Quebec distillery investment to triple production

Canada’s Distillerie du St Laurent has unveiled a CA$9.5 million (US$7.1m) expansion for its Quebec distillery, which will triple its production capacity.

The facility will house a coffee bar with a terrace and a barrel warehouse

Founded in 2015, Distillerie du St Laurent produces gin, whisky and acerum, an eaux-de-vie made by distilling Quebec maple sap.

The expansion project on its site in Rimouski, Quebec, will house a barrel warehouse, a coffee bar with a terrace, a tasting area and a boutique store. The site will also create 25 new jobs.

The first step of the construction will be the build of a spirits cellar alongside the Saint-Laurent river.

“The walls of the warehouse are porous, the ageing spirits will be strongly influenced by the open salt-sea air and the extreme temperature variations of Quebec – an innovation that contributes to our desire to bottle up our terroir,” said Jean-François Cloutier, co-founder and production captain.

Additional equipment will also be purchased including a second 2,000-litre copper pot still made in Canada. This will enable the firm to make more than 500 casks of whisky and acerum.

The move will allow Distillerie du St Laurent to “establish itself as one the largest producers of spirits in the province of Quebec and eastern Canada”.

“Beyond the company’s objectives, our desire to develop and showcase the region is our motivation behind this expansion project,” said co-founder Joël Pelletier

“Bas-Saint-Laurent is the largest producer of barley in Quebec and one of the biggest producers of maple syrup. With these new facilities, we will have the means to make our region into the epicentre of whisky and acerum production in Quebec.”

The design of the distillery takes inspiration from the company’s maritime heritage and the site’s riverfront location. Hospitality and education will be at the core of the design of the facility.