Wildly different

New distillery off the beaten path in Sophiasburgh

Anew distillery in a converted cattle barn has opened its doors in Sophiasburgh. Operated by life and business partners Ryan Fowler and Taylor McIndless, Wild Lot Farm Distillery offers a selection of ready-to-drink cocktails as well as vodka and, soon, gin. The couple had been visiting the County regularly for the past decade, and in 2018 bought a vacation rental property, with the intention of making a permanent move here sometime in the future. That timescale was abruptly shortened with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, and around 2020 they purchased their current property, a former dairy farm, with the intention of opening a food and beverage establishment. Taylor trained as a chef at George Brown College and worked as a cook for a number of high-end restaurants. “Working in the kitchen is tough, long hours, and it’s physically and mentally exhausting, but it was an incredible experience and I still cook for fun. I’ve designed the menu that we have here,” he said. Ryan spent a number of years working for a large wine company in the roles of marketing, brand-building and innovation. He also worked in the fledgling cannabis industry, helping businesses start up. “We definitely have the experience and passion in the food and beverage industry, and our longterm goal is to build a brand of our own in Prince Edward County,” he said.

(L-R): Taylor McIndless and Ryan Fowler stand behind the bar in the repurposed cattle barn at Wild Lot Farm Distillery.

Ryan’s previous work involved managing the ready-to-drink portfolio in a wine company, and that provided him with a great deal of insight into how the wine and spirits industry was evolving. “The ready-to-drink category is exploding. Pre-mixed cocktails and spirit-based cocktails, that’s the category to be in when you’re setting up yourself for long-term success. We’re already seeing wine start to decline. Spirit-based ready-to-drink has already taken over the size of the spirits category, and is expected to overtake the size of the wine category in a year or two,” he said. They set about building a brand that used spirits produced onsite and blended with fresh fruit juice and water or teas, available in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. “We wanted to create something where you walk in and it doesn’t feel like a traditional distillery because of the way we are serving our products— on draft, or premixed and convenient and ready to drink. It’s a lower alcohol content, and we operate more like a brewery, blurring the line between brewery and distillery,” said Ryan.

It took over two years to go through the regulatory processes in three levels of government. It began with municipal rezoning and obtaining council approval before construction and renovation could begin. They kept the skeleton of the 100-year-old dairy barn, putting new cladding on the outside and using the repurposed barn boards for the interior walls. They poured a new concrete floor and rebuilt the steps to the hayloft, which now includes additional seating areas. The barnyard has been cleared up, with picnic tables and several games for visitors to play, including a giant chess board and jumbo-sized Jenga. The distillery itself is in the former Quonset hut drive shed.

There’s spray foam insulation on the inside and a radiant heat concrete floor. Gleaming stainless steel and copper distilling equipment now fills the space. In addition to municipal requirements, the couple had to go through a complicated federal excise tax process, as well as meeting the rules of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

They opened their doors a month ago, and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with a lot of local residents making their way there, and a growing number of outside visitors as word has spread. They currently have three types of ready-to-drink cocktails in cans or on tap, and have bottled vodka available. They will also be producing their own gin. A fourth type of cocktail will be added soon, with more to come by the end of the summer. “Our cocktails are four ingredients or less, with nothing artificial, no preservatives and no added sugar,” said Ryan. At the present time, the cherry juice they use comes from Niagara, and the haskap berries from a farm in Oxford County, but the intent is to use locally sourced products as they become available.

The name Wild Lot came from a literal description of the land they are on. It also refers to the use of wild and foraged ingredients they use in their drinks, and it’s a symbolic reference to their wild journey into the unknown. They are grateful for all the support they’ve received from other local businesses such as Parsons Brewing, Prince Eddy’s, All My Friends and Crimson Cider, and the Chamber of Commerce. “We truly now understand the meaning of community; we now feel it and live it,” said Ryan. Wild Lot Farm Distillery is at 1990 Fry Road. For more information, please visit wildlot.ca.