The Canadian visit follows Wine Victoria’s inaugural trade program earlier this year and reflects growing confidence in Canada as one of the most promising export markets for Victorian wine. As global wine producers navigate shifting trade dynamics and changing consumer behaviour, Canada continues to demonstrate strong demand for Australian wine, with export growth significantly outpacing many other international markets.

Wine Victoria CEO Stephanie Duboudin will travel to Canada with representatives from Victoria’s wine sector to meet with importers, provincial liquor buyers, retailers, hospitality professionals and wine media. Trade showcases will take place in Toronto on Oct. 15 and Vancouver on Oct. 20, featuring a significantly expanded portfolio of Victorian producers and wines.

“Canada has become a market we believe is worth investing in for the long term,” said Duboudin. “While recent trade conditions have created new opportunities, our focus extends well beyond short-term market shifts. We’re building relationships with Canadian buyers, educators, media and consumers because we believe Victorian wine has a meaningful place in this market. The response we’ve seen so far has reinforced that Canada is a priority growth market for our producers.”

In the 12 months to June 2026, Australian wine exports to Canada increased 13.2 per cent in volume and 19.6 per cent in value. Victoria’s shipments to Canada in the same timeframe rose 5.1 per cent in volume and 27.3 per cent in value, showing Victoria is driving value growth in Australian Exports to Canada.

The evolving Canada-U.S. trade relationship has also reshaped the Canadian beverage alcohol landscape. The removal of most U.S. alcoholic products from provincial distribution and retail systems beginning in 2025 created opportunities for international producers to expand their presence with buyers, retailers and restaurant operators.

For Victorian wineries, however, the opportunity is about more than replacing products from another market. Home to more than 20 wine regions, Victoria produces a diverse range of premium wines, from cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and emerging varieties. Wine Victoria’s Canadian program is designed to help trade professionals better understand that diversity while creating direct commercial connections between Victorian producers and Canadian decision-makers.

Building on early momentum

Wine Victoria made its first dedicated Canadian trade visit in February 2026, introducing Victorian wine to Canadian buyers, sommeliers and media through educational tastings and seminars. The October return marks a significant expansion of that effort. In both Toronto and Vancouver, Wine Victoria will present invitation-only seminars for leading trade and media professionals, followed by larger walk-around receptions featuring wines currently available in Canada alongside producers seeking new distribution and partnership opportunities.

John Szabo MS will lead Toronto’s seminar, while wine writer and educator Kurtis Kolt will lead Vancouver’s session. Rather than focusing exclusively on Victorian wines, each seminar will place the wines within a broader international context through curated tastings designed to explore style, climate, quality positioning and commercial relevance in today’s premium wine market. Participants will have the opportunity to compare Victorian wines alongside peer wines from other global regions, providing a more nuanced understanding of the region’s strengths and distinctiveness. Following each seminar, attendees will be invited to explore a broader selection of Victorian wines and meet representatives from Wine Victoria and participating wineries.

“Canadian buyers are increasingly looking for wines with authenticity, regional character and a compelling story,” said Duboudin. “Being present in the market matters. When buyers can taste widely, they quickly see that Victoria is not a single style or a single region. The diversity, quality and innovation coming out of Victoria are what make these conversations so valuable.”

For Victoria’s wine sector, Canada represents an increasingly important market for long-term growth. Through continued investment in education, trade relationships and market development, Wine Victoria aims to strengthen awareness of Victorian wine while creating new opportunities for producers across the state’s diverse wine regions.

GNO might be most recognizable to nightlife patrons for its pink-clad teams sharing bottles of water and safety support on Vancouver’s Granville Street and in downtown Victoria on weekends. However, its impact is also felt in the back-of-house of venues across Canada. GNO offers training to the staff of music festivals and clubs, bars and restaurants on how to prevent, spot and respond to gendered harassment and abuse in their locations. That can include anything from comments and unwanted attention to drug-facilitated sexual abuse, from alcohol over-consumption to drink-spiking.

A Parallel 49 Brewing Company staff member wrote glowingly to GNO after completing its certification training, with a cold hard truth of the industry. “Hospitality is an industry that does have a dark side of persistent harassment, and the problem won’t be addressed by the big companies unless there is a level of compliance tied to it.”

In 2025, April 23 was declared Safe Spaces Hospitality Day in the city of Vancouver, recognizing local businesses that have audited their space through a City of Vancouver-funded program called Last Call and obtained credentials from GNO. Businesses that have taken GNO training are featured on a map on the non-profit’s website, helping customers make informed decisions about the businesses they support (goodnightoutvancouver.com/partners). For nightlife patrons, GNO also offers community workshops on topics like consent, substance abuse and bystander intervention.

Welcoming spaces

GNO started “out of a love for night life, out of a love for live music, out of a love for those experiences in social spaces in Vancouver,” said executive director Stacey Forrester, who collaborated with co-founder Ashtyn Bevan on what was originally a student project for Bevan in 2016.

“It was really born from a common experience to reflect on all of the amazing nights out we had, and how easily that can be ruined, how one comment, one gesture, one action, can really ruin an otherwise good experience,” Forrester said.

GNO in B.C. started as the Canadian chapter of the same-named U.K. organization that generously shared some of its tools and resources. Around the same time, the Ontario organization, the Dandelion Initiative, which folded in 2022, began doing similar work in that province.

Whether you’re feminist-minded or not, to create a space that’s welcoming to many more customers is just good business.

Stacey Forrester, Good Night Out

Generations of imbibers, particularly women, have internalized the burden of ensuring their own safety at night, whether by moderating consumption or guarding their drinks to stay safe. “If that was all it took, we would have eradicated the problem by now,” Forrester said.

A former nurse who previously worked extensively on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Forrester believes that B.C.’s relatively progressive values and a higher awareness of creating safer, protective spaces has allowed GNO to flourish in the province, where it takes a 360-degree approach of educating hospitality staff, customers and bystanders. She emphasizes, though, that even a GNO workshop isn’t a one-stop solution for any business. “The reality is, it takes culture change and culture change is very slow.”

There’s a risk that venues that have already experienced risks and problems will treat GNO training as a shield or as a badge indicating that they’ve “fixed” a problem. “We do have guardrails around that,” Forrester said, emphasizing that prevention and training are the way forward for businesses.

A poster in the bathroom or a few lines at the bottom of a menu, reminding patrons how a bar or club wants people to feel and act in the space, can bring awareness and even create a deterrent. “Over the years, we’ve seen places be really creative, with house rules or messaging created as little works of art, so safety messaging is built into the going-out experience,” Forrester said.

A healthy bottom line might just be the common-sense driver for businesses seeking GNO certification. “Whether you’re feminist-minded or not, to create a space that’s welcoming to many more customers is just good business,” Forrester said. 

More ways to have a Good Night Out

For the last two years, $2 from beers produced as part of a Collab Fest among B.C. breweries has gone to GNO. Small Gods Brewing Co., Swift Brewing, Steel & Oak Brewing, and Rewind Beer Co. were among the brewers involved.

In collaboration with the BC Craft Brewers Guild, Good Night Out (GNO) created a Guide to Protective Beer Spaces, providing a heads-up for mitigating the risks of sexual violence in breweries, tasting rooms and at beer festivals (available for purchase at goodnightoutvancouver.com/beer).

GNO has collaborated with B.C.’s funky Hotel Zed on sex-positive promotions like its Valentine’s Day Nooner promotions. From the November 30 International Day of Consent through to the end of 2024, Hotel Zed matched public donations to GNO of up to $25,000.

Café Bastille Martinez with Ketel One

This dark, savoury twist on the Martini’s precursor was one of the cocktails created in support of GNO this past spring. Recipe by Kate Chernoff, The Keefer Bar.

2 oz Ketel One Vodka 
1 oz Infused Sweet Vermouth (recipe follows)
1.5 tsp orange liqueur 
Garnish: lemon twist

Add ingredients (except garnish) to a cocktail stirring tin. Add ice and stir until chilled and diluted, up to one minute. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Serves 1.

Infused Sweet Vermouth

To a sealable container add 200 mL sweet vermouth, 20 g natural coffee beans, and 40 g dried mango. Seal (ideally with no oxygen in the container) and infuse for eight hours at room temperature. Fine-strain through a coffee filter and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month. Makes enough for six cocktails.

This article was previously published in The Alchemist and appears by permission of the publication and author.

Her first book, Three Cheers, which hit shelves in October, is packed with recipes for 55 cocktails, but her approach brings every kind of drinker into the fold. Each page features recipe variations for the classic, Stewart’s creative twist and a fully non-alcoholic version of the same cocktail. For her, it’s not so much about catering to drinkers or non-drinkers, but about dismantling the hierarchy that’s kept them apart.

“If you’re feeling like a Negroni, but you’re not wanting to drink, you can flip to the Negroni page and check out the non-alcoholic recipe,” she said. “You’ll know it’s going to be as equally [as] well thought-out as the classic or my version of it.”

Stewart has created recipes for cocktail menus in the past, but Three Cheers is the first publication that’s entirely hers. There’s no mistaking it, Three Cheers screams Stewart’s personal brand of skill, playfulness and inclusivity. Stewart is known for her inventive approach behind the bar, but for the book, she kept a broad audience in mind. “I can get super creative and do wild and crazy things,” she said, “but I reeled it in for the book. I didn’t want people to flip open to a page and see a recipe that called for an infusion, a syrup and 20 steps. That’s intimidating. I wanted the drinks to be accessible.”

Those driving forces – accessibility and inclusivity – speak to a larger cultural shift in which consumers value quality and nuance, while having the freedom to imbibe or not. That doesn’t mean her reader is necessarily a drinker or a non-drinker; rather, they value flexibility. “People are drinking more mindfully now,” she said. “One day they’ll have an alcoholic drink, and the next, they’ll choose a non-alcoholic version. In Three Cheers, each version is as important as the next.”

For Stewart, her Negroni trio ended up being one of her favourites in the book. She created the classic, her version called “High and Dry” (“a Negroni with training wheels”) and the spirit-free “No-Groni,” which leans into Italian bitters, tricking the brain just enough to feel familiar.

Especially when it came to spirit-forward cocktails like a Negroni or Old Fashioned, Stewart was up for the challenge. Translating those into non-alcoholic versions meant rethinking texture, mouthfeel and that elusive “burn” most alcohol-free spirits struggle to replicate. “That really distinct characteristic of alcohol – that lingering burn – it’s hard to recreate,” she said. “So, I used other bittering agents that give you that drying effect. It was a task, but it was a fun task.”

It was her mission to create non-alcoholic drink recipes that tasted just as good, if not better, than the real thing. “I have a lot of people in my life who don’t drink, and it was really important to create a book that was as inclusive as possible,” she said. “When I first started bartending 20 years ago, there were no spirit-free gins, tequilas, aperitifs. It was either a virgin Caesar or a virgin strawberry daiquiri. That’s all you were getting. But now, there’s no excuse.”

Giving equal weight to non-alcoholic cocktails and demonstrating just how complex they can be was strategic. “I hope people see it as a step forward. Especially in the non-alcoholic space, putting those drinks on the same playing field as any cocktail. Just because it’s non-alcoholic doesn’t mean it’s any less than,” she said.

People are drinking more mindfully now. One day they’ll have an alcoholic drink, and the next, they’ll choose a non-alcoholic version. In Three Cheers, each version is as important as the next.

Kaitlyn Stewart

While developing her book, Stewart had to make some tough decisions, starting with which drinks would make the final cut. The concept was built around 55 classic cocktails, but narrowing down that list proved to be one of the biggest challenges.

“Choosing those 55 cocktails was probably the hardest part,” Stewart said. “I really tried to spread the base spirits evenly. I didn’t want it to be all gin or all bourbon. I wanted to give each spirit a fair shot.” That meant including a few drinks that might raise eyebrows among purists. “There’s a Sex on the Beach in there,” she said with a laugh. “When you think of that cocktail, you don’t automatically think classic. But it was fun to play around with those kinds of choices. I didn’t want the book to be too stuffy. I wanted it to be fun.”

Fun plays a huge role in Stewart’s approach to recipe creation. Her creative process is fed by food, music, travel, late-night conversations and childhood memories. “I grew up in the restaurant world,” she said. “My parents ran restaurants, and my grandma was always cooking. I’d sit in the kitchen and watch her turn basic ingredients into a fancy meal. So, when I’m eating something now, say, a Thai green curry, my brain starts to dissect it. I think, ‘This makes sense in food, so why couldn’t it work in a cocktail?’”

Naming the drinks is one of her favourite parts. “A lot of people hate naming cocktails. I really love naming them,” she said. “A lot of the time I name them after song titles or lyrics, something I’ve listened to and thought, ‘That would sound really good as a drink.’” For instance, in Three Cheers, her version of a French 75 is the Eiffel 65 (Millennials will remember). It was her signature Tom Cat Collins (inspired by her cats, obviously) that helped her bag the World Class championship round.

Whether she’s behind the bar, in competition or now as an author, Stewart’s aim is to be unapologetically herself. “I wanted Three Cheers to feel like I was inviting you into my home. I wanted readers to feel comfortable, like they could make these recipes in their kitchen. It was made to feel personal and intentional,” she said. That means that while she loves a studio-ready image of the perfect cocktail, you won’t find that in Three Cheers. “We approached our photography in a grassroots way, with lots of natural light. It’s all very authentic.”

For its imagery, the entire shoot took place in Stewart’s apartment, captured by a friend who usually photographs people, not cocktails. She wasn’t interested in fancy backdrops, fake condensation or over-styled glassware, either. They worked with whatever natural light was coming through the windows that day.

Stewart has gotten used to inviting her audience into her home. Her social media followers get a daily glimpse of her life at her home bar, along with tutorials and education on cocktails ranging from classic margaritas to a cilantro, chocolate spritz. Finding popularity on social media wasn’t something Stewart ever planned, though it’s turned out to be an unexpected asset. She now uses her audience as a kind of real-time focus group, especially when curating menus or developing recipes.

“I’ll look at what’s resonating – what’s getting saved, shared, commented on – and use that to shape what I create. I can see if people are leaning into martinis or spritzes, and that data helps guide my decisions,” said Stewart That sense of collaboration has been infused into much of her career. From building bar teams to working with book editors, Stewart knows how to surround herself with people who make the work better. “If you don’t have a good team, you won’t be as successful,” she said. “As much as my Capricorn side wants to tackle it all myself, I’ve learned you can’t do it all alone.”

Now, with Three Cheers, she’s hoping the book will affect others in the way that all great hospitality does, by making people feel included, no matter where they are.

“Non-alcoholic drinks deserve to be on the same level as any other cocktail, not treated like an afterthought,” she said. For her, it’s a way to push the industry forward, but also make space for more people to feel included, no matter how they choose to drink. “It doesn’t have to be soda or juice. It can be thoughtful, complex and genuinely good. That’s what I hope this book shows: there’s room for everyone at the bar.”

Although their team is still small, it feels like quite the change from the two people that started the distillery. “They started from scratch – laying the floors, building the tasting room. It all started with elbow grease,” said Jenna Diubaldo, whisky program manager at SOV. “It’s the smallest budget I’ve ever seen anyone operate a distillery with.” Starting with a 1,000-litre mash tun, they’ve now grown to 8,000 litres.

“We started out being known for our liqueurs, the amaretto in particular,” Diubaldo said, noting that the Chili Vodka was also quite popular. “Now people know us for our whisky. A few awards for our whisky line really brought that to light.” The move to whisky came consciously in 2021. When Diubaldo joined the distillery, she managed production, working with the team for a few years and eventually buying into the company alongside Max Smith. Lester is one of the original founders and general manager, while Smith is the lead distiller and Diubaldo manages spirits production overall as well as the whisky program.

In 2023, SOV received the title of Canadian Whisky of the Year from the Canadian Whisky Awards. This drew national attention to their whisky program, which at the time was only on its fourth limited release, cementing its success. “We were the first independent craft distillery to have won that award in its history,” Diubaldo said. “It was like a rocket ship…. All of a sudden, everyone wanted our whisky, and we certainly did not have enough to meet the demand, which made for an interesting challenge.”

Balance became key moving forward. SOV amped up its whisky production, focusing on not only making more whisky, but ensuring it met its high standard of quality. Distilled from B.C. grains, 90 per cent of SOV’s production is whisky, with their mash bills being 100 per cent rye and wheated rye.

Mainly limited releases, their whisky program started with their numbered series, which ties in unique names that try to evoke a feeling or memory. Palm Trees and a Tropical Breeze won Canadian Whisky of the Year in 2023. The SOV team recently released its core whisky, Sons of Vancouver Wheated Rye, which is 75 per cent rye and 25 per cent wheat. SOV wanted this rye to be approachable and accessible, with the main goal of changing people’s perception of rye. They use a column still, allowing them to make both whisky and neutral spirits from the same still. “The adaptability is key,” said Diubaldo.

All mashing is done on-grain, and they don’t remove the grain from the mash during the first distillation. Production runs on a two-week cycle, from grain into mash, before moving to the final distillation. From there, spirits are proofed down to around 60 per cent alcohol by volume and go into barrels, either ex-bourbon or new American oak, which are mainly sourced from Kentucky. Depending on the type of barrel and the product it’s making, SOV has a three-year barrel minimum for whisky, but can go anywhere from four- to five-plus years before being bottled.

It was like a rocket ship…. All of a sudden, everyone wanted our whisky.

Jenna Diubaldo, Sons of Vancouver Distillery

Overall, SOV produces four-and-a-half barrels of whisky for every mash. “A lot of distilling practices serve to maximize the amount of alcohol out of production, and we aren’t about that,” said Diubaldo. “We want to make a lot of whisky, but we aren’t willing to sacrifice flavour and quality for more production.” While it is still a young distillery, so much of its stock is still aging, the SOV team is looking forward to watching their whisky continue to mature and eventually offering older age statements.

“We do a long fermentation period. That’s something that has really contributed to our style of really flavourful whisky,” said Diubaldo. “I would say the industry standard is a 48- to 72-hour fermentation length. We do a seven- to eight-day fermentation, akin to a primary fermentation in beer. That allows for flavour development and to really make sure that [we] are ending [our] fermentation with a lot of those esters and flavour components [coming] through. It lends all the flavour to [our] whisky.”

It is a flavour that was celebrated at the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards, where SOV won Rye Whisky of the Year. The distillery took home many other awards as well, including:

• Rye Whisky of the Year for Realms of Rye Release No. 01 Citrus & Botanicals
• Award of Excellence in Product Innovation for the Realms of Rye series
• Best Cask Strength Whisky for Whisky No. 10 Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm Heavy Rum Cask Rye
• Best Whisky Aged 8 Years or Under for Whisky No. 8 Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake Amaretto Cask Whisky

In addition, the distillery earned gold medals for:

• Realms of Rye Release No. 01 Citrus & Botanicals
• Realms of Rye Release No. 02 Dark Fruit & Cacao
• Whisky No. 8 Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake Amaretto Cask Whisky
• Whisky No. 10 Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm Heavy Rum Cask Rye

Silver medals were awarded to:

• Whisky No. 9 Rolling Hills in the Morning Mist Islay Cask Rye
• Whisky No. 11 Sipping Sherry at the Jazz Club PX Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
• Whisky No. 12 Last Call at the Dive Bar Peated Cask Single Malt Whisky

“Whisky blending is probably one of my favourite aspects of the job,” Diubaldo said. “Certainly, making liqueurs is fun and creative, but whisky [blending] is our main passion. It’s really what we all have a drive to continually get better at…. It’s a hard skill to learn because it’s largely passed-down learning. You can’t really go and buy the book on it – it’s very much an art of the craft. That’s really been one of the main things that sets us apart from [other] whisky distilleries in Canada. We focus very clearly on blending and try to stay away from the single barrel aspect. We don’t believe single barrels are superior, but we believe blends are the best demonstration of whisky-making.”

Besides whisky, their two biggest products are their No. 82 Amaretto and their Quadruple Sec, an orange liqueur. “I find whatever makes you unique is the easiest thing to sell,” said Diubaldo. “Not everyone has an amaretto, so the amaretto outsold everything else two to one.”

The distillery is always releasing new limited blends. Moving into 2026, the SOV team will be looking at rolling out their second mainstay whisky and are aiming to do a special re-release of their Palm Trees and a Tropical Breeze each year. With its cornerstone rum finish, the makeup will be the same, but the rum barrels the distillery sources will always be different, allowing different characteristics to emerge with each release.

SOV’s products are available throughout the lower mainland of B.C., primarily in private liquor stores around Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area. The easiest way to purchase the distillery’s products is to order through its website.

Sometimes, the limited releases can be difficult to find, so SOV recommends signing up for its mailing list to be in-the-know on its sought-after releases. Shipping is available across Canada. Originally from Winnipeg, Diubaldo hopes to one day have SOV’s products on shelves in Manitoba liquor stores, too. For now, the mailing list is the best way to stay informed.

The 2025 event program gathers the North American bar community in Canada to shine a spotlight on the country’s world-class cocktail scene and to celebrate the best bartending talent in the region over three days of events in the vibrant cultural hub of Vancouver. In a city known for its scenic landscapes and diverse culture, Vancouver’s budding bar scene is rapidly expanding with new and inventive ways to enjoy and celebrate cocktail craft.

North America’s 50 Best Bars focuses on highlighting excellence in the bars industry specifically in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The inaugural awards ceremony was held in New York City in 2022, followed by San Miguel de Allende in 2023 and 2024. This year, 50 Best brings the awards ceremony to Vancouver, to continue shining a spotlight on each region of North America and to honor and celebrate the talented bars and teams in destinations throughout.

“After an electrifying celebration last year, we are thrilled to bring North America’s 50 Best Bars to Canada for the very first time,” said Emma Sleight, head of content for North America’s 50 Best Bars. “Hosting the awards in Vancouver, a city renowned for its dynamic cocktail culture, stunning natural beauty and outstanding hospitality scene, allows us to highlight the city’s exceptional talent and celebrate its innovation on a global stage. We look forward to recognizing the people and places that continue to elevate North America as a true leader in the world of hospitality.”

Highlights of the event program in Vancouver will include the Bartenders’ Feast, which takes place the night before the reveal of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025. It will be followed by the live countdown and the awards ceremony itself on April 29, ending in the announcement of The Best Bar in North America 2025 and other special award winners. For the first time since its inception, North America’s 50 Best Bars is recognizing the growth of the cocktail scene by extending the list to include the 51-100 ranking.

“Vancouver is proud to host North America’s 50 Best Bars for the first time this year,” said Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver. “The multi-day event will shine a spotlight on the incredible talent and creativity of our city’s hospitality and mixology scene. North America’s 50 Best Bars recognizes excellence across the continent while providing a platform to showcase Vancouver’s vibrant culinary culture, diverse communities and innovative spirit. As a global destination, we are excited to collaborate with industry leaders and create memorable experiences for everyone who attends.”

Ahead of the North America’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony, 50 Best will announce a few special award winners in advance to recognize incredible achievements for bars and individuals:

Michter’s Art of Hospitality: This award is voted for by all members of the North America’s 50 Best Bars Academy, who are asked to name the bar where they received the single best hospitality experience during the voting period.

Altos Bartenders’ Bartender: This award is voted for by the bartenders behind those bars on this year’s list, who are asked to name one peer who has done more to further the craft of bartending than any other across the course of the 18-month voting period.

New to this year’s programming, North America’s 50 Best Bars will expand its list to include bars ranked 51-100, which will be unveiled in the weeks leading up to the awards ceremony. This expansion highlights the growing bar scene and their corresponding teams across North America in elevating mixology and hospitality in the region.

51-100 List: 50 Best will reveal those bars ranked between 51st and 100th on its website and social media channels.

Now in its fourth edition, North America’s 50 Best Bars will also award the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award for the first time since its inception. This award is given to a bar that has performed the most consistently across the history of the ranking. A bar can only win this distinction once.

The countdown of the list of North America’s 50 Best Bars will also be broadcasted live to a global audience who are not able to attend in person.

How the Voting Works

The ranking for North America’s 50 Best Bars will reflect the best bar experiences based on the votes of the Academy members, who comprise anonymous North American bar industry experts from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The voting split of these bar industry experts is 33 per cent bartenders and bar owners, 33 per cent drinks writers and educators, and 33 per cent well-travelled cocktail experts. There is a 50/50 gender balance among the voters.

This year’s Academy is made up of more than 300 voters. This change was implemented to obtain a wider snapshot and ensure a greater number of diverse voices are heard in the voting process. Moreover, as per all 50 Best lists for restaurants, bars and hotels, a minimum of 25 per cent of Academy members are refreshed annually to keep the perspectives dynamic and relevant. Members of the 50 Best organization do not vote and do not control the composition of the list; that is the collective role of the voting Academy. This means that bars cannot apply to be on the list and no sponsors have any influence on the list.

The Academy is divided into seven regions: U.S. Northeast; U.S. Midwest; U.S. West; U.S. South; Canada East; Canada West; Mexico and the Caribbean. Each region has its own panel of members including a chairperson, called the Academy Chair. The Chairs each select a voting panel, ensuring a balanced selection. Each North America Academy member will vote for seven bars, with a maximum of five in the home country (or state in the U.S.) where they are based. Voters also have the option to vote for a further two (or more) bars located outside of their home country (or U.S. state) up to a maximum of seven.

The lists of North America’s 50 Best Bars and The World’s 50 Best Bars are the results of two separate votes from two different voting Academies, taking place at different times and assessing different geographical regions. Therefore, the results from voting create two separate lists, with different rankings.

Voting is carried out individually and confidentially on a secure site and remains confidential before the list announcement. Academy Chairs are not privy to, and have no knowledge of, the votes cast by the voters in their respective regions. They are not spokespeople for the 50 Best brand.

The list will be the result of a poll of more than 300 experts (all within the North American continent), who each cast votes for the bars where they have had their ‘best experience’ during the last 18 months before the voting deadline. The list is a simple computation of votes by North American voters for bars in North America. Further information on the Academy Chairs and how the voting works is available on the FAQs page.

Among the top honours, Sons of Vancouver took home:

• Rye Whisky of the Year for Realms of Rye Release No. 01 ‘Citrus & Botanicals’
• Award of Excellence in Product Innovation for the Realms of Rye series
• Best Cask Strength Whisky for Whisky #10 ‘Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm’ Heavy Rum Cask Rye
• Best Whisky Aged 8 Years or Under for Whisky #8 ‘Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake’ Amaretto Cask Whisky

In addition, the distillery earned gold medals for:

• Realms of Rye Release No. 01 ‘Citrus & Botanicals’
• Realms of Rye Release No. 02 ‘Dark Fruit & Cacao’
• Whisky #8 ‘Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake’ Amaretto Cask Whisky
• Whisky #10 ‘Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm’ Heavy Rum Cask Rye

Silver medals were awarded to:

• Whisky #9 ‘Rolling Hills in the Morning Mist’ Islay Cask Rye
• Whisky #11 ‘Sipping Sherry at the Jazz Club’ PX Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
• Whisky #12 ‘Last Call at the Dive Bar’ Peated Cask Single Malt Whisky

Back in 2023, Sons of Vancouver made history as the first microdistillery to win Canadian Whisky of the Year, thrusting the small whisky-maker into the spotlight. The distillery continues to push boundaries with their innovative rye whiskies, becoming one of the leaders in the category.

Sons of Vancouver’s novel approach to whisky has not gone unnoticed, with their Realms of Rye series–an exploration of the flavour wheel through rye whisky–receiving the Award of Excellence for Product Innovation also in January.

“Winning a big award one time gets you noticed, but winning awards every year means we’re doing something right,” said Jenna Diubaldo, partner and whisky program manager at Sons of Vancouver Distillery. “We built our Realms of Rye series to explore flavour in a way that hasn’t been done yet in Canadian whisky. We believe rye should be to Canada what malt is to Scotland, with distinct categories and regional styles.”

Since their big win in 2023, Sons of Vancouver Whisky has been in high demand, leading to product releases selling out within days if not minutes. Those looking to pick up a bottle are encouraged to sign up for the Sons of Vancouver mailing list via their website at sonsofvancouver.ca

Dry Goods Beer is a buzz-free beer collection for people who love beer, but want to skip the alcohol. Customers can choose from three styles: West Coast IPA, Grapefruit IPA and Classic Pilsner. Dry Goods Beer is available at Powell Brewery and The Drive Canteen and will be available at The American and Hero’s Welcome soon.

“It’s been fun to R&D Dry Goods Beer in the last little while – we knew it was a project we wanted to partner with [Stephen] and Lindsey [Mann] on,” said Bowkett, who opened Powell Brewery with his wife Nicole Stefanopoulos in 2012. “Our goal was to create a non-alcoholic beer alternative that tastes like beer – from colour, smell, to taste. We think we’ve achieved this, and look forward to working on more styles very soon. There might even be a non-alc sour beer on the horizon.”

“[Bowkett] asked me stop by about a month ago to try a new non-alcohol beer he was working on and it floored me, a West Coast IPA that contained all the flavour and texture I used to love, but with none of the alcohol,” said Stephen, who co-owns DL Chicken, Downlow Burgers, Vennie’s Sub Shop and The Drive Canteen with his wife and business partner, Mann.

“I’ve been pretty open about my personal struggles with drinking, which have led me to a life of sobriety, so having the chance to be a part of something that isn’t just qualitatively outrageous, but also really suits my personal lifestyle, was great. I can’t wait for people to give Dry Goods Beer a taste.”

Dry Goods’ label design was created by Bowkett and is rooted in classic Americana soda and beer brands with a vintage colour palette featuring red, evergreen, magenta and teal tones.

“Whether you’re living a sober life, are sober-curious or, as our brand says, just love beer, we hope you’ll try one of our new Dry Goods styles,” said Stephen.

Blood Brothers Brewing

Toronto, Ont.

Blood Brothers Brewing started in 2015 in an 800-square-foot unit located inside a larger industrial building, but by 2016 it had already outgrown the meagre space. The team knew that to make the brewery profitable, they would need to move.

Luckily, they found a post-industrial space in a century-old horse barn-turned-automotive-garage down the street. Pulling from their network of friends, and a shoestring budget, they hired Borien Studio for the buildout. Leaning into Blood Brothers Brewing’s request of cult, church and horror elements, Borien Studio built a bizarre yet gorgeous alter using brass, reclaimed materials and the Japanese technique of preserving wood through charring, called Shou Sugi Ban, to create a unique, grand space.

After a year or so, the Blood Brothers Brewing team added a large altarpiece of timber and brass behind the main bar, and a custom brass chandelier designed by friends and neighbours, Sixpenny Architectural Fabrication.

Submitted by Blood Brothers Brewing

Kilter Brewing Co.

Winnipeg, Man.

Kilter Brewing Co. creates tropical, exploratory beers. They wanted their taproom to reflect those elements in every possible way through the design. Customers are welcomed into the taproom by lush greenery and a wide variety of seating and décor options that cater to different preferences.

Their space features cozy couches, papasan egg chairs that swing and floor-to-ceiling wallpaper with tropical plants and flamingos. Their bar is completely canopied with green vines, plants and string lights. The back of the taproom features mix-and-match coloured tables surrounded by barrels filled with different beers that have been aging for several years.

The presence of a large glass overhead door at the front of the taproom creates an open-air environment that allows for a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor space.

Submitted by Kilter Brewing Co.

Container Brewing Ltd.

Vancouver, B.C.

Container Brewing Ltd., located in East Vancouver, opened on Nov. 22, 2019. Container is a brewery that blends passion for craft beer with a commitment to community and diversity.

It was built largely in part by its co-founders Terry Brown and Dan Webster. The design’s intention was to create a bright, minimalist space with a West Coast feel. Incorporating reclaimed wood from the demolition and overhaul of the building, along with indoor planters, helped to realize this vision.

Hand-built tables and benches give warmth to the space, which is made up of unique socializing opportunities through a “nook,” group seating, a bar top and built-in tables for smaller groups. Exposed brick and rafters help bring an old-time industrial feel to the space and connect the lounge experience with the production that takes place on the premises.

Throughout the lounge there are artifacts from the construction of the brewery, which include photographs of found objects and equipment, old bottles and office items left behind. Anything of interest or novelty was incorporated into the aesthetic. Behind the bar is the sole literal nod to the name of the brewery. A corrugated cladding embodies a shipping container and serves as a magnetic menu board.

Submitted by Container Brewing Ltd.

Steam Whistle Brewing

Toronto, Ont.

Steam Whistle Brewing’s taproom creates a rustic feel that is authentic to the brand. The team used natural materials like wood to create a rustic and warm ambiance along with industrial elements like exposed beams, metal fixtures and concrete surfaces to reflect the idea of traditional brewing. They installed warm and ambient lighting to create a cozy atmosphere and showcase artwork of past beer cans along with memorabilia from the brand’s history.

Submitted by Steam Whistle Brewing.

Quidi Vidi Brewery Co.

St. John’s, N.L.

Quidi Vidi Brewery Co. was founded by Dave Fong in 1996. Before that, the brewery was a fish plant, a history which inspired the theme of its taproom.

Quidi Vidi Brewery sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is a 15 minute boat ride away from cod fishing. Fresh cod caught by the brewery’s team are prepared and served in the taproom, which can seat 220 people and consists of three sections: the main and original taproom inside the brewery – which includes the main bar with 16 beers on tap – the upstairs patio and deck, and the seaside deck.

The upstairs patio and deck has a clear roof and is weather-proofed with heaters so customers can sit “outside” 365 days a year and overlook the water. The seaside deck is the brewery’s lower deck, which is at water level. The light fixtures took some effort to source, but the ropes and hooks tie together the taproom’s connection to the sea.

Submitted by Quidi Vidi Brewery Co.

What is contract manufacturing?

Contract manufacturing is when an existing production facility, such as a brewery or distillery, enters a partnership with another business to manufacture a product on their behalf. The beverage product is sold under the other business’s brand name. These beverages are often called “shadow brands” since the business does not have its own brick-and-mortar space.

Steps to create a shadow brand

In British Columbia, Russell Brewing Company has been contract brewing off and on for six years. They usually take contracts from existing Vancouver breweries who seek to fulfil production gaps. Steve Schafer, general manager at Russell Brewing Company, outlined the steps involved in creating a shadow brand for an alcoholic beverage.

Step 1: Apply for licensing with the government

A shadow brand must register with the appropriate government bodies. In B.C., these are the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch and the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.

Schafer says that the shadow brands Russell Brewing works with are required to apply for their own manufacturing licenses. This may seem counter-intuitive since the shadow brand is not actually manufacturing anything. However, the manufacturing license allows the products to be registered under the brand owner’s license rather than the production facility’s license, and the shadow brands retain proprietary ownership of their products.

Schafer estimates that applying for a manufacturing license can take 18 to 24 months, and says that the process is more difficult for brands that don’t have a manufacturing facility. He notes that establishing a shadow brand for alcoholic products is quite an investment, since the production and distribution of alcohol is heavily regulated by the Canadian government.

Step 2: Fully develop the drink recipe and brand concept

What type of drink will be made? Will the drink be packaged in cans or bottles? What makes the drink unique? These are just some of the many questions shadow brands need to answer when developing a product. A shadow brand should have a clear vision of their product before approaching contract manufacturing facilities since it is difficult to make changes to a product once manufacturing begins.

Step 3: Find the right contract manufacturer for the product

No two contract manufacturing facilities are the same. Some facilities have bottling equipment, while others only have canning equipment. Shadow brands need to find a manufacturing facility that can produce the product they envision.

Along with ensuring that the facility can produce their product, the shadow brand will need to determine if the manufacturing facility can produce their beverage at a cost that enables them to make a profit. The cost of manufacturing is highly dependent on production requirements. For instance, ready-to-drink products, such as canned cocktails, usually only require mixing and can be packaged within a few hours.

Beer, on the other hand, requires brewing, mashing and fermenting, spanning several weeks to produce. Fermenting beer also requires tank storage. All these factors add to manufacturing costs. The size and production parameters of the manufacturing facility will also dictate the minimum order quantity.

Step 4: Negotiate the terms of the contract and sign it

A shadow brand must determine the details of their contract with the manufacturer. For example, some shadow brands purchase their own labels, while others will ask their contract manufacturer to purchase labels on their behalf. Manufacturers may be able to get a better deal since they order in bulk and often have larger discounts with suppliers.

Another important detail to consider in the contract is where the product will be stored. Contract manufacturers may be able to store the finished product for the shadow brand if they have the space, or the shadow brand may need to arrange for another storage space. Keep in mind that alcoholic products must be stored in a bonded warehouse. Shadow brands can apply for a bonded warehouse or hire another company to store and distribute their product.

Step 5: Get the drink into liquor stores

Once the beverage is manufactured, it’s time to get it into liquor stores. Shadow brands can hire liquor brand representatives to approach liquor stores to carry their product. When first approaching liquor store managers, bring product sell sheets or product samples to help managers decide whether they want to carry the product. Keep in mind that liquor store owners often ask for free bottles or additional perks for purchasing the product.

Establishing a good rapport with liquor store employees and managers may help sell more products, since employees can recommend the product to customers. This in turn can lead better shelf placement for the product. Generally, products placed at eye level tend to sell better than products placed very high or very low.

Step 6: Sell to customers

The work has only just begun once a shadow brand gets its product onto liquor store shelves. They will need to develop a marketing plan to spread the word about their amazing new product. This can entail creating a website and social media accounts for the brand. They can run online ads and promotions for their beverage, set up a booth at farmers’ markets and offer free tastings at liquor stores. It is all about getting the product in front of people and converting them into paying customers.

Step 7: Rinse, repeat and grow!

Once a shadow brand starts making sales and they are confident the product will continue to sell, they can go back to their contract manufacturer to make more product. As the drink brand continues to grow, they may even think of establishing their own brick-and-mortar manufacturing facility.

Weighing the pros and cons of starting a shadow brand

Establishing a shadow brand is a safer and less expensive way to start a drinks business. The main benefits for contract manufacturing a product are the cost savings and required expertise to operate a manufacturing facility.

“[Shadow brands] are not putting up the money to build and facilitate production, but at the same time they have to pay for that,” said Schafer. “Either they are paying perhaps more than they hoped, and their margin is shrinking and they’re getting [more] quality, or they can pay less and not get the quality that they were expecting…. It is a balance of cost versus quality.”

Shadow brands are also reliant on contract manufacturers to have the capacity to produce their products. During the busy summer season, manufacturing facilities may be operating near or at maximum capacity. So, either they might not be able to get their product made, or the price goes up compared to slower months when the facility has spare capacity.

Successful shadow brands usually transition from using a contract manufacturer to owning their own manufacturing facility over time, since owning a manufacturing facility allows the brand greater quality control, more reliable production schedules and higher profit margins.

Overall, contract manufacturing is an excellent way to test a drink concept, and to determine whether it is worth investing more time and effort. 

Kristine Hui is a professional distiller who has made whisky, gin and liqueurs in distilleries in the U.K., India and Canada. She helped to develop a rum recipe, which won a Silver medal at the 2021 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Most recently, she appeared as a contestant on Moonshiners: Master Distiller on the Discovery Channel. She is best known as Miss Brewbird on YouTube, where she documents her work in fermentation.

The brand is dedicated to not only crafting beverages, but going beyond the product itself. Firmly upholding the values of health, adventure and environmental sustainability, Bali Water’s collaboration with the IDEP Foundation supports the Bali Water Protection Program. This program addresses the island’s water crisis through the implementation of rainwater recharge wells. By aligning their mission with this initiative, each purchase offers a contribution to the preservation of Bali’s invaluable resources.