Take a look at North America’s smallest distillery, which has just opened to the public

A Canadian distillery claiming to be the smallest in North America has announced it will open to the public this week after facing down the provinces’s alcohol laws.

Located just 500-metres from the nearest off-license in Edmonton, Alberta, The Strathcona Spirits Distillery — which specialises in craft gin and vodka — was initially unable to open to the public owing to a provincial law working to prevent further liquor stores being opened.

Luckily, the distillery argued the case that it was not a “traditional” liquor store, and will open on Thursday 16 November.

The Strathcona Spirits Distillery has been producing Single Grain Wheat Vodka and Badland Seaberry Gin since late 2016, but provincial laws prevented founder Adam Smith selling his spirits on-site.

Going on one year in business, it is with supreme joy, & profound relief that we’re finally able to announce, that on Thursday, November 16th, 2017 at 4:00 pm, Strathcona Spirits, Edmonton’s first distillery, will at long last open our secret little door, to our very, very small operation. We will now offer tours, bottle sales, bric a brac, and high fives on request! 🖐️ Hours will be Thursday and Friday 4-9pm, and Saturday 11-7. Tours take place on the top of the hour, spots can be reserved on the website. Thanks to the people of the City of Champions and the province of Alberta for the significant support as we launched into this first year of operations. Stay tuned this is going get interesting!

A post shared by Strathcona Spirits (@strathconaspirits) on Nov 9, 2017 at 10:14pm PST

“The city realised things were off when we would have been able to open a pawn shop in 15 minutes,” Smith told the spirits business, “but we could not sell our artisanal spirits in our very unique location.

We may be the smallest distillery in North America, but we treat our employees well, with 3″ thick white spruce napping racks.

A post shared by Strathcona Spirits (@strathconaspirits) on Jul 19, 2017 at 10:34am PDT

“It is with supreme joy, & profound relief,” founder Adam Smith wrote in an Instagram post announcing the launch, “that on Thursday, November 16th, 2017 at 4:00 pm, Strathcona Spirits, Edmonton’s first distillery, will at long last open its secret little door, to our very, very small operation.”

Strathcona Spirits, which is the city’s first distillery, employs around nine people.

Diligent, efficient, streamlined: our 9 human powered bottling line is a marvel of hand powered technology. Gravity, pulleys, spirits, pizza and penmanship are just some of the means at our disposal.

A post shared by Strathcona Spirits (@strathconaspirits) on Jun 8, 2017 at 11:08am PDT

Visitors will be able to take tours of the tiny distillery once its opened, which start at $10 per head. The founders added they want to start hosting bespoke events next Spring.

“Thanks to the people of the City of Champions and the province of Alberta for the significant support as we launched into this first year of operations,” said Smith.

“Stay tuned this is going get interesting!”