Edmonton distillery using corn to make Alberta version of “bourbon”

While authentic Kentucky bourbon is off the shelves in Alberta, just minutes outside of Edmonton a distillery is using Alberta corn to make Alberta bourbon.

Alberta announced earlier in the week that it would stop buying American liquor, which includes bourbon, a spirit that by name has a legal requirement to only be made in the USA.

“We make bourbon in Canada, we’re one of the distilleries that do, but we’re not legally allowed to call it bourbon,” said Geoff Stewart, co-owner of Rig Hand Distillery. “We have to call it corn whisky. Which isn’t near as sexy as bourbon.”

To be called bourbon, the liquor must be made in the United States, be made of at least 51 per cent corn, and aged only in new barrels.

“I did my apprenticeship to learn how to distill in a bourbon distillery in Ohio,” said Geoff.  “I learned how it’s done in the United States. I do the exact same process here. What’s different? The corn that we’re using is from down the road, instead of from Kentucky or Ohio. The water is our own water.”

Rig Hand Distillery uses corn from Spruce Grove, and barley from Camrose, and distills all of their spirits right at their facility in Leduc County. With the absence of the famous Kentucky bourbon on Alberta’s liquor store shelves, Rig Hand believes they can fill the gap

“Ours couldn’t get any more local if you try,” said Geoff.

Of course, bourbon isn’t the only U.S  imported liquor currently off the shelves in Alberta. Geoff says that he’s had requests for all kinds of hard liquor – gin, vodka, rum, rye – all Alberta made all along, now in higher demand.

“We’ve been trying to get our products into British Columbia for almost 10 years, and I got a call last week, they said hey we want some more Canadian products, so we’re working with a distributor there and we’re going to be able to get this “bourbon” into BC,” said Geoff.

If the Canadian made counterpart to your preferred American spirit isn’t available at Rig Hand, Geoff advises to keep looking locally.

“If we don’t have it, one of the other 62 craft distilleries in Alberta will have it. So, try one in your community,” said Geoff.