They make a tiny fraction of the spirits sold in B.C. but the province's craft-distillery sector has seen a business bump from union job action that has closed government liquor distribution warehouses.
Shelves at many liquor stores are empty thanks to some panic buying and a general lack of replenishment. One government strategy to keep products in stock was to last week start rationing sales. Individuals, restaurant owners and others may now only buy a maximum of three of each product at any one time.
Dyck is also the president of the Craft Distillers Guild of British Columbia, and he said that he believes that most of that organization's more than 70 members have also seen business increase – particularly distillers in urban areas. Many craft distillers are smaller producers who are able to increase production without going over 50,000 litres in a year and being dinged by higher taxes. Dyck, however, said that any production increase that those craft distillers provide would be just a drop in the bucket of what would be needed to meet market demand if picketing disrupts liquor distribution for a month or more.
"We do small batches," he said. "This is handcrafted, handmade. It's attention to detail on every cask, and every bottle for blending. All that stuff is done by hand."