01
Brandy
Our Apple Brandy took Gold and Best in Class at the 2021 Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition. Distilled from apples grown in the Creston Valley.
Creston, BC · Kootenays
Turning the Best Local Fruit into the Best Spirits
Handcrafted in small batches. No grains, no nuts, no shortcuts.
No grains. No nuts. Only natural colours and flavours — every spirit handcrafted in small batches from fresh fruit grown in the Creston Valley.
What We Pour
Our Spirits
02
Gin
Distilled in small batches with natural botanicals. Built on a fruit base — no grains — for a cleaner, softer finish.
03
Vodka
Grain-free vodka, distilled from fresh-pressed local fruit. Clear, clean, and naturally smooth — no additives, no shortcuts.
04
Moonshine
Unaged spirit straight from the still. Bold and unapologetic, pressed from fresh fruit — nothing added, nothing taken away.
Caribbean
A tropical-leaning spirit, small batch.
Liqueur
Fruit-forward and naturally coloured.
Schnapps
Traditional fruit schnapps, naturally flavoured.
Recognition
Award-Winning Since 2020
3
Best in Class
7
Gold
8
Silver
11
Bronze
Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition. First entered 2020. Apple Brandy — Gold & Best in Class, 2021.
Our Story
From Wynndel to Creston
What began as Wynndel Craft Distilleries in 2017 has grown into Sternwheeler Craft Distillery, named for the riverboats that opened the Kootenays to settlement. We started at Farmers Markets across the East and West Kootenays, and kept growing.
By 2023 we had outgrown our original home near Duck Lake. The Sunset Seed Building in Creston became our new home in 2024 — we kept the exterior as a speak-easy disguise and converted the interior into a Taste Room, distillery, warehouse, and barrel storage. The Lounge Bar opened in February 2025, stocked entirely with local products.
We still tend 16 acres of Saskatoons and berries at Duck Lake, with U-Pick running late June into July. Every spirit is handcrafted in small batches from fresh fruit — grown by us or by orchards in the Creston Valley.
Come In
Visit the Taste Room
Taste Room
Sunset Seed Building, Creston, BC
Mon & Tues: 12–7pm
Wed–Fri: 12–8pm
Weekends: from 11am
Lounge Bar
Opened February 2025. Stocked 100% with local products — beers, wines, cider, and our spirits.
Private Events
By arrangement. Reach us at sternwheeler.ca.
Shipping
Direct to BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. Other provinces changing through May 2026.
Where to Find Us
Spring to Fall — Farmers Markets
- Creston
- Cranbrook
- Fernie
- Grand Forks
- Nelson
Winter — Christmas Markets
- Creston Indoor Market (Saturdays, to end of December)
- Cranbrook
- Creston
- Trail
- Wynndel
Find Your Spirits Here
Small-batch spirits from fresh Creston Valley fruit. Shop online or visit the Taste Room in Creston, BC.