I’m not sure if the doctor would approve, but three sips of this and you might forget what ails you.

Blasted Brew is the coffee creation of Doug and Dawn Lennie, spouses and owners of Legend Distilling in beautiful Naramata. Doug brews up interesting small batch concoctions in a distillery that used to be the local doctor’s office. Dawn shows off Doug’s brews in their tasting room out front.

All of their potions are made grain to glass. “Mash, ferment, distil, distil again.” Doug enjoys experimenting with all of the fresh BC fruits on hand in the Okanagan. This Blasted Brew is made from their Legend Handmade Vodka, Organic Coffee, Demerara Sugar, Raw Cocoa Nibs and Pure Vanilla Extract. Oh my.

As it says on the back of the stylish Blasted Brew bottle: ‘Legend has it, blasting through rock to build the Kettle Valley Railway was dangerous work, especially during winter, when the explosives would get a little frosty. When workers slept in late, they’d have to make up for lost time by defrosting the dynamite in a roasting pan over an open campfire. You can probably guess how the story ends…’

Blasted Brew is designed to shock blasters awake so they don’t have to resort to open fire dynamite defrosting. Doug and Dawn also make other brews including the Ogopogo-inspired Shadow in the Lake Vodka, Defender Island Gin and special Doctor’s Orders Gin with juniper berries, coriander, citrus, lavender, elderberry, mint and apple. Their newer Manitou Orange and Sumac is crafted from BC wheat and Foraged Sumac berries.

Here in Vancouver, you can buy Blasted Brew and other Legends’ elixirs in a number of specialty liquor stores. If you are heading up to the Naramata Bench and other parts of the Okanagan for a wine tour, you can go to Legend and some of the other distilleries for a taste test. You will also get to check out some local art, as the Lennies like to support local artists, displaying their works in-house.

Written by Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com