Raising Spirits: Alberta’s Fearless New Chapter of Moonshine

BY BADEN ROTH

When you think of moonshine, your mind probably doesn’t jump to stainless steel stills or sleek upscale bars. It likely goes somewhere wilder — and darker. To the backwoods. Picture it: stills hidden under the cover of night, the twang of a banjo - off in the distance, and someone rocking on a creaky porch, reminiscing of the good old days. People swearing they are going blind from the latest batch of bootleg hooch, made with a recipe passed down through generations, each iteration crafted to tame the bitterness a little more.

But today, moonshine is far more than just an illicit spirit brewed in secret under the moonlight — where it gets its name. It is a bold, versatile liquor carving out its place in modern mixology, and Alberta is turning the corner, ready to embrace it. It even has its own distinct category in The Alberta Beverage Awards.

Before we dive into moonshine’s future, let’s rewind to the golden age of cocktails — the 1860s through Prohibition — when classic cocktails like the Martini, Daiquiri, and Manhattan first shook up the scene. It was a time fuelled by experimentation, resilience, and ingenuity, with bartenders pushing creative boundaries despite scarce resources — not to mention timeless glassware.

That same innovative spirit still runs through the heart of moonshine today.

Rooted in tradition but made for the bold, moonshine captures the craft, creativity, and raw energy that made the era it started in so unforgettable—and it is exactly what makes it so thrilling for modern mixologists and adventurous drinkers.

It is also the spirit of Alberta, captured in a bottle, as you will soon see.

While we often associate moonshine with the southern United States, Canada has its own storied past. When Alberta went dry in 1916 (one year before British Columbia) small bootlegging operations sprang up across the Prairies, driven by the same stubborn grit that shaped the province itself.

Across North America, moonshine emerged to meet a simple demand: people still wanted a drink, whether it was legal or not. Distilled in hidden stills and often under the cover of darknesss, it became an enduring symbol of ingenuity and survival during Prohibition.

Traditionally, true moonshine was not defined by a single recipe or flavour. It could be anything, from the cleanest vodka to the boldest whisky, as long as it was made outside the law. Unlike commercial distillers, who watered down their spirits to meet regulations, moonshiners bottled theirs at full strength, fuelling the spirit’s fierce, untamed reputation.

During the 1920s, Samuel Bronfman — owner of Seagram’s — partnered with Al Capone to quench America’s Prohibition-era thirst with Canadian rye.

Together, they smuggled vast quantities of whisky across the border, building an empire that made the Bronfman family one of the richest in Canadian history and proving that moonshine was not just survival: it was big business, and it still is.

RAISING CANADIAN SPIRITS:

Four distinct approaches

With local pride at their core, Alberta’s distillers are not just making spirits. They are rewriting the rules. Across the province, a new wave of makers is crafting bold, distinctive moonshine in ways as diverse as the landscapes they call home.

SKUNKWORKS DISTILLERY:

The Engineers

Skunkworks Distillery doesn’t just make spirits — they engineer them, with the relentless, bootstrapped precision you’d expect from a team of moonshiners trained at NASA. Based in Calgary, Skunkworks has created something rare: a premium bar-cart beauty that is smooth, neutral, and versatile enough to mix, sip, or stand confidently on its own. Their “Hypersonic” offering, clocking in at up to 110 proof (55% ABV), pushes that innovation even further, bringing serious strength and bold character to any cocktail.

Their secret weapon is Taber sugar beets which are known for being stubborn and sweet and grown right here in Alberta. Taber’s refinery is the last sugar beet plant left in Canada, kept alive by the grit of 200 farm families represented by the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers.

Using sugar beets also keeps Skunkworks' spirits gluten-free, something close to the heart of co-owner Faye Warrington, who shares that some members of her family have celiac disease, so around here, it is not just marketing. It is personal.

They have also crafted a lineup of ready-to-drink cocktails, including their newest addition, Rocket Cola, a bold highball with cola, a twist of lime, and a zippy, refreshing finish perfect for summer. Their creations have even caught the attention of this summer’s upcoming Country Thunder Concert Series.

Their cocktail room feels like a secret Cold War outpost, filled with hidden gems, including a polished, riveted aircraft wing turned into a lounge table.

Signature Cocktail: Berry Moonjito

Bright, bubbly, and bold — a refreshing moonshine cocktail perfect for summer.

1 ½ oz signature moonshine

½ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz simple syrup

Fresh mint leaves

Fresh raspberries and strawberries

Soda water

Ice

Lime wedge and mint sprig, for garnish

1. Muddle mint, raspberries, and strawberries in a shaker or tall glass.

2. Add moonshine, lime juice, and simple syrup.

3. Fill with ice and top with soda water.

4. Stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig.

1905 DISTILLERY: The Scrappy Artists

If Skunkworks is the sleek engineer in the room, 1905 Distillery is the scrappy artist, crafting spirits with grit under their fingernails and passion in every pour. Tucked away in Bonnyville, 1905 Distillery is a small-batch producer known for bold flavours and an unwavering commitment to quality.

Founded by four friends bound by a love of distilling, they put character into every bottle through double distillation and charcoal filtration. Their lineup leans playful and unpretentious, with flavours like Apple Pie (apple-cinnamon), Winter Shine (salted caramel), Birdie Juice (cinnamon), and Bogey Shot (salted caramel).

These moonshines are made for mixing with sodas and knocking back on a hot summer’s day, not swirling in crystal at a marble-topped bar.

LATITUDE 55 DISTILLERY: The Northern Visionaries

The spirit even carries on further North with Latitude 55 Distillery bringing a bold polish to Grande Prairie.

Their small-batch rye, crafted from a blend of 70 percent rye and 30 percent wheat, is double distilled for a smooth, spicy, and softly sweet finish. At 43 percent ABV, it is a full-bodied reflection of the rugged landscape they call home. Latitude 55 is Grande Prairie’s first craft distillery, and they take great pride in that distinction.

"We wanted to help put Grande Prairie on the map by doing something different and cool in the community," says head distiller Nick Kebalo.

Signature Cocktail: Moonshine Dream

Smooth, sunny, and indulgent—a creamy moonshine cocktail made for easy sipping.

¾ oz moonshine

¾ oz Triple Sec

½ oz vanilla simple syrup

2 oz orange juice

Garnish: orange wheel

1. Shake all ingredients with ice for 10–15 seconds.

2. Double strain into a wine glass over fresh ice.

3. Garnish with an orange wheel, resting half in and half out of the glass.

As you journey south into Red Deer County, you will find a distillery where tradition and innovation meet in the art of moonshine making.

Founded in 2015, Booze Brothers Moonshine Co. has carved out a bold niche in Alberta’s craft distilling scene by embracing the province’s colourful bootlegging heritage and giving it a fresh, modern twist. Located at 303 Larch Close, their small-batch distillery is a testament to quality, creativity, and community spirit.

At the heart of their lineup is White Lightning Shine, a robust 45 percent ABV spirit distilled four times through a hybrid column still and polished with carbon filtration for an exceptionally smooth, clean finish. This strong, polished base becomes the foundation for a playful range of flavours like Creamsicle Moonshine, Margarita Shine, and Peach Shine. Their product packaging ties it all together, giving a nostalgic nod to the bootlegger past while delivering a bold and adventurous spirit for today’s drinkers.

From secret stills hidden during Prohibition to polished craft distilleries across Alberta, moonshine has come a long way.

But the notorious drink comes with a spirit that stays rooted in its shady and illicit past.

Today’s distillers are pushing it further, turning rough pours into smooth sippers, bright cocktails, and fearless new traditions.

Maybe it is elevating your homemade cocktail with Hypersonic from Skunkworks, a Bogey Shot on the back nine from 1905, or relaxing in the sun with a Margarita Shine from Booze Brothers. Either way, it doesn’t matter. In Alberta, moonshine never lost its edge. It just learned how to shine a little brighter, but the wild heart still beats - louder than ever.