Sustainable farm distillery & brewery in Ontario making stunning spirts, beers and seltzers.

We’re big fans of provenance and sustainable production here at Distant Lands. With companies like Jester King and Fin Wines on our roster following natures rules, we are always on the look out for brands that can self-sustainably produce with minimal intervention but with maximum innovation.

The brewery side of the business took shape and launched in October 2019 with the addition of head brewer Joe Freund. As not only a long time school friend he also came with an enviable CV that see’s Monkish, Jolly Pumpkin, Beavertown, and Ale Farm all listed as a part of his journey to Willibald. The beers being produced, like their spirits are on point with balance and nuance all at the heart of what they do. Untapped seems to agree too, with many of their pales and iterations of, scoring highly on the reviews based site. Not bad for a brewery that has only just found its feet and started amidst adverse pandemic conditions. 

Since those early days the brewery has grown in stature with an MO described as ‘light hearted but firmly detail oriented’. Collabs have also been key with beers brewed with Bellwoods, Mikkeller, Superflux, Gamma and Fuerst Wiacek all gaining notoriety.

‘Collaborations are key to staying relevant and grounded. Joe likes to work with friends, brewing in so many different places and at different spots has led to a lot of connections in the brewing world. We tend to partner with like minded breweries or partners that want to do something unique. We learn a lot from working with different partners and try to get a different perspective when we do collaborate. There are some seriously hype collabs coming down the pipeline that I can’t mention until they’re locked in 100% but stay tuned. Partnerships are also important to build camaraderie in the industry. The craft scene is very cool in the sense that most breweries look out for one another and want to see everyone succeed. A rising tide lifts all boats if that makes sense!‘

As with many of their fellow peers who are intrigued, nay obsessed with producing in accordance with seasonal cycles or natures own timeline, the team at Willibald have taken a slow, steady and meticulous approach to developing their range. Through expertise, trial, error and no doubt happy accidents along the way the results from their distillery as well as the brewery are nothing short of spectacular. Utilising a grain to glass approach, provenance is guaranteed as their home grown grains become their Farm Vodka or their barrel aged gin that has been respectfully aged in new oak. That’s not to mention the Pink Gin that has been dosed with their own raw honey before being aged in fresh Niagara red wine casks – giving it a natural delicate sweetness and beautiful pink hue.

We’re proud to be importing these Canadian beers and spirits as well as their range of thirst quenching seltzers which come in a range of naturally fruited flavours. Utilising vodka made on the farm these seltzers are the perfect adult fruited drink, that once again represents the farm to glass ethic of Willibald. After so much time and attention focused on American beers we thought it only right to shed light on the burgeoning Canadian drinks scene. For more information on the Willibald products that we are importing contact us here

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