Juiced Up

10% of Niagara tender fruits are wasted each year (calculated as 30,500 tonnes production x 10%= 3,050 tonnes a year. Each tonne can yield up to 700 litres of juice; each litre of juice can be fermented to 10% to 14% and amounting to over 70 litres of alcohol. Our objective is to reduce fruit waste disposal problems and produce a value added spirit product. Only the ripest fruit is selected.

Domestically and throughout North America over the past 5 years, the development of products such as flavoured spirits, premium spirits and coolers have revived interest in spirits. Younger alcohol beverage consumers have developed a more mature taste profile which typically includes spirits as well as wine and craft beer. There has been a noticeable trend back to cocktail consumption. Most fruit based spirits consumed in Canada are imported. All other small batch distillers in Ontario focus on grain or potato based spirits.