This young microdistillery has been operating discreetly in Quebec for just a few weeks. A break-in period, its famous co-owner would say. Now it is officially inaugurating its new branch on Chemin Saint-Louis, in the Sillery district, in Quebec.
“We have had great success in Magog [où se trouve le siège social de l’entreprise, dans une église anglicane centenaire]but we said to ourselves that we would do well to go to Quebec, explains Mr. Delage. It’s a natural market for Marc, because it’s the place where he has made the most shows! And when we had the chance to enter here, we flipped! We’re not just looking for a place, we want to save a place of heritage, because spirits must tell a story!”
The parish hall of St. Michael’s Anglican Church was built in 1946 according to plans by Edward Black Staveley, according to the Directory of Built Heritage of Quebec City. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
Built in 1946 in front of Mount Hermon Cemetery, the neo-Tudor style parish hall — called Church Hall — appears to have been imported from the English countryside to Quebec. The duo of owners confides that they have put a lot of love into it, in addition to the 2 million dollars devoted to the purchase and renovation of the heritage sites, which began in January 2024.
“Inside, it was a dump when we arrived,” recalls Mr. Dupré. Everything was broken. It was a lot of work, but we worked hard to keep the character and soul of the place.”
The Cherry River Distillery seating area. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
From the beginning, the businessmen’s intention was to preserve as many of the original architectural elements as possible. For the rest, England served as the muse for the design, a question of honoring the Anglican past of the place.
So, we chose a vaguely Victorian look for the armchairs, preserved the stucco walls, reused two old pianos and a period cabinet and added ornamental patterned paneling to the walls, reminiscent of “chic whiskey lounges”.
The production area where the many types of alcohol and cocktail flavors are made. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
Beyond the large sales area on the ground floor – and its shelves overflowing with bottles of various alcohol – we discover the production room. A still and metal tanks have been in operation for several weeks already. We are even waiting for another, more advanced device to make a gin inspired by Quebec, possibly called 1608 (nothing to do with Laiterie Charlevoix cheese, they say).
The basement has a bar, numerous tables and a fire pit. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
In the basement, a reception room with a bar can accommodate groups of 150 people for evenings or events.
“Our objective is not to carry out overly large-scale operations, but to focus on locality and hospitality. Everything we sell here, we sell exclusively here,” says Mr. Delage.
The Cherry River distillery took its name from the same place where it drew its water in its early days: from the Cherry River, in Estrie, today called Rivière aux Cerises. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
Ultimately, we hope to sell more product in Quebec than in Magog, due to the larger local population and tourists. This new “corner distillery” offers its spirits with and without alcohol (gins, vodkas, rums and liqueurs), its ready-to-drink products, its syrups and its bar accessories. Eventually, guided tours, tastings and mixology workshops will also be offered.
“What we like is that people come in, ask questions about our products, take the time to taste them,” says Mr. Dupré, who loves the new Cherry River maple vodka. “It’s not just a mall store that you want to get out of as quickly as possible. We welcome you to our home!”
Namely
- Distillerie Cherry River
- 1800, chemin Saint-Louis, in Quebec
- cherryriver.ca
Sidekicks Marc Dupré and Francis Delage in the lounge area of their new Quebec microdistillery. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
What do you think of the renovation of this old Anglican parish hall? Leave your comments in the section provided below.
Are you opening a business, launching a product or organizing a new event? Do you have ideas or suggestions for the Living from the Sun section? We want to know! Write to us now at [email protected].
Related News :