A cocktail with the best BC gin is the perfect way to end our Canadian experience.
Helping out our friends at Ampersand Distilling Co with bottling, labeling and packing the best BC gin was for us an honor.
Ampersand Distilling Co is a family run company born from the engineering background of Jeremy and Stephen. To be the best BC gin they had to create something new among the 70 distilleries present in British Columbia. The way they did it was by designing and engineering the whole distilling process from scratch.
It took a while, more than a year and a half to achieve it. But one day Jeremy went to his father Stephen and told him: “Dad i think we solved it. The machine should work now”. With these words he announced him that they where able to make one of the most pure alcohol in the world. Nearly 97%.
Thanks to this first step Ampersand Distilling Co started taking a tangible shape. Together with Jessi, Jeremy’s wife, and the farming experience of Ramona the family created a unique recipe. Ampersand Gin is made from an organic crop from BC and most of the botanicals are grown at Sol farm.
Ramona manages the small Sol organic farm since they moved in the Cowichan Valley ten years ago. In addition to the support in the Distillery Ramona grows wonderful heirloom tomatoes. The Five Bottle Bar is the result of Jessi’s passion and knowledge of craft cocktails.
AMPERSAND GIN HAS BEEN VOTED THE BEST BC GIN FOR 2016, 2017 AND 2018
What characterizes the whole family is the way they came out with creative solutions in every field. They designed the whole equipment of the distillery. From the still to the labeling machine. If you want to see it with your own eyes book your visit, Ampersand Distilling Co is open by appointment only.
Together with the best BC gin Ampersand Distilling Co-developed Per Se vodka, a brand new Nocino! and a sophisticated Imperative Vermouth.
You can find them every Saturday at Duncan’s Farmer Market, where people queue for buying a bottle of the best BC gin. Otherwise, you can get a drink in most of the BC cocktails bars and restaurants, where Ampersand gin is getting more and more popular.
Follow their Facebook page and Instagram.
That is our favorite recipe to enjoy the best BC gin.
LAVANDER GIN AND TONIC
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons dried lavender buds
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 2 Cups Water
- 2 Ounces Ampersand Gin
- Fresh Lemon
- Tonic Water
Start with the simple syrup. Combine lavender buds, water, and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool and steep for one to two hours. Strain and save in a jar.
Now it’s time to make a delicious cocktail!
Fill up a balloon glass with ice, then pour in the Ampersand Gin.
Add a few drops of lavender syrup and gently top with tonic water, so then you keep it sparkling. Garnish with a couple of thyme branches and a curled lemon zest.
PRO TIP: curl the lemon zest right on top of the cocktail, and rub another zest onto the glass edge to give it an extra twist ?
Cheers!