Developing an automated system for ongoing micro-adjustments during the fermentation stage of the honey distillation process.

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North Island College's Industrial Automation program has partnered with a local distillery to research and develop a solution to enable micro-adjustments to their ferment process. NIC's electronics and industrial automation instructor Cory Batch, who also is a dual Red Seal journeyman electrician and industrial instrument mechanic, will work with Comox Valley's Wayward Distillery in order to build and develop a method of continuous and automated ferment testing and micro-adjusting to replace the current system of daily testing and adjustments. Micro-adjustments would minimize spikes in the pH balance of the ferment, provide an optimum growth environment, greatly improve overall yeast health, produce fewer undesirably flavoured alcohols and significantly improve total ferment efficiency. An Industrial Automation student will be hired to work on this project as a research assistant, amplifying their classroom learning by working directly on an innovation project with a growing and dynamic local company. Wayward was the first distillery in Canada to ferment and distill honey into spirits. As a pioneer in their field, Wayward has normalized the concept of honey spirts and has been fundamental in modernizing national alcohol regulations. This innovative research project, funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Engage grant, will help Wayward to grow their production. In turn, this growth will increase demand for high quality local honey and will contribute to increased bee populations, resulting in pollination of BC agriculture crops and a healthy ecosystem.