Scotland trip inspires Canadian grower’s distillery

A visit to a Scottish distillery utterly modified Canadian grain producer Lars Hirch’s life when he realised all he wanted to provide whisky was barley, yeast and water.

At a time when Lars was dropping the eagerness for farming, costs have been poor and none of his kids have been serious about taking on the cattle and grain farm, the concept of remodeling the enterprise right into a distillery critically bought him pondering.

“With all of the substances handy, I realised this could be a greater means so as to add worth to the barley that I used to be rising, in addition to providing a way more enjoyable and profitable strategy to make a dwelling,” he says.

See additionally: How Canadian farm grew to become Alberta’s first craft malthouse

Lars discovered himself enrolling on a five-day distilling course and after 30 years of farming at Rolling Hills central Alberta, he started his distilling journey. 

“I’m stunned extra grain farmers are usually not setting-up small-scale distillery permutations as we have now all of the substances to make this work.

“Maybe it’s the completely different mindset or advertising challenges that are holding individuals again,” says Lars.

Pivot Spirits 

What began out as a small diversification has since grown into an on-farm distillery, referred to as Pivot Spirits, which opened in March 2019.

With the assistance of promoting a plot of land to be able to put money into the brand- new distillery and bottling plant, Lars and his spouse, Rachelle Fiset, now produce vodka, whisky and gin from spring wheat, barley, rye, triticale and spelt grown on the 150ha irrigated farm.

Spring barley grown for whisky and vodka yields on common 7t/ha – the equal of 740 bottles/ha at a revenue of £8/bottle.

“We’re searching for plump kernels with plenty of carbohydrates to maximise the fermentation of sugar into alcohol,” says Lars.

“Our recent glacial water, which comes straight from the Bow river, is great for distilling as a result of it’s wealthy in minerals from the mountains, which give it a singular style.”

At present, 30ha of land is put aside for rising grains for the distillery, which Lars hopes to develop as demand for his spirits grows.

Lars Hirch © MAG/Emma Gillbard

Having no-tilled on the farm for 20 years, Lars doesn’t consider in a “one-size-fits-all farming system” and has now launched a extra minimal tillage system.

He significantly likes rising spring barley as it is vitally aggressive and consequently low enter.

“We apply only one herbicide and nil fungicides because of the dry chilly local weather right here in Alberta. Irrigation is essential for our crops. For the distillery grain crops, we provide them with 15in of irrigation water.”

He additionally applies liquid fertiliser via the irrigation pivot setup, whereas incorporating manure from his 120 head of cattle into the arable rotation. Spent grain from the distilling course of is fed again to the cattle.

Lars and Rachelle additionally distil a gin and a rum-style spirit, comprised of regionally grown sugar beet. They create distinctive flavour creations, akin to a honey liqueur, encompassing berries and honey from close by farms.

One of many largest rewards in organising Alberta’s solely irrigated farm distillery is the possibility to have interaction with the neighborhood.

“We promote spirits through our on-farm restaurant and store, in addition to self-distributing to native liquor shops and through our web site. We additionally provide a distillery tour of the crops and irrigation techniques.”

© MAG/Emma Gillbard