Why Okanagan Spirits went to great lengths to create new colour-changing gin
KELOWNA - The fight for gender equality is far from over. CEO of Okanagan Spirits Craft Distilleries Tyler Dyck can attest to gender-based prejudice first-hand.
"Because my sister and I are twins, we’re essentially the same person," Dyck explained. "But we get treated differently in the environment that we live in now, in 2019, doing the same job."
That's the idea behind their new gender equality gin, Evolve.
"If we can convince people to change the way they look at gender, change their mindset, why don’t we create a gin that changes to exemplify that?" said Dyck. "It’s the same at its core, same gin, then you add tonic, which decreases the pH, it will go from blue to pink."
The distiller at Okanagan Spirits is a botanist. She collected an assortment of local wildflowers to naturally infuse the colour changing molecules into the gin, causing it to change colour.
"We call this our Altered Reality gin and tonic, made with our Gender Equality gin," Dyck said. "We’re asking people to change the way they think about gender and realize that we’re all on the same spectrum."
Okanagan Spirits has partnered with several local organizations on this project, notably Kelowna Pride and Mamas for Mamas.
"It allows us to work with organizations that offer (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education opportunities for young women," Dyck said. "Mamas for Mamas is [a group] that we've got a lot of events coming up with, and we're looking at a long term relationship with them because the value systems are the same."
Dyck said they plan on looking at how they can support gender equality initiatives in the community, with education opportunities, the LGBTQ community and beyond.
Okanagan Spirits has always supported gender initiatives, as it was an original pillar in their social outreach and charitable support through the distillery.
The Evolve gin takes this support one step further. More than simply cutting a cheque, this project allows the Dyck family to be involved with change at a personal level.
To purchase your own bottle, visit Okanagan Spirits Distillery on Bernard or order it online here.
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