Kootenay West Distilling

Kootenay West Distilling has given new life to a piece of Trail history. Founded in 2021, the distillery occupies a beautifully restored heritage building that once housed the City Bakery, an operation that ran under various names downtown for nearly a century. Head distiller Thomas led a full restoration from 2018 to 2021, transforming the 3,500-square-foot space while preserving its historic character, so the room itself is part of the appeal before you have tasted a thing.

What fills the glass starts close to home: spirits crafted from 100% organic Creston wheat, sourced from the nearby Creston Valley. The heart of the visitor experience is a roomy 50-seat cocktail lounge serving garden-to-glass cocktails alongside simple food, an inviting place to sample the house spirits the way they are meant to be enjoyed. It strikes a nice balance between a polished bar and a working craft distillery, with the lounge buzzing into the evening on weekends.

Trail sits along the Columbia River in BC's West Kootenays, a region rich in mining and industrial heritage, and Kootenay West fits that story perfectly, a piece of local history reborn as a gathering place. The downtown Cedar Avenue location makes it an easy stop on a Kootenay road trip, and the historic surroundings give the visit a sense of occasion. Hours run from midweek into the weekend, with the lounge open later on Friday and Saturday, so plan around those days for the fullest experience and confirm before you go. For travellers who appreciate local grain, craft cocktails, and a great adaptive reuse of a heritage space, this is a standout stop in the region.