long process. The building includes a warehouse in the back, the distillery in the middle and a storefront that includes product displays and a tasting area.

91ƵWe looked all over and this seemed to be the right location91Ƶ,91Ƶ said Perry, explaining what brought him from Grand Prairie, Alta. to Sicamous to set up shop. 91ƵThere was this vacant building here right on Main Street that suited what we wanted to do so we approached the people who had it and they sold it to us and we moved forward.91Ƶ

Classified as a 91Ƶcraft distillery,91Ƶ After Dark is allowed to produce up to 50,000 litres of spirit per year. They are required to use 100 per cent B.C. agricultural products in the production of alcohol and fermentation must be completed onsite.

Perry said 20,000 litres would be a good start for After Dark91Ƶs first year. As for ingredients, he said his products are corn-based and sourced locally.

91ƵWe buy from farmers and local grain places within 100 miles of this area,91Ƶ said Perry. 91ƵWe support the community.

91ƵWe91Ƶre having old-style whiskey jugs being created for us out of Enderby. They91Ƶll be just straight moonshine in those.91Ƶ

After Dark Distillery91Ƶs offerings are currently only available at the storefront, but will be available elsewhere in the Shuswap soon.

91ƵWe are proceeding with building lots of quantity of each product and we will be going out in probably about another month or so and doing sales,91Ƶ said Perry. 91ƵWe91Ƶre going to go through Northern B.C. and sell all up there. And also locally, everybody is already after me locally for the product for the bars and stores.91Ƶ

Despite having just opened, Perry is already looking to expand the current facility by adding another 2,600 square feet for warehouse/bottling space.

After Dark Distillery is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.



Lachlan Labere

About the Author: Lachlan Labere

Editor, Salmon Arm Observer
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