“It’s been really neat, we all work fairly closely together on some things,” she said. Kris Schill, the general manager at Sooke Brewing, has lived in the area for 12 years and has seen the town grow while watching a strong collaborative vibe take hold among the creative businesses such as the brewers and distillers. “There’s been an emphasis on that instead of people out going for a hike or trolling for salmon out here,” he said with a laugh. Liptrot said having a critical mass of companies all working in the same field has made a huge difference, and has established the area as a destination. “It’s been noticeable, there are a number of people now travelling around specifically for the reason of sampling all the breweries and the distillery.” “We’ve certainly seen the increase in the number of people visiting,” he said. “There’s been an insurgence of young, creative people coming here because it has the best of all worlds.”īob Liptrot, owner of Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery, said they have never been busier. “It’s so close to the mountains, beaches and forests, yet it’s close enough to Victoria that you get a lot of people moving here,” she said. The Capital Regional District estimates Sooke’s population has since grown to 14,298. “That was a big inspiration.”Īlayne said it seems the region’s stunning natural setting - the inspiration for their spirits - has drawn others to the area.Īccording to census data, Sooke’s population increased 13.7 per cent to 13,000 between 20, after having increased 17.9 per cent between 20. They pioneered the 100-mile, farm-to-table concept in Canada,” he said. “The Sooke Harbour House was an inspiration from the early days. Jason MacIsaac, who worked as a chef for 23 years before turning his hand to distilling, said the area is as much a part of their success as anything, such as his desire to capture the essence and taste of a walk along French Beach in a gin.Īnd he points out Sooke has always been on the cutting edge of innovation in the culinary world. “We’ll keep doing what we’re doing and see where it goes from here,” she said. She said their plan is not to rest on their laurels but to continue to develop their line of spirits and create new products. It felt like a win for her and husband/distiller Jason, their friends and people who had discovered their gin four years ago, she said. “It’s been a wild four years,” said Sheringham co-founder Alayne MacIsaac, who noted the world’s-best award put both the company and Sooke on the map. The move paid off for the company, the industry and the region. Sheringham, which was established in Shirley in 2015, moved 20 kilometres down the road to Sooke last summer, as it needed a larger production facility. Sooke is now home to Sheringham Distillery, which made international headlines this year when its Seaside Gin, known for its fresh citrus flavour with a hint of the sea - one of the ingredients is hand-harvested winged kelp - was named the best contemporary gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards. “I really think Sooke is on the cusp of really happening,” he said of the steady increase in population and the influx of producers and businesses to serve the area. “It proved my concept and showed I wasn’t out to lunch,” he said.Īnd Orr believes the growth is just the beginning, noting Sooke has never fully capitalized on tourist potential despite having a lot of the same assets as Tofino. Orr said the expansion of the brewing industry and culture in the area proves he was right, that Sooke was ready and keen on craft beer. “Little did I know that I would open, and a year and a couple of months into my business I would become Sooke’s oldest brewery,” Orr said with a laugh. Now there are 18 in Greater Victoria, with Sooke boasting three of them - Oceanside, Sooke Brewing and Bad Dog Brewing - with a fourth expected to open this year. The first brewer to open was Ryan Orr, who in 2016 established Sooke Oceanside Brewing in 1,200 square feet of space beside the Shell gas station just outside of Sooke.Īt the time, the entire region had fewer than 10 brewers. It might be young, evolving and growing, but a new batch of artisans has set up shop in the area along Highway 14 and drawn worldwide attention as they’ve done it.īuilding on the back of the trailblazing Tugwell Creek Meadery, which started selling mead from its farm gate west of Sooke in 2003, the craft booze industry has taken to the area. A shining example of the new creative vibe is playing out in the district’s burgeoning brewing and distilling sector. Sooke is one of the fastest-growing areas on southern Vancouver Island, and with the jump in size and population comes the usual pressure on infrastructure and demand for housing.īut that growth has also added a new vibrancy, life and creativity to a town that has always boasted an eclectic mix of people and lifestyles.
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