Page 14 - StonecrestAnnual2017

Photo courtesy of Willibald Distillery, Ayr, Ontario - visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ drinkwillibald

THE BIRTH OF WILLIBALD

DISTILLERY

A business idea created by three young men developed into the first distillery seen in North Dumfries
Township in centuries. Utilizing the family farm and with help from local farmers, Willibald Distillery boasts
family heritage and sourcing of locally grown grains to produce Ontario-produced aged gins and whiskeys.

Shortly after university, brothers Nolan and Jordan van der constructing a distillery that would uphold a “seed-to-glass”

Heyden and their friend Cam Formica, decided to pursue ideology. “The idea is to grow as much as we can,” said

a new business venture. Though the three had discussed Jordan van der Heyden in a recent article by The Record

plans to pursue a draft brewery, their love of spirits led them this past May.

to design and construct the first distillery North Dumfries Grains for the distillery would be grown locally on the farm

Township had seen in centuries. and with help from local farmers. Once harvested, grains

The three decided to look into utilizing the van der Heyden’s would be stored on the farm and then fermented and

family farm on Reidsville Road when they were unable to distilled in the facility and the products available for sale by

locate suitable zoned property in Kitchener/Waterloo. With the farm.

the intention of utilizing and renovating the existing 5,300 Keeping their family heritage and local agricultural

square foot century barn and farming the surrounding sourcability was important to incorporate and maintain in

60 acres, these young entrepreneurs were intent on this new venture.

14 STONECREST ANNUAL 2017