FEATURE BUSINESS
FERNIE DISTILLERS
In Historic Downtown Fernie, the local
food and beverage industry is expanding
with the opening of Fernie Distillers in
spring 2018.
Although this is a brand new start up,
the company has strong legs. Co-
owner Jillian Rutherford will be taking
the production lead and has put her
Engineering degree and experience
in the O&G industry to good use,
selecting and installing the distilling
equipment with a meticulous eye. For
two years she has honed her skills,
taking courses and building experience
and relationships with distilleries
throughout BC. She plans to start
simple with ‘No. 9 Mine’ vodka, made
with local organic Bishop wheat from
Creston and Fernie water, purified
using reverse osmosis. Other products
including a ‘Fernie Fog’ liqueur and
‘Prospector Gin’ will soon follow, also
focusing on local produce when possible
to build the flavour profiles. The
company’s branding was created by Lisa
Holst of Fernie-based My Friend Pike.
A bright and airy tasting room will offer
retail sales, tastings, and cocktails in the
lounge 3 evenings a week. The sunny
garden patio will be a popular spot in
the warmer months. The tasting room is
a work of art in itself, with shelving and
a custom bar-top made from reclaimed
wood and accents including an original
leather panel from the Legion next door
and a bar-front made from a brewery
bottle conveyor belt.
Seeking a lifestyle that reflected
their passions, Jillian and husband
Andrew (who will advise on business
development and sales), along
with their two kids and 4 year-old
Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Crush,
have found their home in Fernie. They
celebrate 1 year living in the mountains
in June, after visiting for 20 years to
enjoy the year-round activities and
social scene.
531 1st Ave
Ferniedistillers.com
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