Can you taste the fog? Newfoundland's latest distillery launches Fog Vodka

Fog Distillery Co. co-owners have been blown away by the consumer response so far. The spirit is branded as having a crisp citrus and subtle vanilla taste. (Submitted by Bill Tuff)

The fog in Newfoundland and Labrador can be so thick you can almost taste it … and now you can drink it in your favourite cocktail.

Sibling duo Bill and Kenny Tuff are the minds behind Fog Distillery Co. The company captures fog from the Harbour Grace area and condenses it into water for their signature vodka.

The seeds of the idea were planted when Bill befriended people in the beverage industry who taught him that water is the most important ingredient in a good vodka.

Then the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires happened.

"My wife just looked at the window," Bill Tuff said, describing a moment at their home in St. John's.

"And she said, 'you know what, I love how wet it is here. I'm never going to complain about the fog again.' And the light bulb went off."

Harvesting the fog

That idea turned into a year of research, says Kenny. Collecting fog isn't as simple as collecting it in a bottle. It required very specialized knowledge.

Fog Distillery Co. uses a series of nets in places that usually experience wind and fog or high elevation clouds. When the fog passes through the netting, it condenses into water droplets which are collected at the bottom.

Passively harvesting the water needed to create vodka with this method is extremely environmentally friendly, says Bill.

"This is one of the most beautiful things about this whole process," he said.

LISTEN | Hear how the Tuff brothers make spirits out of fog: 

Another upside, Bill says, is the process isn't very labour intensive. Fog harvesting provides generally clean water that can be used immediately after harvesting, according to the United Nations Climate Technology Centre.

Time to drink

The company can produce 60-70,000 cases of vodka each year with their current system, Kenny says.

So, what does fog-based vodka taste like? As co-founder Kenny Tuff puts it, "it tastes delicious."

One of the nets used by Fog. Distillery Co. to collect fog. The fog condenses into droplets in the netting and is collected at the bottom. (Submitted by Bill Tuff)

The website describes Fog Vodka as having "subtle notes of vanilla and citrus and a crisp finish."

It's now on shelves at NLC stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as LCBO stores in Ontario. The Tuff brothers say they've been overwhelmed by the response so far.

"By the time we set our first test nets on the ground to actually being on the shelf in the NLC, was less than a six-month span," said Bill. "It's been pretty incredible with the speed and explosiveness of the brand."

They're only planning to go up from there. Fog Distillery Co. is appearing on the Season 19 premiere of CBC's Dragon Den on Sept. 26.

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