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Photo Credit: Katie Huisman

SONS of VANCOUVER – Really Really SMALL Batch – Written by Anne Ladouceur

When I saw the name ‘Sons of Vancouver – Really Really Small Batch’, I was immediately intrigued and the first thing I asked Richard Klaus was how the name came about and what it meant.

“We wanted to give some love to the city where we live and work”. Richard went on to explain that the name also reflects the fact that SoV uses as much locally produced/processed product as possible. Not only are they a small distillery, they like to work with small producers.

Richard Klaus and James Lester are ‘sons’ of British Columbia who met when they were in Junior High. While working as bartenders, they started experimenting with unique cocktails, which led them to discovering the craft distillery industry in the U.S. This interest resulted in their spending some time in the States, learning the craft and developing their own skills. Conception to the official opening in March 2015 took 3 years.

Setting up a craft distillery is a little more complex than opening a craft beer business in that there are more security and insurance issues (alcohol levels in beer are rarely above 10% but can reach 94% in liquor). This is a relatively new industry in BC (about 31 distilleries vs 100’s of craft beer brewers) so regulations are still a bit complex.

Because most craft distilleries are producing vodka, this is the ideal product for consumers to taste and compare distilleries. James and Richard’s interest in ‘spicing’ up cocktails influenced their decision to offer a spicy Chili Vodka and to add the “underutilized and unappreciated in cocktails” amaretto to their inventory.

Sons of Vancouver will be happy to offer serving suggestions for their vodkas and BC blackberry honey sweetened amaretto at the Coquitlam Farmers’ Market on September 6 and October 18, and then at the Port Moody Winter Farmers Market.

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