Tickets for BC Distilled, the festival that celebrates local micro-distilleries from across the province, have just gone on sale. Two public tastings will be hosted at CBC Studio One (700 Hamilton Street) from 4pm-6pm and 7pm-9:30pm on Saturday, April 18. The basic skinny:

Craftsman from twenty-three of the province’s leading small-batch distilleries, including ten new to this year’s festival, will showcase their ingenuity through distinctive gins, vodkas, and other fine spirits and liqueurs. Craft spirit lovers and curious seekers will have the opportunity to sip and taste their way through a variety of these artisanal spirits complemented by locally-made beverages from Bittered Sling Extracts, Walter All-Natural Craft Caesar Mix, SIP Soda and Dickie’s Ginger. Attendees will also enjoy tasty bites prepared by chefs from Koko Monk chocolates, Forage restaurant, the Donnelly Group and more.

The inaugural event was a huge and delicious success last year, but in the intervening 12 months another 10 distilleries have come on line – Ampersand Distilling, Dubh Glas Distillery, Gillespies Fine Spirits, Endless Summer Distillery, Fermentorium Distilling Co., Legend Distilling, Sid’s Vodka (G&W Distilling), Old Order Distilling, Wayward Distillation House, and Sons of Vancouver.

Also pouring will be Arbutus Distillery, Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers, Kootenay Country Craft Distillery, The Liberty Distillery, Long Table Distillery, Maple Leaf Spirits, Odd Society Spirits, Okanagan Spirits, Pemberton Distillery, Urban Distilleries, Victoria Spirits, Von Albrecht Associates, and the Yaletown Distilling Company.

Clearly, if you’re even the least bit excited about the many leaps and bounds that BC’s distilling community have made in the last few years or want to fill out your small batch dance card, attendance is a must. Tickets start cheaply at $39.99. Snag yours here before they’re all gone.

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