SUB: Made with B.C.-grown and malted barley, foraged spruce tips, and decades of brewing know-how, Cathedral Gin takes drinking local to a whole new level
The Cathedral Gin lineup showcases two expressions inspired by the flavours and landscape of the West Coast. Photo via Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
For gin drinkers and cocktail lovers looking to buy local, there’s something particularly compelling about a spirit that doesn’t just come from B.C., but tastes distinctly of the place it calls home.
At Phillips Brewing and Malting Co.'s Fermentorium Distilling Co. in Victoria, that sense of place is at the heart of Cathedral Gin, a new spirit shaped by B.C.-grown grain, Pacific Northwest botanicals and the coastal landscape that surrounds it.
The result is a distinctly Vancouver Island expression of gin that brings together regional ingredients and Phillips’ long history of working with grain and fermentation.
A taste of the coast
Cathedral currently features two expressions, each offering a different interpretation of its West Coast surroundings.
Coastal Forest Gin is the more overtly Pacific Northwest of the pair, layering juniper with rosemary, herbs, Chinook hops, spice and fresh spruce tips for a vibrant, aromatic profile that evokes the coastal forests from which it’s made.
Those spruce tips are foraged in the Pacific Northwest, while the remaining botanicals are sourced through a B.C. supplier and originate from the region whenever possible.
“Rather than trying to fit Cathedral into a particular regional style of gin, we wanted the flavour to speak clearly to where we make it,” says Russell Stefan, spirits business development manager at Phillip’s Brewing & Malting Co.
For those who prefer a more classic profile, Cathedral's Dry Citrus Gin takes a brighter, citrus-forward approach, with notes of grapefruit and lemon peel, piney juniper and subtle layers of spice.
A new chapter in gin
While Cathedral itself is new, Phillips’ experiments with gin are not.
Fermentorium Distilling Co. was established in 2014 as an extension of the brewery’s expertise in grain, malting and fermentation. In 2015, it released Stump, a coastal forest gin, followed by London-style Discovery Street gin and barrel-aged Old George gin in 2018. The distillery is also behind sister brand Sanctuary Whisky.
Development of Cathedral began in early 2025 after master distiller Kevin Titcomb joined the team, bringing more than a decade of experimentation and experience into a more focused expression of Vancouver Island's landscape and terrain.
“We see Cathedral as our own interpretation of gin through a hyper-local lens,” says Stefan.
It all starts with B.C. barley
That perspective extends beyond the botanicals and is at the heart of the entire gin-making process.
Every bottle starts with 100% B.C.-grown barley, malted in-house by Phillips before being mashed and fermented with brewer’s yeast. The resulting distiller’s wash is essentially beer without hops, drawing on the team's extensive brewing knowledge before taking a decidedly different path through the still.
“All of our spirits begin using the same fundamental mashing and fermentation knowledge that Phillips has developed through decades of brewing,” says Stefan.
The wash is first distilled into low wines, then distilled again to create the neutral malted-barley spirit that serves as Cathedral’s foundation.
During the final gin distillation, some botanicals are macerated overnight directly in that spirit, while others are placed in a gin basket above it. As vapour passes through the basket, it captures their essential oils and aromatic compounds, building depth while preserving brighter, more delicate flavours.
That grain-to-glass approach roots Cathedral in B.C. long before juniper, citrus or spruce enter the equation.
With B.C.-grown barley at its foundation and Pacific Northwest botanicals shaping its character, Cathedral offers cocktail enthusiasts a way to support a local distiller while experiencing a distinctly local flavour in every sip.
Cathedral Coastal Forest Gin and Dry Citrus Gin are currently available with free delivery in B.C. and Alberta on orders of two or more bottles.
To learn more or order now, visit cathedralgin.com.
