Mike Green, the owner of Tumbleweed Spirits Craft Distillery in Osoyoos, recently made a presentation to the Rotary Club of Osoyoos, where he talked about the process of making quality spirits such as whiskey, rye, gin and vodka. Green said he and his wife have received great community support since Tumbleweed Spirits opened for business last spring. Green is shown with Rotary Club president Lynda Bliss. (Keith Lacey photo)

Mike Green flashes a sly grin when he says he “always smells like booze.”

That’s all part of the job when you’re the proud owner of a new craft distillery.

Green and his wife Andrea Zaradic are the owners of Tumbleweed Spirits Craft Distillery in Osoyoos, which opened its doors on Lakeshore Drive over the May long weekend just over six months ago.

During a recent presentation to the Osoyoos Rotary Club, Green spoke about the process of making spirits, the strong support he and his wife have received in Osoyoos since they decided two years ago to open the first distillery in a town known for its wineries as well as future plans for the business.

Like many others who visit the South Okanagan, Green said he and his wife “dreamed about” owning their own winery and spent a significant amount of time looking at various wineries in and around Osoyoos.

However, they quickly realized the money being talked about to make their dream come true was simply beyond their means.

“We had looked as some wineries … they were too expensive for us,” he said.

Because they loved the area since moving here from the Lower Mainland, they discussed the option of starting up their own distillery.

They both enrolled in numerous courses relating to making spirits, talked to consultants in the industry and committed to making Tumbleweed a reality, said Green.

They leased the building they currently run their business out of on Lakeshore Drive two years ago and spent months setting up the building and installing equipment needed to produce craft spirits.

One of his proudest possessions – and pieces of equipment – is a state-of-the-art copper still used to make whiskey that comes directly from Kentucky, he said.

You have to use quality equipment to make quality spirits and he and his wife decided investing in good equipment was a priority before making their first batch of whiskey, gin and vodka, said Green.

Since opening in May, business has been very solid and support from Osoyoos residents and the many tourists who flock to town each summer has been fantastic, said Green.

“We’ve had some great successes and we’ve had some great failures, but we’ve really honed our craft since opening,” he said.

Tumbleweed Distillery produces its own vodka, gin, Rock Creek Rye, Firewood Whiskey and Maple Moonshine and there are plans to introduce scotch, bourbon and other products in 2018, said Green.

“I’m always dipping my fingers in to taste the product … I always smell like booze,” said Green.

All of the rye, barley, wheat, corn and other grains they use to produce their products is grown and purchased exclusively in British Columbia, he said.

All of the rye grain they purchase comes from Jamie Haynes, a farmer from Rock Creek.

“We’re getting three tons of corn from a farmer in Vernon later this week,” he said.

Green briefly explained the process of making various spirits to the Rotarians.

The process involves breaking grains into a “mash” that has heavy alcohol content.

That mash is transferred to fermentation tanks “that work their magic,” he said.

Huge stills are then used to further break down the various spirits from an alcohol base of 80 to 85 per cent to 40 per cent using water and the stilling process, he said.

“It’s not really drinkable at 80 to 85 per cent alcohol,” he said.

All spirits at his distillery “start as whiskey” and it takes roughly 14 hours of running that product through distilling columns to turn it in to vodka and gin, he said.

The Tumbleweed gin, which is produced in a separate still, uses juniper and numerous other spices to produce a product he believes ranks up there with many of the high-end gins on the market.

“Our gin is our No. 1 seller … it’s very popular,” he said.

It’s not all glitz and glamour in the spirit industry in Canada as government regulations are staggering, said Green.

“The rules and regulations we have to follow … are so strict it’s almost beyond reason,” he said.

His business has to report sales of every single bottle of spirits sold each and every business day to the provincial government, instead of once a week or once a month.

“There’s no good reason it couldn’t be done weekly or monthly,” he said.

Spirit lovers will be glad to know Tumbleweed is expanding its product line with the introduction of its own bourbon and scotch in 2018, he said.

The same commitment to excellence they have brought to their current lineup of products will continue with the production of the new scotch and bourbon, said Green.

“We are launching our new website on Friday and customers can order products online,” he said “We’re also in talks with a distributor in the Lower Mainland.”

Green said Tumbleweed products are also being sold in The Owl Pub and adjacent Owl Liquor Store, Mica Restaurant at Spirit Ridge at Nk’Mip Resort and also at the bars at Mount Baldy Ski Area and Apex Mountain Ski Resort in Penticton.

Tumbleweed Spirits is located at 601 Lakeshore Drive in Osoyoos.

The business is open on Friday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m. and by appointment. Those hours will expand to seven days a week starting in May.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times