Beyond the Vineyard: BC's Craft Cideries & Distilleries

A great day touring British Columbia's wine country no longer has to mean tasting room after tasting room of the same thing. Our directory has grown well beyond the vineyard: alongside nearly 200 wineries, you'll now find craft cideries, distilleries and a handful of meaderies spread across the same regions you already love. Here's why a craft stop belongs on your next route, and where to find the standouts.

Why a cidery or distillery makes a better wine tour

Wine is wonderful, but variety is what turns a good day out into a memorable one. A cider made from heritage apples or a gin distilled with foraged botanicals resets your palate and gives the group something new to talk about. After a few vineyard flights, a crisp, dry cider or a thoughtfully built cocktail is a genuinely refreshing change of pace.

Craft stops are also friendlier to mixed groups. Tasting flights at cideries and distilleries are typically poured in small measures, so everyone can sample widely without overdoing it. Many distilleries serve their spirits in low-alcohol cocktails or alongside non-alcoholic mixers, which makes them an easy, welcoming stop for designated drivers and anyone pacing themselves. The result is a tour that feels balanced rather than relentless.

More variety — apples, pears, grain, botanicals and honey instead of grapes alone.
Smaller, smarter pours — flights designed for sampling, not for finishing a glass.
Designated-driver friendly — many craft stops lean on mixers, mocktails and food, so non-drinkers still have a great time.
A sense of place — local orchards, grain and honey tell the same regional story as the vines.

Standout cideries by region

Okanagan Valley

The Okanagan is as good for apples as it is for grapes. In Kelowna, Scenic Road Cider Co. and Truck 59 Ciderhouse both pour orchard-grown ciders, while Summerland has become a small cider hub of its own with Dominion Cider Co. and Summerland Heritage Cider Co. just minutes apart. In Penticton, Creek & Gully Cider makes an easy detour between wineries.

Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands

The Island's maritime orchards produce some of the province's most distinctive ciders. Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse in Saanichton and Merridale Cidery & Distillery in Cobble Hill are long-running farm-based destinations. Out on the islands, Salt Spring Wild Cider is a rewarding stop if your route includes the ferries.

Similkameen & Fraser Valley

The organic-farming heart of the Similkameen shows in its cider, with Twisted Hills Craft Cider and Untangled Craft Cider at Klippers Organics, both in Cawston. Closer to the city, the Fraser Valley delivers Fraser Valley Cider Company in Langley and Taves Estate Cidery in Abbotsford.

Distilleries worth the detour

BC's craft spirits scene has matured into one of the best in the country, and many distilleries sit right among the vines.

Okanagan Valley — Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery in Vernon is a regional anchor, while Dubh Glas Distillery in Oliver and Maple Leaf Spirits in Penticton put you within easy reach of South Okanagan wineries.
Vancouver Island — Shelter Point Distillery near Campbell River and Sheringham Distillery in Langford have earned national attention, and Victoria Distillers in Sidney is a polished waterfront stop.
Kootenays — pair mountain scenery with a tasting at Fernie Distillers, Bohemian Spirits in Kimberley or Monashee Spirits in Revelstoke.
Fraser Valley & Similkameen — Roots and Wings Distillery in Langley and Sharpe Distillery in Cawston round out a wine-country day close to the vines.

Don't overlook the meaderies

Honey wine is one of the oldest fermented drinks in the world, and BC's meaderies are quietly excellent. In the Okanagan, Meadow Vista Honey Wines in Kelowna and Planet Bee Honey Farm & Meadery in Vernon pair tastings with a look at the bees behind the bottle. On the Island, Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery in Sooke makes for a memorable, off-the-beaten-path finish. Browse them all under the meadery filter in the directory.

How to mix craft stops into a tour

The trick is rhythm. Rather than stacking five wineries back to back, drop a cidery or distillery into the middle or end of your day to break things up. A few simple patterns work well:

Two wineries, then a cidery — a crisp cider resets the palate before your final vineyard stop.
Finish at a distillery — end on a cocktail or a guided spirits flight, ideally somewhere with a kitchen so the group can settle in.
Build around a town — Summerland, Cawston, Cobble Hill and Vernon all cluster wineries and craft producers close together, cutting drive time.
Plan a driver — book a designated driver or a tour service so everyone can taste freely; the smaller pours at craft stops make pacing easy.

Build your route

Ready to plan a day that goes beyond the vineyard? Use our tour builder to map wineries, cideries, distilleries and meaderies into one easy itinerary, or browse the directory directly by cideries and distilleries to see what's near your route. The vines are only the beginning.