The Distillers Journal - Issue 7, Winter 2022

THE MAGAZINE FOR DISTILLERS AND BLENDERS OF SPIRITS

DISTILLERS

J O U R N A L

WINTER 2022 | ISSUE 7 ISSN 2754-0014

BRIGHTON GIN Craft in the Republic 48 | BRINGING ABSINTHE BACK INTO THE FOLD

36 | KENYAN DISTILLER SAYS YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG

56 | ATSUO SAKURAI AND OVERCOMING EVERY HURDLE

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EADER A

GIVING YOU THE WORLD

t first glance this issue’s

turning gun barrel grey, I was beginning

Procera Gin set high standards for

main features might seem

to wonder the same. Although in Japan

themselves. The botanicals are to be all

very much like an eclec-

he had married an American Navajo

African, the bottles – hand blown at a

tic collection. They range

woman who taught English, Atsuo would

plant that can only average about 100 a

from sake being brewed in

never be confused with one of her ace

day – and the juniper berries have to be

Arizona, to Kenyan gin made with fresh

students. But bit by bit, he started telling

fresh. Wine isn’t made with dried raisins;

juniper berries, to London absinthe, to

me his story.

why should gin, they reasoned. And

Brighton’s leading distillery.

speaking of high standards, the price tag

If you’re ever in Seattle and down by the

for a bottle of their least expensive to £80

marina next to the Ballard Bridge, you’ll

pounds. You want to stand out? Procera

see some black, wooden fishing boats,

brings this notion to new heights. But it’s

No, there is very much a common thread

dating back to the 1920s. They’re not

actually working. How? Read the story.

with all, for what do you do in a crowded

museum pieces but active fishing boats

or unforgiving market? You stand out

which steam north to Alaskan waters

A young couple’s Devil Botany Distillery is

with innovation and quality, so nobody

for halibut, perhaps the most regulated

creating London-based absinthe for the

mistakes you for another.

fishery in the world. While the catch is

first time ever. Allison Crawbuck and Rhys

valuable, what is extremely valuable is

Everett are taking one of Europe’s most

I had read a short article in National

the fishing licence. There hasn’t been a

misunderstood spirits and putting an East

Geographic Traveller which mentioned a

new one granted for a serious number

London spin to it.

Japanese master sake brewer creating

of years. If you want to catch halibut, that

award winning sake in the middle of no-

piece of paper will cost you a lot more

And Kathy Caton of the Brighton Distillery

where-Arizona. I thought there had to be

than your boat.

is proving you can be ethical, transpar-

Little in common, you think.

much more a story than NGT reported so

ent, inclusive in hiring, one of the nicest

while on a trip to this stunningly beautiful

In Japan, Atsuo faced something similar.

people in the industry – and still be

western state, I decided to meet Atsuo

The Japanese government controls the

successful.

Sakurai and bring back his story to you.

number of sake distilleries and if you want to break into the market, be pre-

Not trying to toot my own horn – okay, I

The day started off bad. I was about

pared to spend at least $1 million to buy

am – you’re going to love these stories

two-hours away from Holbrook where

out an existing sake brewer and get their

and what else is in this issue. Enjoy the

Arizona Sake is located and thanks to

licence. Atsuo is a certified master sake

read.

picking up a nail in a rear tyre, hitting the

brewer and he’s worked for some famous

road at 8am turned into a 10.30 leaving

sake houses. But he wanted to start his

Velo Mitrovich

time. This being mid-February and being

own craft sake brewery. He wanted it to

Editor Distillers Journal

in the red rock mountains of Sedona, not

be innovated and creative, something he

only had an ice storm come through the

couldn’t explore where he worked.

And more than just as PS...

for heavy snow later that day. Leaving

When his wife suggested they move to

The joint Brewers/Distillers Congress will

at 8am would have meant dodging the

America, he was all for it. What he was

be held on 9 December, 2022, at Lon-

snow; leaving at 1030 meant hitting it on

not expecting was how isolated Holbrook

don’s Business Design Centre. This joint

the way back, just as night was falling.

is, which they went to first since it’s next

show will consist of lectures, exhibitions

to the Navajo reservation where his wife’s

and a huge assortment of free beer and

Atsuo was welcoming but puzzled;

family lives. I won’t go further into his

spirit samples. Running from 10am to

unbelievably modest, he couldn’t figure

journey; you can read the story. But I’ll

18.30, the BDC is just a few minutes walk

out why I drove that far to see him and in

leave you this: A lesson he had to learn

from Angel Tube Station.

such bad weather conditions.

was, it’s not the water or the ingredients

For ticket information, please contact

or the salt air that makes a beverage, it’s

Josh Henderson at: josh@reby.media

the brewer/distiller.

I will see you there!

night before, now there was a forecast

I’ll be honest, as I looked at the sky

distillersjournal.info

WINTER 2022

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3

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Phone: 01977 627 661

Website: allied-glass.com

WINTER 2022

CONTENTS

Gin growth in new areas As the gin market cools in the UK and Spain, it is beginning to heat up in Canada, Japan, Brazil, South Africa and India

09

Tonic war heats up Nobody seems to have told New Zealand tonic brand East Imperial that the UK market is sewn up tight. This fast growing tonic will be here soon

13

A guide to sourcing those special casks Casks made from exotic woods can add a special finish to your spirit. However, finding and buying these barrels can be a real challenge

15

Breaking into the hospitality trade For craft producers, it feels like you need to be a robber to get your bottle into a bar. Understanding what you’re up against is the first step

19

Legally giving it away If you think nothing is easier than giving away free samples of your spirit, think again. How you do could be like walking in a mine field.

22

Ask a bartender – colour Nothing brings more expectation to a drink than its colour. Not enough looks bland; too much looks artifical. This is even more important with low/no

25

Cover story – Brighton Distillery Can good guys finish first in the spirit industry?

Kathy Caton and her hard bike peddling team are out to prove they can

28

Gin by the numbers No one disputes the human nose in producing spirits; no one disputes how easy it is to throw it off.

Time to take a scientific view of gin quality

64

48

Absinthe gets new life

Allison Crawbuck and Rhys Everett of Devil’s Botany are distilling absinthe for the first time ever in London. Green Muse or Guillotine of the Soul, you decide.

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

CONTACTS Velo Mitrovich Editor velo@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 591 Tim Sheahan Managing Editor tim@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 592 Josh Henderson Head of sales josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594 Jon Young Publisher jon@rebymedia.com

36

Reby Media Portlet House 6 Grove Road, Kenya’s Procera Gin

56

SUBSCRIPTIONS The Distillers Journal is a published four times a year and mailed every January, April, July and October. Subscriptions can be purchased for four issues. Prices for single issue subscriptions or back issues can be obtained by emailing: subscribe@ rebymedia.com

High desert sake maker

UK & IRELAND £29 INTERNATIONAL £49

The hardest lesson Atsuo Sakurai had to learn was: It’s not the equipment, ingredients, water, or fresh salt air that makes a drink, it’s all down to the distiller/brewer.

The content of The Distillers Journal is subject to copyright. However, if you would like to obtain copies of an article for marketing purposes high-quality reprints can be supplied to your specification.

Please contact the advertising team for full details of this service. The Distillers Journal is printed at Manson Group, St Albans, UK.

44 One hundred bottles of gin

There is a reason why Sean Murphey is grinning, he’s written The Scottish Gin Bible.

distillersjournal.info

Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1NG, UK

Wine is made with fresh grapes, not raisins, so why isn’t gin made with fresh juniper berries?

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The Distillers Journal ISSN 2754-0006 is published quarterly by Reby Media, Portlet House 6 Grove Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1NG. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, Portlet House 6 Grove Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1NG. The Distillers Journal accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its publishers. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

WINTER 2022

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7

NEWS

UK DUTY FREEZE SUPPORTS SCOTCH WHISKY SECTOR

GIN GROWTH TO COME FROM NONTRADITIONAL MARKETS

T

The quest for new markets will be ever

As the gin boom cools in established markets such as the UK and Spain, growth opportunities emerge in a number of non-traditional markets, including Brazil and India.

he Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has said that the new UK gov-

more important, according to spirit data

ernment is delivering on promises to help the industry.

collection agency IWSR, with the total

Mark Kent, chief executive of the SWA, commented on the freeze on

UK gin market forecasted to decline at

spirits duty announced by the Chancellor. “Prime Minister Liz Truss

a CAGR of -4 percent between 2021 and

said that it was important to back the Scotch whisky industry to boost

2026,

growth, and today the government has delivered.

Data from IWSR shows that the UK and

“The Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has frozen duty on Scotch whisky and other spir-

Spain have now reached ‘peak gin’, with

its, meaning the planned double-digit inflationary increase will now not go ahead.

volume consumption plateauing – but

This will save consumers £1.35 on the average priced bottle of Scotch whisky and

both markets are set to remain important

help the industry as it deals with the dual challenge of rising energy costs and

sources of innovation and value for the

supply chain pressures.

category in the future. Meanwhile, flavour

“On behalf of the SWA’s members, I want to thank the government for listening to

diversification is a major trend driving gin

the concerns of the industry and taking action to Support Scotch. The duty freeze

for established brands in particular, but a

will not only support our sector, but the hospitality industry and the wider econo-

new wave of locally produced premium

my.

gins is also exploiting growth opportuni-

“Further action will be needed to bring down the 70 percent tax burden on Scotch

ties in non-traditional gin markets, such

whisky in the UK, which remains the highest in the G7 and one of the highest in

as India and Brazil.

the world. We look forward to working with the new HM Treasury team to ensure

According to IWSR forecasts, global

Scotch Whisky can deliver investment, employment, and growth in Scotland and

volumes of standard-and-above priced

across our supply chain.”

gins are poised to grow at a CAGR of +5 percent between 2021 and 2026. While

This is highly important to the industry as the tax burden on the average priced

volume growth in the three largest gin

bottle of Scotch whisky it at 70 percent due to high rates of spirits duty. A recent

markets of the US, UK and Spain will be

survey revealed over half of Scotch whisky distillers have seen their costs double

subdued, strong gains are expected in

in the last 12 months and expect further increases in the next year.

other top 20 markets: IWSR expects dou-

In the survey conducted by the SWA, it found that 57 percent of distillers have

ble-digit CAGR volume growth in markets

seen energy costs increase by more than ten percent in the last year, with nearly a

including Canada, Japan, South Africa,

third (29 percent) seeing their energy costs double. Nearly 40 percent of business-

and India from 2021 to 2026, alongside

es, which produce the UK’s number one food and drink export, reported shipping

CAGR volume growth of just under 10

costs doubling in the last 12 months, with 43 percent also reporting supply chain

percent in markets such as Italy, Brazil,

cost rises of more than 50 percent.

and Australia.

“While established gin markets have

The survey also found most distillers see costs rising further over the next year,

seen category growth starting to peak,

with 57 percent of businesses expecting energy costs to go up by a further 50

there are a number of other non-tradi-

percent and nearly three quarters (73 percent) anticipating another 50 percent

tional markets that are seeing gains. The

increase in shipping costs.

ongoing recovery of the key on-trade

However, despite rising costs, the industry expects to continue to invest in opera-

channel post-Covid has reinforced

tions and supply chain. 57 percent of distillers reported an increase in their number

previously emerging tailwinds for gin in

of staff in the past 12 months, with all respondents expecting to need to add to their

these markets,” said Jose Luis Hermoso,

workforces in the coming year.

research director at IWSR. In India, locally produced IMFL gins dominated the market for many years,

distillersjournal.info

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9

NEWS but – as in South Africa – the emergence of a local craft scene has transformed the category. Meanwhile, imported gins are growing strongly, but from a small base.

Total gin volumes increased by 50% in 2021, remaining below pre-pandemic levels. However, volumes for the standardand-above price bands have more than doubled since 2019, and are expected to almost treble by 2026, according to IWSR figures.

“The Indian craft category is expected to go from strength to strength, with the strong likelihood of more brands and more investment, from large and small players alike,” said Jason Holway, market analyst at IWSR. “Leading international players are also able to offer a well-regarded gin brand, which should help to maintain momentum at the premium-plus end of the category, moving the centre of gravity gradually upwards.”

CASAMIGOS FASTEST GROWING BRAND

George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila is the fastest growing spirit brand and the envy of all other celebrity spirits

ranking.

a true grain to glass approach, every ele-

In addition to brand value, Brand Finance

ment is harvested from the Ramsbury Es-

determines the relative strength of

tate, from planting and growing the trees

brands through a balanced scorecard

that fuel our biomass boiler to harvesting

of metrics evaluating marketing invest-

the Horatio and Spotlight wheat, all on a

ment, stakeholder equity, and business

single field.”

performance.

George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila is the fastest-growing spirits brand, almost tripling in value since last year and is now valued at $450 million, up 177 percent.

After its sale to the UK-based multina-

NEW GM FOR RAMSBURY

AMERICAN ‘SINGLE MALT’ CLASSIFICATION

tional alcohol company Diageo in 2017 for

Ramsbury Brewing & Distilling Compa-

around $1 billion, Clooney’s brand contin-

ny has announced the appointment of,

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade

ues to perform strongly with tequila sales

Nikolas Fordham, as general manager.

Bureau has started to create an official

skyrocketing globally. Not only has the

Fordham will oversee the operations of

“American Single Malt” designation,

brand followed sector-wide trends, but

the Ramsbury Brewing & Distilling Com-

reports The Denver Gazette.

it has also pushed further than others by

pany, which produces Ramsbury single

The rules to qualify as an American Sin-

doubling sales this year.

estate gin and vodka.

gle Malt whiskey are as follows:

The brand has also announced its plans

He has joined Ramsbury with over a

u Made from 100% malted barley

to invest over $500m to expanding pro-

decade’s worth of industry experience,

u Distilled entirely at one distillery

duction capabilities in Mexico, with the

following his first position as distillery

u Mashed, distilled and matured in the

increased investment expected to assist

manager at Chivas Brothers Limited back

USA

in securing further growth for the brand in

in 2008. Before joining Ramsbury, he was

u Matured in oak casks of a capacity not

coming years.

head of operations of Tarquin’s Gin since

exceeding 700 litres

Every year, leading brand valuation con-

2017, where he was instrumental to its

u Distilled to no more than 80% ABV

sultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the

growth and success as a business, from

u Bottled at 40% ABV

world’s biggest brands to the test, and

NPD to site wide operations. Prior to that,

The Bureau is currently in the public

publishes around 100 reports, ranking

he was master distiller and head of oper-

comment phase of the process to “set

brands across all sectors and countries.

ations at The Bombay Spirits Company.

forth the standards to identify distilled

The world’s top 50 most valuable and

Fordham said: “I’m thrilled to be appoint-

spirits,” according to its website. TBB offi-

strongest spirits brands are included

ed to general manager of Ramsbury

cials said the proposal came after years

in the annual Brand Finance Spirits 50

Brewing & Distilling Company. Operating

of industry lobbying, mostly by the Amer-

10

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

NEWS ican Single Malt Whiskey Commission.

US distillers of single malt whiskey feel that by having the designation, it will put them on the same par as bourbon, Irish whiskey, and Scottish whisky.

ABV DIVERSITY WITH RTD Data sows shows that ready to drink (RTD) product launches are increasingly leaning into super-premium pricing, packaging with less plastic, fewer direct health claims, and greater diversity of alcohol content, with half of all new RTD products having an ABV of 5% or higher.

New RTD brand owners, as well as established producers, are increasingly introducing products with higher ABV rather than focusing on the more traditional 3-5% ABV range. Around half of all new RTDs launched in the second half of 2021 had an alcohol content of five

RTD consumers are willing to pay more for premium brands which are eco-friendly with packaging and have a higher ABV

percent or higher. This trend has been led

by China, the US, and Australia, but is not

redevelopment of an industrial site has

to recreational cannabis as soon as they

universal. Other countries such as Ger-

been submitted to the City of Edinburgh

turned of age, have an even stronger

many and Japan are seeing a decrease in

Council with plans to invest £150 million

preference for cannabis. A survey by the

new innovations with higher ABVs.

into building a whisky warehouse.

cannabis research firm New Frontier Data

The RTD markets continues to fly. This

The £150m investment in redeveloping

found that 69 percent of people aged 18

is true across the key RTD markets –

the industrial estate will go towards 40

to 24 preferred cannabis over alcohol.

Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany,

new bonded warehouse buildings which

However, while this might be the trend of

Japan, Mexico, South Africa, the UK, and

will accommodate 80,000 square metres

the moment, no one is sure if it’s got legs.

the US – which represent 85 percent of

of regulatory compliant maturation space

Brandon Dorsky, CEO of cannabis edible

global consumption of RTDs.

together with associated disgorging and

brand Fruit Slabs, says he excepts the

“The ability to respond to consumer

ancillary accommodation.

draw of cannabis lounges could be

needs goes some way to explaining the rapid rise of RTDs,” says Brandy Rand, COO Americas at IWSR which conducted the research.

The number of RTD products using plastic-only packaging is reducing. Data shows that just one percent of new RTD products used plastic-only packaging in

short-lived.

US CANNABIS LOUNGES CHALLENGING BARS

the second half of 2021, down from five

“While consumption lounges are a great option for tourists, people with children who cannot consume at home, and those wanting a novelty experience, they are still expensive relative to consuming outside of the lounge,” Dorskey told SevenFiftyDaily.

An issue, too, is that many users of

percent in the first half of the year. In the

While like in here in the UK the number

cannabis in the States prefer the use of

UK, a strong majority of RTD beverages

of alcohol drinkers drop each year as the

edibles as opposed to inhaling cannabis.

are sold in metal cans.

latest generations seemed turned-off by

If users are partaking edibles in a lounge,

spirits and beer, US cannabis laws are

what will they do for the one to two hours

HUGE WHISKY WAREHOUSE FOR DALMENY

allowing pot lounges and here is where

before the effects start kicking in?

growth is happening, according to Sev-

In the UK, cannabis lounges for the time

enFiftyDaily.

are not an issue. However, many people

A Gallup poll found that 49 percent of US

believe that the laws pertaining to can-

adults have used cannabis compared to

nabis will change if and when the Tories

45 percent two years earlier. It appears in

leave office. Already the UK is Europe’s

Scottish Construction News reports

early studies that younger generations,

largest legal grower of cannabis, and

that a pre-planning application for the

the first to have widespread legal access

most UK police forces are not enforcing

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

NEWS drug laws when it comes to personal use.

New Zealand’s East Imperial brand tonic water is entering the tough world of international brands led

by Fever-Tree and Schwepps

For the past 300+ years, almost every UK law regarding spirts has revolved around taxation, not public health. Distillers Journal believes that this will spur the government into legalising cannabis.

TONIC WAR HEATS UP According to data collection agency Shepper (see elsewhere in issue), the UK’s tonic water market is sewn up between Fever-Tree, Schwepps, and a few in-house brands. The problem for anyone trying to crack this market is bar/pub space availability – a bar’s refrigerator can only hold so much product.

Nobody, however, seems to have told New Zealand’s tonic brand East Imperial this, which will be hitting the UK soon, according to its website.

to £25.3m for the same period last year).

is signed in the States. This will eliminate

So far, East Imperial has been a mere fly

East Imperial made around £3 million

costly shipping across the Pacific.

to Fever-Tree’s elephant. Despite a huge

during the same period last year.

Will this be enough to start taking a

downturn in business last year, for the

However, a problem East Imperial has

significant share of Fever-Tree’s market?

first half of 2022 Fever-Tree made a pre-

in selling in the all-important US market

Only time will tell.

tax profit of £17.6 million (this is opposed

will soon be solved when a bottling deal

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Tel: +44 (0) 01473 823011

Email: info.uk@berlinpackaging.com WINTER 2022

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13

8 DECEMBER AT THE BDC, CENTRAL LONDON, UK

DISTILLERS CHRISTMAS PARTY

SCAN HERE FOR TICKETS

BRING YOUR TEAM TO CELEBRATE THE FESTIVE SEASON WITH THE DISTILLERS JOURNAL AND THE BREWERS JOURNAL. A THREE COURSE CHRISTMAS DINNER, BEER, WINE, LIVE MUSIC AND A TWO DAY PASS TO THE BREWERS & DISTILLERS CONGRESS FOR £139 PER PERSON (INC VAT)

COMMENT

A GUIDE TO SOURCING SPECIALIST CASKS

DISTILLERS ARE WORKING IN AN EXCITING TIME, WRITES NICOLAS LAFITTE OF ALTER OAK, AS MORE EXOTIC WOOD CASKS ENTER THE SCENE WHICH CAN MAKE YOUR SPIRIT REALLY STAND OUT. HOWEVER, FINDING THESE CASKS CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

distillersjournal.info

W

e live in exciting

to logistics. We are facing certain

times as more

extreme situations in some parts of the

and more spirits

globe, with typhoons and heavy rains,

are arriving on

damaged roads, criminal activity, etc.

the market with

If the cooperage is located in a remote

increasingly exotic ageing and finishes:

area, as is often the case, this can cause

Marsala, Saké, Vin Santo, Amaro,

challenges and delays to transport goods

Mizunara oak, Colombian oak, etc.

to the port of departure.

But sourcing the casks to obtain these glamourous spirit finishes can prove to

Lead-time: This depends on the buying

be an adventure in itself. Indeed, it would

process. The local supplier must find

be easy to assume that new and used

a reliable and legal wood source,

casks are readily available and easily

often including a license to fell trees.

purchased. However, from the point of

In the case of Mizunara oak, high level

view of the cooper or cask supplier, it can

government officials have to sign the

be an involved process, especially when

extraction permits. Time is needed to

it comes to exotic casks.

then dry the staves sufficiently. The cooper then works the wood and makes

Let’s examine the case of new oak supply

the casks. Often, the more exotic the

such as Japanese Mizunara casks, made

wood, the harder it is to work. All of these

from one of the most qualitative and

stages, which are equally important,

expensive oaks in the world, or Quercus

result in quite an important lead time

Humboldtii (Andean oak/Columbian oak),

which should be considered when

another innovative option from Latin

buying casks.

America. The demand for this type of oak has increased in recent years and rightly

Volume supply: There is a worldwide

so. However, not only is it expensive

pressure for wood but not always

and qualitative, but it is also extremely

because it is scarce. The demand from

rare and protected. What are the hidden

multiple sectors such as construction,

challenges behind sourcing this type of

whisky industry, etc. has dramatically

cask that one needs to consider?

increased, therefore leading to competition in the supply of wood. It

Time to test the barrels: At a cost of

is clear that forest protection is one of

several thousand euros, Mizunara oak

the vital issues facing our industry and

casks are typically purchased in small

therefore puts some additional pressure

quantities at first. The testing time frame

on the volume available of timber.

for liquid development can be several

It is worth noting that wood suppliers

months and by the time this testing is

often favour their long-standing

complete, the availability of supply to

customers with whom they already have

reorder these barrels may have changed

established a relationship of trust: this

significantly. For a larger order, both

can result in longer lead-times for new

production and shipping times must be

buyers.

added, thus the landscape and lead-time of purchasing might have changed.

Knowledge of these different elements is useful when defining purchasing and

Logistical challenges: When acquiring

supply strategies in order to avoid any

exotic barrels, we have to be prepared

unexpected delays. Good suppliers

for exotic situations. This also applies

should be able to give context on this

WINTER 2022

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COMMENT

The cask specialist team at Alter Oak in France

Knowledge of these different elements is useful when defining purchasing and supply strategies” Nicolas Lafitte

because they are used to dealing with these challenges across the globe. The points discussed above also often apply to select second-hand casks.

There are many things to think about when buying select, quality, used barrels.

First is seasonality. I need to replenish my stock of casks of a specific wine. Are these casks available at the moment? If not, when is the harvest period for this wine? Given that harvest time can vary by several months and therefore delay the availability of barrels.

Is the wine from the barrel I am using for finishing in a growing or declining consumer market as we have already seen in the sherry industry?

Will I scale this product? If so, discuss possible volumes in good time with the cask supplier.

Can I be less specific on my labelling to ensure a wider sourcing to meet my volumes in the future.

We hope the elements in this article may help you in supplier conversations to allow simple changes in foresight and planning of cask inventory. In the current context all of us are looking for sensible and sustainable solutions for future sourcing while maintaining excellent impact of wood on spirit maturation.

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COMMENT

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COMMENT

YOU CAN BREAK INTO THE ON-TRADE MARKET

BIG GIN MIGHT HAVE A GRIP ON THE UK HOSPITALITY TRADE, BUT THIS DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T GET IN. GETTING THE RIGHT DATA WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKET AND COMPETITORS. DISTILLERS JOURNAL REPORTS

distillersjournal.info

O

n the surface it doesn’t

and nationally managed pub and bar

look great for craft gin

groups, showcasing the gin and tonic

distillers who want to get

buying experience.

into the hospitality trade.

How accurate is this data?

Despite the massive

boom in local and small batch craft gin

“I view this as very much real people

brands, big gin is favoured in the UK’s on-

collecting real data in real places. We

trade and hospitality industry, according

don’t use any sort of data, web scraping

to Toby Darbyshire of data collection

for information, we’re not building our

agency Shepper.

insight out that way. We collect the state

Darbyshire tells Distillers Journal that

of the nation information as it’s happening

around 50 percent of the UK marketplace

on the shelf, giving you an instant view of

is dominated by Beefeater at 22 percent,

reality,” says Darbyshire.

Tanqueray at 18 percent, and Bombay

While most of the time Shepherds are

Sapphire and Gordons combined at 10

gleaming information for specific clients,

percent. But, he adds, this isn’t a closed

in this case Shepper itself was the client.

market and you can get in with the right

How it would normally work would be for

information.

a company to approach Shepper, let’s

This research was conducted by

says Brown’s Whisky. Brown’s wants to

Shepper’s community of data-collectors

find out if its whisky is being place on

– called ‘Shepherds’ – and was based on

supermarket shelves as its distributor

a sample of 1,000 independent free-

is claiming. It wouldn’t be practical for

trade sites, alongside some regionally

Brown’s to send out its own employees

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19

COMMENT to visit 500 supermarkets, so it hires

of expensive gins. I think the next one

(53 per cent) serving the mixer. It was

Shepper, which in turns sends out its

after that was somewhere in Mayfair,

followed by Schweppes at 16 per cent.

Shepherds.

Kensington, for about £16.50. So yeah,

Only one in four outlets served a tonic

Besides checking Brown’s product

location is king!”

other than one of these two brands.

Franklin & Sons was over-indexed in

placement, its Shepherds can also look at Brown’s competition in these markets.

BRIGHTON GIN

the East Midlands, which is close to the home of the brand.

With this real data, Shepper can advise Brown’s about its distributor/distribution,

“When the report came in, we could see

“This would be a very hard market for

any apparent missed opportunities,

that Brighton has got huge local support

someone to break into,” says Darbyshire,

trends, or even if the market is saturated.

for its local Brighton Gin, it’s ubiquitous in

with one of the main problems being the

the town. It’s also got support of a couple

lack of space in a bar/pub’s refrigerator.

With gin, Shepper was curious about the

of established pub groups as well, which

whole market – not a specific brand –

gives it more of a reach than maybe

and saw this as an opportunity to create

your regular independent gin,” says

a report distilleries would be interested

Darbyshire. “There’s also a similar thing

When looking at Edinburgh Gin or

in buying.

in Scotland, where we ran our survey

Brighton Distillery, one thing that both of

“I think for everyone, gin is a leading

in Edinburgh and where Edinburgh Gin

them got right was to become masters of

category. Within spirits, there’s huge

was seen in maybe 50 to 100 places.

their own territory, says Darbyshire. [See

SMALL BREAKING IN

choice and I was interested to see how

Brighton Gin in this issue.] In addition to

that differs and alters amongst the

this, you need to get on a bar’s menu so

trade landscape,” says Darbyshire. “My

consumers will ask for your gin.

professional history sits in in alcohol sales

“Historically the menu is the biggest key

and predominantly spirits. So, this was

driver of a purchasing decision. Whether

something quite close to my heart and I

it’s giving the consumers a real call to

was interested to see the results, having witnessed this market over the years.”

According to Darbyshire, the Shepherds were giving the instruction of going into a pub, bar, restaurant, or hotel and order a gin and tonic.

“They didn’t ask for a specific gin; they showed no preference. The base point was getting a really organic serve and organic operational behaviour,” he says.

“Most customers don’t ask for a specific

I know my first port of call would be trying to get featured on that menu” Toby Darbyshire, Shepper

gin; they just ask for a gin and tonic and

action, or perhaps providing additional liquid credentials, or price point, or even a flavour profile,” says Darbyshire. “All these things aid their decision in asking for your gin.

“If I was a gin brand and going into an ontrade environment, I know my first port of call would be trying to get featured on that menu to really try and change consumers buying decisions. We see this everywhere. Menus are ubiquitous, they’re use to try to get people to make a more informed decision based on what

we wanted to duplicate this.”

their preferences are.”

What is interesting that we didn’t see

The lower priced G&Ts were around £5.60

this duplicated in Leeds, Manchester, or

For more on this report with Toby

with the most expensive over £20, which

Liverpool as much.”

Darbyshire, be sure to listen to Distillers

begs the question: Why?

Journal’s podcasts.

“Location, it is all about location. We

One thing Shepper hadn’t expected

looked at the entire landscape, with

was that the shape of the glass could

the most expensive G&T served at the

influence what the price of a G&T was.

American Bar in The Savoy, which when

“It appeared that the higher the price

you think about it, it’s probably not that

point, the more a balloon glass – or

surprising,” he says. “We wanted to keep

those typical – were used. Less than

some of those real prestige, exclusive

£6-7 pounds and they weren’t used, so

venues in there just to understand

that seems to be the price point when

the game, to have a real sort of broad

consumers are expecting a nicer glass,”

spectrum of segmentation in there.

he says.

“In the Midlands and East Midlands, the average price was coming out at about

Another thing the report discovered

£5-6, with the absolute cheapest found

was how wrapped up the tonic market

in Nottingham at £3.20. But certainly,

is. Fever-Tree was by far the most

London had a disproportionate number

customary tonic on offer with over half

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

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www.alteroak.com

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+33663177569

COMMENT

THE ART OF LEGALLY GIVING AWAY ALCOHOL

YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS VISIT YOUR DISTILLERY AND YOU GIVE THEM A FREE SAMPLE. DOES YOUR LICENCE COVER THIS OR DO YOU EVEN NEED ONE? WHAT CONSTITUTES A SALE OF ALCOHOL IN ENGLAND AND WALES? PIERS WARNE, A LEGAL DIRECTOR SPECIALISING IN LICENSING AT TLT SOLICITORS AND PART OF THEIR SPECIALIST HOSPITALITY TEAM, EXPLAINS ALL.

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T

his article tries to distil

holder, a premises licence holder, or a

(sorry!) the complex

premises user in relation to a temporary

rules of what is a bona

event notice permitting sales of alcohol

fide giveaway of alcohol

– where that person is then selling the

compared to sales of

alcohol on – is not a ‘sale’ in the eyes of

alcohol requiring a licence. We are

licensing law.

looking at England and Wales; Scotland

The reason is this: only the person

has different rules.

selling the alcohol to the consumer

Given the rise in popularity of low alcohol

needs to hold a licence. In practical

and zero alcohol spirits, it is worth noting

terms, a distillery does not need a

that any drink below 0.5% ABV at the time

premises licence to sell alcohol, so long

of sale falls outside of the definition of an

as the sales are wholesale. This is well

alcoholic drink and therefore is exempt.

understood, of course.

Let’s start with the basics. Licensing

So, a sale will only ever be a sale if it

legislation in the context of alcohol is

is to a consumer. But we still have not

concerned with sales from regulated

clarified what a ‘sale’ in this context is. For

premises. For these purposes, the world

instance, if you buy a ticket to an event

is neatly divided into premises where

which includes a ‘free’ drink, would this

alcohol can be legally sold and the rest

be a sale? What if you give alcohol away

of England and Wales where it can’t.

to customers, but ask for a voluntary

But matters are not quite that simple.

donation, or perhaps, make it necessary

Sales of alcohol are defined in S1 (a)

for the person receiving the free drink to

Licensing Act 2003 as relating solely

buy a place mat, for, say the price of a gin

to ‘sales by retail’ of alcohol or, for

and tonic? All of these have been tried in

completeness, supply of alcohol in

the past. Most have fallen foul of the law.

the context of private member’s clubs.

This is because the first offence set

So, firstly, wholesale of alcohol is not

out in the legislation relating to sales

regulated. This is explicitly set out in

of alcohol makes it illegal to ‘carry on

the Licensing Act (s.192(2) – for those

to attempt to carry on’ a sale of alcohol

who are interested – as an exemption

from any premises not licensed to do so,

from the definition of sale. Therefore

or at times not licensed to do so. This is

a ‘sale’ to a trader, a personal licence

why the old fashioned ‘lock-in’ is illegal.

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

COMMENT The offence, if a sale is made, can occur

asked, irrespective of whether they then

you can do without a licence. Giving

anywhere.

committed to a bit off the top or to tie the

away samples, for instance, would not

knot, or not.

be classified as a sale, as there has been nothing of value received at the time

So why would it be a sale, for instance, to give away free drinks as part of an

Some people have attempted to get

of the give-away. This is, of course, so

event where customers buy tickets to

around having to hold a premises

long as there is no requirement for the

attend? Sales, in this context are broadly

licence by offering drinks to anyone who

sampler to buy anything.

defined. Where there is a requirement to

asks, but then suggesting a ‘voluntary’

However, some caution is needed to

purchase a ticket before receiving any

donation is made to keep the premises

ensure that, if you are providing samples

‘free drinks’, this would be considered a

going, or a ‘voluntary’ purchase of a beer

in public spaces, you have the relevant

sale as there is a clear value assigned

mat at a suggested price more akin to a

permissions from the council to do so.

to the gift of the alcohol, whether your

cost of a pint than a circle of printed card.

It is also worth bearing in mind that

guests take you up on the offer or not.

If the ‘voluntary’ element is in fact more

samples should be exactly that. Also,

like a ‘wink wink voluntary’ donation,

putting in place measures to ensure you

Other enlightening examples of how

again, there is value for the alcohol and

are not giving away alcohol to children

this works in practice would be where

this would be illegal. By the way, it is

and that samplers are not relying on

a hairdresser or bridal boutique offers

irrelevant whether you make a profit or

your largess to get merry makes good

an alcoholic drink to their customers.

not.

practical and legal sense.

What is the key take-away here? Well, it

Where you are incentivised to purchase something, or you are offered a drink

It is worth noting that the offence of

can be summed up nicely by reference

once you are in the barber’s chair or

selling alcohol without a licence, can

to the ‘sniff test’. If it smells like a scam,

trying on dresses, you have value

lead to unlimited fines and potentially up

it is likely to be a scam. If you start with

for the drink. This would therefore

to six months in prison for those found

the premise that giving something away

constitute a sale. To be a genuine

guilty of offences, so there can be serious

should come with no strings attached,

give-away, and therefore not a sale,

consequences for trying to grift the

you are unlikely to go wrong – but if in

you would technically have to offer the

system.

doubt, seek advice.

same drinks to anyone passing by who

On the positive side, let’s look at what

distillersjournal.info

WINTER 2022

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23

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18/01/2022 10:56:50

ASK THE BARTENDER

ASK A BARTENDER ABOUT: COLOURS, SPIRITS & COCKTAILS

IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE NEXT BIG THING, YOU CAN TALK TO DISTILLERS, OR YOU CAN TALK TO THOSE POURING FOR CUSTOMERS, BARTENDERS. PICK A QUIET NIGHT, PULL UP A STOOL, AND FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DRINKING.

distillersjournal.info

W

e’ve all done this.

the younger group’s judgment of the

You’re at a pub,

overall flavour intensity of the chicken

bar, or even a

bouillon was influenced by the amount

restaurant. You

of colouring that had been added to the

know what you’re

sample. More colour, more flavour.

going to have when suddenly a drink or

Some researchers have conducted

a plate of food catches your eye. “I’ll have

a number of psychophysical studies

one of those instead,” you say. Why? Most

showing that the addition of food

probably it was the colour.

colouring can deliver as much as 10

This plays an important part in what we

percent perceived sweetness.

choose to drink and if you’re not thinking

In other research, it has been shown

about colour, you could be missing out

that people will consume more candy

on sales.

if it comes in a variety of colours than

According to research by Charles Spence

if presented in just a single colour

on the psychological impact of food

even if that colour happens to be the

colour – published by BioMed Central

consumer’s favourite one. Increasing the

– colour is the single most important

colour variety – as in Smarties, M&Ms

product-intrinsic sensory cue when it

and Jellybeans – increases the amount

comes to setting people’s expectations

consumers eat.

regarding the likely taste and flavour of food and drink.

While for years in the States, cereal manufacturers were telling children

A huge amount of laboratory research

that multicoloured cereals such as Trix,

has demonstrated that changing the

Fruit Loops, and others were flavoured

hue or intensity/saturation of the colour

according to the colour. For example,

of food and beverage items can exert

red was cherry, yellow was lemon, and

sometimes a dramatic impact on

orange pieces were orange flavoured.

expectations. You see something with a

Manufacturers have since come clean

brilliant fruity red, you’ll expect the drink

and admitted Trix and Fruit Loop pieces

to have just as intense flavour as its hue.

all have the same flavour, despite for

One study examined the effect of food

years kids arguing that they could taste

colouring on perceived flavour intensity

the different between each colour.

and acceptability ratings in samples

However, should the colour not match

of chicken bouillon and chocolate

the expected taste, then the result may

pudding. These foods were presented

well be a negative.

with no colour added, with the normal

Given the ambiguity in the meaning of

(commercial) level of food colouring,

colour in foods and beverages, it can

or with twice the normal level of colour

sometimes be important that the name

added.

and description of a food or beverage

The participants tasted and evaluated

set the right sensory or expectations or

the three samples of either food, using

else help to disambiguate between the

visual analogue scales. Younger adults

different possible meanings that may be

(20 to 35 years of age) were found to be

associated with a given colour.

more affected by the presence of food

Researchers demonstrated that

colouring than were the older adults

when the meaning of food colouring

(60 to 90 years of age). Interestingly,

is misinterpreted – it sets the wrong

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ASK THE BARTENDER sensory expectations – then this can

massive hit in Asia due to people having

and creator of Crossip – a non-alcoholic

have an adverse effect on people’s

more exposure to different seafoods, it

adult drink – Carl Anthony Brown tells

subsequent taste ratings.

was a flop in the States when Burger King

Distillers: “Ultimately, flavour is the most

In a study, participants were given a

tried to market it as a Halloween burger.

important aspect of any finished drink.

bright pink ice cream to taste. One group

There appeared to be two major factors.

But when it comes to the full experience

of participants was given no information

The first was that in the West, people

of drinking a cocktail, the presentation of

about the dish, another group was

perceive food which is black as being

that drink is incredibly important, hence

informed that the food was called ‘Food

rotten. The second was that the colouring

why cocktails have been developed with

386’, and a third group was told that

used in the bun would turn your stool

specific glassware, garnishes and even

what they were about to eat was a frozen

green.

the flamboyant manner with which that drink is made. The colour of the finished

savoury smoked salmon mousse – which is what it was.

And then there’s no colour.

drink is a key element of this presentation that should not be overlooked,” he says.

Those participants who had not been given any information about the dish,

In the USA, commercial slots during

were led by their eyes into expecting that

the Super Bowls are more expensive

When behind a bar, do people choose

they would taste a strawberry-flavoured

than any other time of the year and the

drinks by colour?

ice cream.

most anticipated. Hit it right, you’ll make

“I personally would not say that colour

a fortune like when Apple introduced

is the driving factor for people choosing

Expecting this and getting smoked

Macintosh Computer in 1984. Hit it wrong

specific drinks, otherwise cocktail menus

salmon turned them off to the mousse,

and you’ll be remembered for that.

across the globe would feature images

with most rating it as being too salty. By

Halfway through Super Bowl 1993, a

rather than a list of ingredients. But

contrast, those participants in the other

commercial broke with ‘Right Now’ by

there’s no doubt that oftentimes, people

two groups rated the seasoning of the

the rock band Van Halen, and featured

will come to the bar and ask for ‘what he/

dish as being just right, and what is more,

an astronaut, a rhino, and a woman

she’s having’ because of the allure of the

liked the savoury ice far more as well.

drinking an oddly clear drink. “Right now,

colour and presentation of a drink they’ve

In one famous study, dinner party guests

we’re all thirsty for something different,

spotted.”

were invited to dine on a meal of steak,

introducing Crystal Pepsi!”

chips, and peas. The only thing that may

It was a drink giving you all the great

With a cocktail, you want to give people

have struck any of the diners as odd was

flavour of Pepsi, but clear. Millions of

something new and exciting, but would

how dim the lighting was. However, this

Americans were excited to try it and

you say you also have to give them

aspect of the atmosphere was actually

millions did – once. There were few

something they’re expecting, especially

designed to help hide the food’s true

second takers, and it was a massive flop,

when it comes to colour?

colour.

later called one of the biggest product

“Subconsciously, I believe that people

Part-way through the meal, the lighting

failures of all time by Time Magazine.

look for a drink whose colour is authentic.

was returned to normal, revealing that

David Novak, the former Pepsi marketing

Yes, a bright colour may be attractive, but

the steak had been artificially coloured

executive who created the soft drink said

it must be created using the true colours

blue, the chips looked green, and the

in reflection, long after Crystal Pepsi had

of the ingredients themselves. Creating a

peas had been coloured red. A number

been pulled from the shelves: “It could

flavourful drink and then, say, using food

of the guests suddenly felt ill when the

have been more than a novelty,” he said.

colouring to match the expectation of the

lighting was turned to normal levels,

“It was probably the best idea I’ve ever

person ordering it, just doesn’t sit well

with several of them apparently heading

had – and the most poorly executed.”

with me.”

While there are a number of theories

With Pepsi Clear, do you think it could

Different cultures perceive a colour as

out there in marketing literature about

have worked or are we too entrenched that

tasting different. This can be extremely

what went wrong, one suggestion is

cola drinks are dark caramel coloured?

valuable to know if you’re thinking of

that when such drinks are tasted away

“It absolutely could have worked! Times

marketing a product to a foreign country.

from their packaging, then it’s likely the

are changing, as are perceptions. In my

For example, in the UK a bluish drink is

drinker gets an experience that they are

world of non-alcoholic drinks, 15 years

assumed to be raspberry flavoured. In

not expecting. People saw a clear liquid

ago, the notion of a No & Low beverage

Taiwan, it’s mint. Red in the UK is seen

in a glass and were expecting it to taste

that was full of flavour was unthinkable.

as cherry or strawberry flavoured. Again,

like lemonade or soda water. When the

The perception was that non-alcoholic

in Taiwan, it’s seen as being cranberry

flavour they tasted, however, was cola,

drinks were poor substitutes of the real

flavoured.

the non-expectation of this led to a

thing and required compromise. That

A few years back Burger King, and then

negative experience.

perception has now changed, but it

followed by McDonalds, used squid ink

For those wondering just how important

needs to be developed over time with

to create a black bun for sales in Japan

colour is in a drink, award-winning

the right messaging, which is where I

and the Philippines. While this was a

bartender, mixologist, TV drinks’ expert,

believe Pepsi Clear went wrong. The

straight for the bathroom.

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

ASK THE BARTENDER narrative around the product was a bit confused, as they tried to market a product that was full of sugar as being ‘pure’!”

During the five years it took to produce the first Crossip beverages, you’ve mentioned how you were after certain mouth sensations and flavours. Did colours also rate pretty high?

“Colour was always rated highly, but not at the detriment of the flavour experience. I refused to compromise on this for the sake of presentation. I always had the confidence that the hues of the raw natural ingredients would produce a final colour that was fitting of our brand with an air of authenticity and quality.”

Did you make any trial Crossips which while tasted good, but looked horrible? “’Horrible’ might be a strong way of terming it, but we absolutely had to play around with the filtration process until we had a final liquid that was fitting of the look and feel we were looking

CROSSIP PURE SOUR

for. Ultimately, we didn’t want to lose

that’s for sure!! It really does emulate

the flavour quality of the liquid but

the flavour profiles of the tiki tropical

recognised we couldn’t offer a liquid

ingredients with the fiery nature of the

whose colour was a touch ‘bartender

scotch bonnet peppers. When I created

brown’!”

the first batch of Blazing Pineapple, I saw

Light floral on the nose with rose

the colours as the raw ingredients were

peeking through backed up with

Do you use any artificial colours or is it all

being macerated and I knew we were

crisp lemon and herbal bitterness on

natural?

onto a winner.”

the palate.

used in any Crossip flavour. We’re

You’re at numerous trade and consumer

35ml Crossip Pure Hibiscus

extremely proud of this.”

shows with Crossip, if people for some

20ml Lemon Juice

reason don’t notice the bottle’s name of

10ml Rose Syrup

With something like your Pure Hibiscus,

Pure Hibiscus, do they immediately twig

10ml Aquafaba

it being red is no surprise. But with Dandy

on that being the flavour or do they guess

Smoke, were you after a specific colour?

something else?

Add all ingredients to a shaker with

“Dandy Smoke was borne out of the

“Pure Hibiscus can sometimes be

no ice and shake. Fill shaker with Ice,

flavour profiles of rum, whiskey and

the most difficult flavour to articulate.

shake again and strain into a chilled

mezcal based cocktails, so there’s no

Ultimately, it’s a bitter, floral and herbal

fancy glass. Garnish with rose petals.

doubt we were happy that the final colour

taste experience, which perhaps does

was akin to these traditional alcoholic

not tie into the pink hue which many

spirits. But that was not the goal from the

perceive as being sweet. When we speak

outset, it was more a happy coincidence

with the trade and consumers at the

of ‘The Young British Foodies’, IMBIBE

that we had an inkling was likely due to

events you mentioned, it’s often Pure

‘Drinks List of the Year and many more.

the colours of the lapsang tea leaves

Hibiscus that has the biggest impact

He’s worked for 18 years in the bar and

which are the core ingredient in Dandy

because of the sensory disruption; we

drinks industry, including creating the

Smoke.”

love seeing their eyes light up at the first

drinks concept across the Dishoom group.

sip,” says Brown.

His latest venture has been launching the

“There are absolutely no artificial colours

With your newest flavour, Blazing

alcohol-free spirit, Crossip in 2020.

Pineapple, what are your thoughts

Carl Anthony Brown, is an award-winning

He is best described as a man who is

regarding its colour?

bartender, mixologist and TV drink’s expert.

seldom without an opinion.

“Blazing Pineapple is bright and powerful,

Some of Carl’s accolades include winner

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GREETINGS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF BRIGHTON A SPIRIT BY NATURE CAN HAVE A SMELL AND TASTE WHICH REFLECTS THE NATURAL AREA WHERE IT WAS DISTILLED AND AGED. BUT A SPIRIT CAN ALSO REFLECT THE VIBE AND FEEL OF THE CITY WHERE IT WAS MADE. DON’T BELIEVE THIS? JUST ASK KATHY CATON. VELO MITROVICH REPORTS

R

ome might be the eternal

produced in the glorious City of Brighton

city, New York the city

& Hove.”

that never sleeps, and

However, since we’re talking about full

San Franciscans say their

disclosures, Caton is the first to admit

city is actually European

that not all is wonderful in setting up a

– a claim made by people who have

distillery in Brighton. Londoners, wanting

obviously never been to Europe. But

to escape from one of the UK’s least

Brighton is…well…it’s Brighton.

friendly cities, have sold high, allowing

While on one hand it would be easy

them to buy in Brighton and at the same

to take the micky out of the City of

time, drive up prices.

Brighton & Hove – there has to be more

“It comes with lots of complications, with

nose ring piercings here per capita than

that this is an incredibly expensive place

any other part of the UK – survey after

to live and work – any suitable space that

survey lists Brighton as being one of the

would have been great for a distillery has

happiest places to live and work. It’s also

all been turned into luxury flats a long,

considered among the friendliest cities

long time ago.”

in the UK. ABBA won the Eurovision song contest

There is, too, considerable bureaucracy

here; the first Body Shop opened in 1976;

and hoops to jump through in setting up

it’s the LGBTQ capital of Britain; and it’s a

a distillery in the area and just as many in

place where locals support independent

even moving an existing distillery just a

shops and cafes.

nudge into a new location.

GIN

“But for me, it’s just really, really important

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During a recent data survey conducted

that something that has the has the name

by Shepper [see elsewhere in magazine]

on the tin, is made and done and created

that looked at which gins were being

in the place that it’s identified with,” she

poured in pubs, bars, restaurants, and

says.

hotels. Except for only two areas in all

“I think Brighton Gin is about the people

of the country, it was the three leading

who make it, that’s a really core thing.

gin producers that ruled. The exceptions

At the distillery, we’re a small team of

were Edinburg and Brighton, where local

friends and family, incredibly diverse

gins from Brighton Distillery prevailed.

by almost every measure. People who

Could Brighton Distillery, ut existat, been

really actively engage in the community,

founded anyplace else? That is extremely

people who go out a lot – everyone goes

doubtful.

to the theatre, to the cinema, to see gigs and to love all the things that Brighton

Kathy Caton, founder and managing

has to offer.”

director of Brighton Distillery – and one of the nicest people you can ever hope to

To be fair to you readers, if you haven’t

meet – is asked whether her distillery just

guessed already, with Caton all answers

happens to be located in Brighton or is it

lead back to Brighton. But to be fair to

a Brighton distillery?

Caton, it’s easy to understand why. If

“So, for full disclosure, I’m not Brighton

there was ever a meeting of the Lesbian

born and bred, but I’ve been here now

Gin Distillers of Britain, Caton would only

for 23 years. The identity of Brighton

have to book a room with one chair. As

runs through me like a stick of rock,”

progressive as many of us believe the

says Caton. “For me, it was so important

industry is, Distillers Journal has been

that something be locally identified,

told otherwise by gay and ethnic minority

and I always wanted my Brighton gin

distillers.

to be called Brighton Gin. It’s made and

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

Kathy Caton (middle) surrounded by most of the Brighton Distillery team. The eCargo delivery bicycle is how most local deliveries are made.

GIN

COMMUNITY LOYALTY

Distillery painted eCargo bike, which

shut down 85 percent of our business

Caton says “basically looks like a nicely

overnight. We were in the fortunate

Why do people in Brighton buy Brighton

decorated coffin on wheels” which can

position in that we were able to get our

Gin? You could start by saying it’s

hold a considerable amount of gin

licences in place to be able to sell direct

because the numerous award-winning

bottles.

through our website. We went absolutely

gin is excellent. Its botanical list includes

“It’s battery boosted so it’s possible to

hell bent for leather on that front,” she

Macedonian juniper, milk thistle, fresh

actually ride it around town even with

says.

orange and lime zest from unwaxed fruit,

all the hills. It’s been one of those wins,

angelica root, locally grown coriander

where it not only is much quicker and so

But Caton being Caton, she sees the

seed which gives a spicy, lemony flavour,

much cheaper to do deliveries, but also

silver lining of this time.

and it is distilled with an organic wheat

works with our eco credentials.

“There are always positives from any

alcohol base. A course, being made in

“Being as ethical and sustainable as we

crisis. One is that we’ve really got to

Brighton, it’s certified vegan – including

can be in every way is a key thing for

connect with our customers again. We

the packaging. And a course, the used

us and it also looks great. Rachel Blake

were all out on our bicycles, masked up,

botanicals are put into a compost heap.

seems to be the one making deliveries

doing safe, safe deliveries to people’s

and she’s had a few times small children

doorsteps, and talking to people.

shouting, ‘Ice cream, stop, stop’ and her

“It was quite a humbling thing. We

Caton is a huge gin & tonic fan, drinking G&Ts back when they weren’t cool for her

donated around Brighton & Hove 10s of

age group. Although she’s now become a

1000s of bottles of hand sanitizers that

bit of a straight-gin sipper, from day one

we made. I was delivering gin and hand

she wanted to produce a gin that worked

sanitizer to a woman in Hove on my push

well in a G&T, as well as tasting wonderful

bike, rang the doorbell and stepped back

in a martini or negroni.

by several metres. As she came and

But with the UK’s gin drinkers having more choices of gin available than anywhere else in the world – Distillers estimates this number could be as high as 2,700 to 3,000 – there is an overabundance of good to excellent gins in the £30 to £40 range.

So there has to be something else that makes people in Brighton buy Brighton Gin. Maybe it’s because you just look at the bottle and think Brighton.

Sometimes you have to take that nervous swallow, take your risk, take your chance, and hope for the best” Kathy Caton

collected her bag off the doorstep, she said: ‘I’ve already got three bottles of your gin inside, I just want to see you guys survive.’ I have to say I had a proper cry into my face mask at the side of the road.

“People were cute, really cute. They sent packages of gin to friends and family around the country for lots of missed occasions, which we could see through our handwriting the cards. You know, ‘Sorry, we won’t be together for your 30th, your 40th’. In one case it was a woman’s 100th birthday and in another, it

The concept of Brighton Gin’s bottle is

was a young man being ordained to the

to reflect the city’s famous pier. Bespoke made by Allied Glass, its squarish shape

going ‘I can’t sell you what’s in this bike till

priesthood. All these people celebrating

reflects Brighton’s pier – or at least its

you grow-up’,” says Caton.

milestones in their lives, during this time,

pre-fire shape. The colour used in the

In total, the distillery team has completed

and doing it with our gin. It was really

label and wax is a take-off of the pier’s

over 3,600 miles worth of deliveries

humbling.”

colour and the sea, and indeed, this

in town, with the majority of staff

Also, during this time Brighton Distillery

colour is used in all of Brighton Distillery’s

commuting by bike as well.

started a ‘Buy for a Friend’ campaign, in

marketing. This includes the colour of the

For the on-trade, the distillery is offering

which people were asked, when ordering

distillery’s bicycles.

them refillable five-litre vats. “As one

a bottle, to consider buying another one

“One of the very few perks that you get

of the bike delivery bods, I can say it’s

which would be donated to essential

when you join Brighton Gin – apart from

great fun delivering gin by the five-litre

workers.

lots of gin – is that everyone gets offered

vat!” says Rachel Blake who champions

a bicycle. We have lots of reconditioned

Brighton Gin’s green and sustainable

former post office bikes that have been

efforts.

spray painted Brighton Gin-green,” says

NEW LOCATION In what has taken up a considerable

Caton, adding, however, that a drawback

If home delivery was just a fun idea,

amount of time for Caton has been the

with this is if you ride like an idiot,

it turned into a serious one when the

very recent move of the distillery into a

everyone can recgonise that you’re from

Covid pandemic struck and on 23 March

larger, but nearby location.

Brighton Distillery.

2020, the majority of Brighton Distillery’s

You would think that because you’re

Local deliveries to pubs, bars and

business customers shut their doors.

making the same product, in the same

restaurants are made with a Brighton

“It was a terrifying moment because that

area, with the same number of staff, etc,

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

Above: The team following Caton into the English Channel last November.

Right: Rachel Blake making a delivery.

GIN

that it would be just a case of changing

on the new space, we’re lurching into

big and copper. But with money always

the address line on the licence and Bob’s

this tremendously challenging time in

an issue, she has found that she can

your uncle. Nothing could have been

terms of costs, whether its energy or

keep up production by running three

further from the truth and Caton explains

spiralling costs of raw materials,” says

small stills (the third is a recently bought

that it was like she was setting up a

Caton. “Sometimes you have to take that

used i-Still) in parallel and to run them

distillery for the first time.

nervous swallow, take your risk, take your

more frequently.

While elsewhere part of the problem

chance, and hope for the best.

“I should be honest, we have what we

would have been neighbourhood

“But now in terms of mental and physical

can afford. But we figured this is what

opposition – the distillery is located

well-being, it’s incredible to have more

we got, so let’s work out how to make it

very much in a residential area – with

space and to be able to actually move

work,” she says. “But also, if something

the building licenced for commercial

safely without clogging your head on

goes wrong with one – we had an issue

use and with the previous tenants being

a pallet rack or stuff. We had totally

with a heating element the other day,

rumoured cannabis growers, neighbours

plateaued; we couldn’t do any more

and a power surge, and all sorts of things

were actually thrilled with Brighton

in our previous space. We’re now just

– it means that there’s a backup and that

Distillery moving in. And indeed, while

hoping that the world doesn’t totally,

we can keep our production going.

Distillers was at Brighton Gin, a local

totally collapse.”

“This depends slightly on whether there’s a pandemic going on or not,

woman walked in to have her bottle filled You want your distillery to be a thing of

but I’m guessing we do around 28,000

beauty, to have your still be eye candy

bottles a year,” she says. “We’re still at

“For the move, I think the whole process

to attract customers, but Caton says

the stage where I talk about things in

took two years and then of course,

that there are advantages in staying with

terms of bottles. Somewhere we’ve got a

ironically, now that we’ve actually been

smaller stills.

spreadsheet with nine litre cases on it but

able to make this happen and take

If money was no issue, a course she’d go

yeah, we’re still in the bottles territory. It

at the refilling station, saving £5.

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GIN

Far left: Head distiller Paul Revell Right and centre: 79-year-old Judith White, Caton’s mother and working member of staff.

Lower centre: Refilling station

still seems like a bloody lot, considering

volunteers for the Brighton Beach Cleans.

been a deliberate choice. It’s also been

they’re all done by hand, and I’ve got my

“Our RTD cocktails are all natural, they’re

quite a hard one to stick to. I love making

poor mum lugging things around.” [Her

made with beautiful quality ingredients,

new things. I get very excited. And we

mother, Judith White, is the distilleries

and they’re delicious. They have given

could do this and that. For me, the idea is

oldest employee at 79. She is often

us the chance to let more people try

the easy bit, it’s the execution that is the

referred to as St Jude.]

Brighton gin who might not want to invest

difficult part,” she says. “We need to have

in a £38 bottle from the off licence – but

blinders on and stay in our lane. I would

I’m at a gig and I really fancy this lemon

rather do a couple of things brilliantly

verbena garden Collins. So, they’ve given

than a lot of things not.

us an interesting new route.”

“When we release something to the

FUTURE PLANS As it stands today, Brighton Distillery

world not only do I want to know that

has two core products – Brighton Gin Pavilion Strength (40% ABV) and Brighton

When looking at any distillery’s future

it’s the best we can do, but also that it’s

Gin Seaside/Navy Strength (57% ABV),

plans, it is always interesting to note what

repeatable. This is one of the issues with

which are hand bottled at the distillery.

they call themselves. Does their name

very small production, does each bottle

The distillery also has three RTD cocktails

limit them to only one product?

taste the same?”

which are canned off-site.

Caton’s distillery is called Brighton

Originally when it was decided to go

Distillery – not Brighton Gin – although

There are new products which have

with RTD drinks, Caton used small

everyone, including Caton, usually refers

been developed, but as of yet, they

glass bottles but quickly realised that

to it by that name.

haven’t passed approval of Caton or head distiller, Paul Revell.

Brighton’s pebbly beach and a glass bottle was not a good combination. This

So, what else is in store?

that we’ll have more spirits in our spirits

was probably a good move considering that the team at Brighton Distillery

distillersjournal.info

“There’s a definite hope and aspiration

“We have two core products and that’s

list. Gin is always going to be my absolute

WINTER 2022

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33

GIN

first love. Bartenders used to laugh in

Caton knocks completely on the head

sea. She should have much, much more

my face when, as a young person, I’d

the belief that becoming a success

international sales. Although Brighton Gin

ordered a gin and tonic I absolutely

hinges on having the right equipment,

sells well in Germany – thanks in great

love it. I think it’s magic booze. But

the right software, the right building,

part to having two members of staff who

I’m also really interested in exploring

and the right location. For six years her

speak German – the City of Brighton is

experimenting with other things within

distillery’s location was nicknamed ‘The

well known in the LGBTQ communities

the team.

Cave’, due to the basement room having

around the world. Why the world’s Pink

“I know that there’s lots of interest in

zero windows and natural light. The only

Dollars aren’t beating a path to Brighton

brandies and I would love to make

plant she had was a plastic cactus and

Distillery shows that on her wish list

absinthe. We’re a seaside town so I’d say

even that didn’t look too lively!

needs to be added a marketing wizard.

Still, in many ways, it is easy to see that

yes to rum. Whiskey will be an amazing thing. But that’s a whole different setup.

But she and her team have succeeded.

Brighton Distillery could become a major player with craft gin and in some ways

We always have this tension between all of the things we’d love to do and in the

If her three stills were placed out on the

they already are. Is the child’s book

meantime being practical and keeping

street, it’s doubtful a rag-and-bone man

The Little Engine that Could be required

on the lights.”

would stop for a millisecond and eye

reading for new hires?

them over.

BRIGHTON OVER TO YOU

But she and her team have succeeded

But, as you leave Brighton Distillery,

with over 20 regional, national, and

getting handshakes and hugs from Kathy

The lesson for all distillers to take from

international awards coming from liquid

and the team, you have to think: Things

Kathy Caton and Brighton Distillery is

made with those stills.

actually are pretty perfect the way they

the importance of tapping into your local

Just like everyone else, Caton has her

are.

community, becoming part of it, and

list. She would love to have a beautiful

perhaps the most important, having the

copper Muller still, a distillery in Brighton

right team.

central or even better, right next to the

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

WWW.ORGANICARCHITECTS.CO.UK

PLACES WITH SPIRIT TECHNICAL ADVICE | SITE ASSESSMENTS | BUILDING CONVERSIONS BOTTLING HALLS AND WAREHOUSING | WHISK(E)Y, GIN, RUM AND VODKA | COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS

GIN

CORRECTING 300 YEARS OF MISTAKES USING FRESH JUNIPER BERRIES? CHECK. LIMITED PRODUCTION HAND-BLOWN BOTTLES? CHECK. NO LABELS? CHECK. ULTRAPREMIUM PRICE TAG? CHECK. AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DEMAND? CHECK. VELO MITROVICH REPORTS

B

efore we even begin a

took him to almost all the countries of

The Australian understood many

story about a Kenyan gin,

sub-Sahara Africa. He finally landed in

things, but not how to make gin based

there is a jumbo of an

Kenya where he met his American wife.

on some scribbled instructions. He

elephant in this savanna

One evening he was sitting on the terrace

invited Jorgensen to Kenya who was

of a room that needs to

with friends, all enjoying G&Ts, when it

immediately taken with the whole idea of

be addressed. Only you will be able

struck him that most of the botanicals in

making gin from fresh juniper berries.

to ultimately answer the question this

the gin were grown in Africa.

After all, with his wine making he never

pachyderm brings up.

In the UK currently there around 820

Brennan asked: “Why are we sending

used dried raisins, always fresh. With

gin distilleries, ranging in all sizes, and

all these botanicals to London for some

something such as juniper, which has

at least 80 contract gin distillers. If you

guy to distil, to put it in a bottle, and then

such a huge impact on the flavour of gin,

take a very low-ball number of three gins

send it back here for us to drink. Why

Jorgensen started questioning why gin

from each distillery, at any given time

don’t we just make gin here?”

distillers for the last 300 years have been

the British consumer has access to 2,700

And then this question followed. “And

content to use dried instead fresh?

different gins. Add to this mix are gins

why don’t we make this gin using fresh

Having now a master distiller at the

from Finland, Sweden, Iceland, the USA,

African juniper berries?”

helm, the potential of using fresh African

Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Panama, South

Juniperus procera, commonly known as

juniper berries became clear, even

Africa, and other locations, leaving at

African juniper, the African pencil-cedar,

when sampled immediately off the still.

least 3,000 different gins available here.

or about a half-dozen other names, is

However, as important as use of the

native to the mountainous regions of the

berries was, Brennan wanted everything

So, do UK consumers really need

Arabian Peninsula and eastern Africa,

to be African, from all the botanicals to

another gin, do they need a gin which

from Ethiopia down to Zimbabwe. A fairly

the glass bottles, which would end up

will set them back anywhere from £80 to

close relative of the familiar gin berry

having to be hand-blown. And then there

£110 per 700ml bottle, and do they need

producer, Juniper communis, it has the

are the hand-carved stoppers….

a gin from Kenya?

distinction of being the only juniper found

If you spend any time talking with the

naturally south of the equator.

If you’re suddenly hearing the sound of a

team at Procera, your answer will be a

It grows naturally – and is farmed – as a

cash register going off in the background

resounding ‘yes’.

tree, not a bush. The wood of the African

as all these costs are added up, you’re

juniper is used in building houses, poles,

not far off the mark.

furniture, and fuel; the bark is used to

“If you look at the history of the spirits

make beehives. But with the berries

category, every single category has

Roger Jorgensen was minding his own

(cones), there is no real usage – or at

premium distillations with the exception

business in South Africa when Guy

least until recently.

of gin,” says Brennan. “It’s happening now

BERRY FRESH

in agave spirits, it’s happened in vodka,

Brennan contacted the master distiller and wine maker. He had heard of

Brennan and a few Kenyan partners

bourbon, whisky – every spirit except

Jorgensen and his expertise and sent him

thought the berries could be used to

for gin. It’s a good question as to why it

some fresh African juniper berries from

make gin, but were not having much

hasn’t happened.

the mountains of Kenya.

luck, thus they turned to Jorgensen. He

“At Procera we feel is that there’s

Brennan, born in Australia, originally

thought why not, basically scribbled

never really been before a justification

worked as a banker and his job was to

some instructions on the back of a

for an expensive gin product, which

provide micro-credits for Africans, which

cigarette pack and sent it to Brennan.

is why there has never been a gin

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Procera Gin team on a Kenyan juniper tree. Guy Brennan (centre in tree) , Roger Jorgensen (bottom right)

GIN premiumisation category.

“When you look at the business model

An aerial view of Kijabe

we’ve undertaken and the incredible cost structure of using handblown bottles, hand-carved stoppers, collecting the juniper berries ourselves from trees – not bushes – and producing less than 100 bottles a day, there’s a reason why Procera has to be more expensive.

“We don’t want to sound immodest, but there’s a lot of gins out there and we believe gin has been made the wrong way for the last 300 years. Sometimes it takes a place with no history of distilling – like here in Kenya – to look at things a little bit differently, to be a little bit irreverent. And to ask: ‘Why do you use dried juniper in gin?’ If you make an apricot brandy, you don’t use dried apricots, you will use freshest apricots you can find,” he says.

Does using fresh juniper, however, make any difference or is it just clever marketing?

Not surprising, Brennan and Jorgensen say it makes a HUGE difference and it is actually very, very, very difficult to get them off the subject. But, in looking at reviews from the UK, USA, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, everyone seems to agree with them.

Some of Master of Malt reviews state: “The smooth taste of this gin is something to behold. Even non gin drinkers have tried this and loved it. As advertised, [it is] much smoother than most other gins with a deep unique flavour. Everything about it including the bottle and stopper just smacks of being a one off.”

“Super Smoooooth. Being a member of a gin club and having accumulated over 60 gins, I can honestly say this one is head and shoulders above the rest.

Outstanding delicious and worth the money.”

Other gin sites describe Procera as being “a full-on experience” and “worth the money”. In Paul Jackson’s The Gin Guide Review, he says: “With Procera Gin’s enviable and unique bottles, and such importance given to the species of juniper used, it is a gin with a lot to live up to, but it delivers on the promise triumphantly. The abundant juniper is ever-present and beautifully balanced,

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Sometimes it takes a place with no history of distilling, to look at things a little bit differently, to be a little bit irreverent” Guy Brennan

Guy Brennan examining

Juniperus procera berries

and the mouthfeel is full and oily.”

“It’s a real tour around Africa,” says

ABV and Red Dot at 51% ABV, differ by

And in 2020, the IWSC awarded Procera

Jorgensen. “We know where the

having more botanicals. For example,

a gold award, giving the distillery 96 out

ingredients come from, we know the

Green Dot uses lightly toasted wood

of 100 points in blind tastings across the

people we buy them from. For example,

from African juniper trees, while Red Dot

range.

the Selim peppers are a spicy, pungent,

has a bolder taste than the other two. It

smoky type of pepper from Nigeria

uses five different peppers – Selim, black,

or Sierra Leone. Mr. Mitaka farms our

alligator, elephant, and Ashanti – along

cardamom in Pemba, we know him.”

with oyster shells and seaweed.

OTHER BOTANICALS Procera produces three gins: Blue Dot,

“The honey is a little pet sort of thing of

Green Dot, and Red Dot which differ by

mine. A few years ago, I discovered that

ABV, botanicals, and price. At this point

honey distils beautifully in gin, you pick

Distillers Journal should mention that the

up none of the sweetness in the distillate,

“At the heart of our recipe is Juniperus

colour dots are the only thing that comes

but lots of the floral aromatics.

procera,” says Brennan. “Procera

close to a label on the bottles, although

AFRICAN JUNIPER

means ‘tall’ in Latin and when you

there is a small tag around the bottle

“Originally, I wanted to put acacia

walk through the Procera forest of the

neck.

blossoms into the gin, but if you reach

Kenya highlands, you understand why

Blue Dot is the original Procera gin

your hand into the branches, there are so

straightaway, as you’re dwarfed by these

and is 44% ABV. It has 10 botanicals

many thorns you’re going to come away

majestic giants growing at 2,200 metres

which, according to Jorgensen, include:

being very sad. Looking at the blossoms

in the Kijabe Forest, about 70 kilometres

Kenyan pixie oranges – which are more

for an answer, I saw that bees love the

from Nairobi.

like tangerines – Kenyan Swahili limes,

blossoms, so we have the bees collect

“We partner with the Kijabe Forest Trust,

pink peppercorns from Madagascar,

our acacia element.

an organisation founded to protect the

West African Selim peppers, Moroccan

“I tasted maybe 26 different honeys

native forests of Kijabe from poaching of

coriander seeds and orris root powder,

from across East Africa to find the one

both animals and trees. They in turn work

Kenyan green tea, and assorted spices

we wanted. The one that topped the list

with the local communities to collect the

from the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar

was actually from Somalia. So, we use

Procera berries once they are fully ripe

and Pemba, including cardamom and

some Somali acacia honey as our secret

at the end of the short rains around the

mace (the outer part of a nutmeg pod),

weapon in the gin.”

middle of the year. We know it is time

and Somali acacia honey.

The other two gins, Green Dot at 47%

to start harvesting the juniper when the

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GIN local family of baboons start veraciously

ethanol that we can find, and it’s

A different flavour enhancer, which

devouring them due to their sweetness.

produced here in Kenya from sugar

comes with each bottle of Procera, is a

“The Procera berries had never been

cane, which is at 96.2% purity, literally

small bottle of Indian Ocean salt which

used commercially before we started

colourless, tasteless, and odourless,”

has been blended with the botanicals in

harvesting them and hence, we’ve had

says Jorgensen. “But it’s a perfect blank

Blue Dot which have been dried.

to learn everything from scratch. From

canvas for distilling gin, because gin is

“You put just a little pinch of this botanical

where the best berries grow, to when

going to paint so many layers of flavours

salt on the gin. What happens first, the

to harvest them and how to process

onto that blank canvas.”

salt cuts through the sweetness of tonic water. Salt is a flavour and palate flavour

them, every step has been a journey of discovery. It is crucial not to let the

“We choose our botanicals and weigh

enhancer and stimulator. The botanicals

berries ferment once collected and they

them out. All fresh whenever possible

then hydrate in the tonic water and

must be air dried for about a week before

and we crush them and put them in

release flavours that mirror everything

they can be flash frozen to maintain

a pillowcase – literally – and we soak

that is already in the gin,” says Jorgensen.

optimal freshness and brightness for

or macerate them in warm ethanol

distilling throughout the entire year.”

overnight. We remove the pillowcase,

“What we’re doing is amplifying the

squeeze out the ethanol, rinse the

flavours of the gin without the basil or

A subject near and dear to both Brennan

botanicals in water and add that rinse

rosemary route. And we find that very

and Jorgensen is the idea of terroir

water back to the pot.

satisfying and it’s very popular with

associated with these berries. Instead

“We are not distilling any actual

clients. The barman actually like it once

of using dried common juniper berries

botanicals in that pot. If you fire up a still

they get used to the idea because

collected and dried from just general

like ours and with botanicals inside it, the

they can make a show out of it for their

countries, by using fresh berries from a

run is going to last six to eight hours.

customers. Yeah, it’s a great success!”

very specific area, they say that you can

“Now imagine you’re putting all that plant

says Brennan

actually taste different vintages like with

material and subjecting it to heat and

wine grapes.

ethanol for six to eight hours. Imagine

Due to EU and Gin Guild laws/

what happens to the cellulose structure

regulations requiring the use of Juniperus

of all that plant material. It absolutely

Despite being slightly off the gin trail,

communis for a spirit to be called gin,

disintegrates and releases all the heavier

on the distribution side things are going

some dried berries of this variety are

congeners and dense cooked flavours.

smoothly. In March 2022, Procera signed

added, not for flavour but just to be able

You’re basically stewing botanicals for

a deal with the UK’s Axiom, which

to put gin on the bottle.

eight hours. By distilling only the essence

specialises in the ultra-premium craft

of the botanicals, there are no cooked,

spirit market.

dense, burnt-heavy flavours,” he says.

“Axiom is one of the best in the game,

“Gin needs to be made under EU

CHALLENGES IN 2023

regulations with Juniperus communis, which we felt was completely ridiculous and so we had a ridiculous solution, which is we put in a handful of communities berries to be able to call it gin,” says Jorgensen.

“But it made us think and, as people who are really proud of the African continent, we thought we should be looking at our own geographic protection. Kenyan Juniper Spirit should be a geographic protection that has to be made under certain conditions in Africa – made in bottled in Africa with African botanicals and African juniper. We should throw off those colonial legacies and not call it gin, it’s Kenyan Juniper Spirit!”

DISTILLING The making of the gin is accomplished with a 230L Muller Aromat copper pot still and a pillowcase. Yes, a pillowcase.

“Our base spirit is the most neutral

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GIN is the first craft distillery in Kenya, so existing regulations are far from being straightforward.

While it might seem slightly crazy to create competition, Procera is helping six other distilleries currently in the wings navigate Kenyan bureaucracy.

The team’s logic is, the more distilleries there are in Kenyan, the more berries are used, thus the fewer trees then are cut down as farmers realise that these trees truly are the goose that lays the golden egg.

“The more this juniper is used and the more we collect with local communities, the more families will have money for school fees,” says Brennan. “Already Kenya has great agricultural products such as coffee and tea that are renowned around the world. Juniper could be the next cash crop. As it now, there are 10s of millions of dollars’ worth of juniper berries falling on the ground with no value.”

If for one second you can get Brennan and Jorgensen NOT to talk about African juniper berries and you get a word in edgewise, you might tell them this.

If pundits are correct, we’ll be soon entering another recession if we’re not in one already. Each day the papers have a new story about how we’re all paying Mary sorting fresh juniper berries

more for food, petrol and soon, fuel for the winter months. In some ways, it seems like an odd time to be promoting gin in a hand-blown bottle which will cost

with only one product in each category,”

probably spill in an hour.

about the same as a week’s groceries.

says Brennan. “They’re an amazing team.”

“That’s a big challenge, the lack of

However, as Diageo and some of the

capacity. We’re in quite a few markets

other big distillers are saying, now is

Procera also distributes in Hong Kong,

and the demand, it’s almost turning out

time to move into ultra-premium spirits.

Singapore, Australia, the United States,

to be on an allocation basis already this

Customers might not be able to afford

and a course Kenya.

year and so that’s a really big challenge,”

a winter holiday, but they can afford to

“In Kenya, with it being our home market,

says Brennan.

have a couple of brilliant bottles of spirits

we’re very active. It’s much easier to be

“We want to share this product with more

during their holiday celebrations which

involved on your home turf, between

people. We’re working with the glass

will a real pleasure and treat.

the local market in Nairobi and Kenya’s

makers to double their capacity again

tourism sector, and then direct to

next year as well. But that’s still only 200

If what we observed during the 2008

consumers as well,” says Brennan.

bottles a day so that it doesn’t get us as

recession and Covid-related downturn

far as the demand would want,” he says.

holds true, people will be drinking less but will drinking better. Procera could

But no matter how great of distribution network Procera might have, the bottle

While you think with all the community

very well be at the right place at the right

neck is with production. By insisting on

work and even tree planting (about

time with the right product.

using hand-blown bottles, done locally

15,000) that the team from Procera does,

You want that extra special bottle of gin

at Kitengela Hot Glass, Procera is limited

the Kenyan government would be 100

for a present, to celebrate with, to have

to producing 100 bottles a day. That’s

percent behind Procera, but that hasn’t

an occasional perfect drink, can we ever

only 70 litres a day, which the big boys

been the case. The main issue is, Procera

recommend a bottle to you.

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

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GIN

ONE HUNDRED BOTTLES OF GIN ON THE WALL

GLASGOW-BASED JOURNALIST AND SPIRITS EXPERT SEAN MURPHEY CAME UP WITH THE PERFECT IDEA FOR A BOOK: WHY NOT REVIEW THE 100 BEST GINS OF SCOTLAND? WITH A LIVING ROOM PACKED HIGH WITH BOTTLES, HIS SCOTTISH GIN BIBLE IS A REAL ASSESSMENT OF THESE AMAZING SPIRITS. DISTILLER JOURNAL REPORTS

W

ith Scotch whisky,

books on gin, including the recently

building upon centuries of distilling

there is no

published The Scottish Gin Bible. Nearly

heritage. Scots, too, are renowned for

question about

300 pages long, it is the most beautiful

their storytelling capabilities and I think

regional taste and

and interesting book on gin Distillers

that is transferred readily into the some

flavour. Put five

Journal has seen.

of these gin brands. Scottish gin makes

different whiskies in front of an expert and

A fact that many gin fans might find

more of an effort as it’s got a real idea

they’ll be able to tell from which region

surprising is 70 percent of the UK’s gin

of identity, and this can be from the

each whisky came from. However, does

is made in Scotland. Murphy set out to

smallest producer to the largest. They all

this flavour come from the actual physical

discover – and sample – 100 Scottish

have a keen sense of place of who they

location of the stills – combined with

gins, sharing the stories which makes

are and what they bring to the table.

local weather, yeast, and grains – or more

each of these distilleries unique.

from just regional distilling traditions, i.e.,

The following interview has been edited

Distillers Journal: Every gin distiller you

more peat flavour or sherry casks?

and shortened for clarity. For the full

interviewed either flat out said or hinted

While some might dispute how the

interview, go to Distillers Journal Podcasts

strongly that they were doing something

different flavours come about – including

at distillersjournal.info

unique to stand out, be it their choice of botanicals, to where they were distilling,

distillers themselves – no one would argue that they don’t exist in whisky, no

Distillers Journal: During this spring’s

their ABV, to even the colour of their gin. In

matter where it’s distilled in the world,

Distillers Lecture held in Edinburgh, a

reading all 100 descriptions and reviews,

ranging from Scotland to the tropical

question was asked to the audience if

you realise what a challenge it is to stand

notes of Taiwan’s Kavalan whisky to the

there was a difference between Scottish

out in an ever-growing crowded market.

woodiness of Texan whiskey.

and English gins. As arguments broke out

But what about other spirits and in

among the Scottish crowd, I realised that

Sean Murphy: If you’re producing any

particular, gin? Would you say that there

a safer question would have been: ‘Which

kind of product, to stand out requires

are distinct regional flavours, based on

team is better, Celtic or Rangers.’ You’ve

innovation, it’s maybe constant change,

water and local botanicals, or do you

sampled the gin and you’ve written the

or even more gregarious packaging.

belong to the other side that says gin is

book, is there something that sets Scottish

But I think with gin, what it takes for you

gin – 37.5% ABV juniper-led and is the

gin apart?

to really stand out is a strong idea and identity of what you are, and a lot of the

same wherever you go in the world.

It’s a hard call to make. But as Sean

Sean Murphy: I wouldn’t say physically,

gin distillers spoke about this.

Murphy discovered, regional taste and

all these Scottish gins are pretty much

If you can create a gin that has a really

flavour does matter – even if it’s just part

made exactly the same way. But I think

strong identity, has quite clear clean

of your story – when you’re trying to get

gin has a real sense of place and I think

packaging, or has an interesting story

your gin to stand out.

Scottish gin stands out a little bit more

about where it came from, but also has

Not only is Murphy a gin judge, but the

because it’s not only got a real romantic

a good liquid you will do well. In the

Glasgow native has also written two

idea of where it’s made, but it also is

book are real clear examples of this. You

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

Sean Murphy, author of The Scottish Gin Bible

GIN

know, I have 100 Scottish gin distilleries

see and try and drink. If you look at that

Distillers Journal: Most gins are around

featured, but each of these has its

bottle, it has the really strong sense of

40 to 43% ABV. There are a couple Scottish

own story, its own brand. They’re not

where the gin is from. It has curved lines

gins that push the envelope to 47% ABV

trying to be other gins or do something

to look like sea glass that’s been on the

– which isn’t exactly earth-shattering. But

that somebody else has found to be

beach, it’s imperfectly made so not to

then there is Stirling’s Battle Strength Gin at

successful, a lot are doing their own

look perfectly symmetrical, and it looks

a mouth numbing 55% ABV.

thing.

like a crashing wave. Another example

If you can right off the bat create

is Seven Crofts which has a really tall

Sean Murphy: This is really exciting. I

something that has a real belief in what it

bottle with green that flows up the

come from a whisky background so

is, then I think it will sell. It’s a real credit

bottle getting darker at the top. One ugly

obviously I drink a lot of cask strength

to the Scottish industry that so many

example is Achroous Gin which is made

whisky which tends to be around 60%

of these gins are surviving in a vastly

in Edinburgh and has a really exciting

ABV straight from the cask. So, for me

competitive market.

bottle, but for a very different reason. It’s

I really like the flavour that comes from

a very vibrant luminous orange and every

strong spirits and their high alcohol, but

Distillers Journal: A gin drinker looks at

time I see it, it really stands out on the

you obviously need a little bit of dilution

your bottle. They’ve never tasted your gin

shelf, and does exactly what you want it

just to break it down and get a full sense

– maybe they’ve read a review or word of

to do. It really pops and looks cool.

of the flavours. I think in this higher strength gin the juniper really shines and

mouth – but more likely, that first glance on a crowded shelf is the first time they’ve

Distillers Journal: In this quest to stand

it’s one of the reasons that I do enjoy

seen your gin. Are you going to stand out

out you can even have the colour of the

Stirling’s Battle Strength Gin. And higher

or just become a background blur?

gin be different. While there’s been a black

alcohol ABV gins are great because they

gin, if there was an award for pure colour,

last longer since you don’t need as much

it has to be Boë.

in a drink.

we talk about bottles. One of the most

Sean Murphy: I had a laugh about this.

Distillers Journal: On page 226 of the

obvious is Isle of Harris Gin. The distillery

The ultraviolet really stands out and

Gin Bible is the Isle of Bute’s Oyster Gin,

originally created the gin as a keepsake

Boë has been really successful for that

which uses fresh oyster shells to give it a

for tourists who were visiting the whisky

reason. In Scotland when we were all

coastal flavour. But a few pages beyond is

distillery in Harris to take home with

younger, we’d eat this these little sweets

Colonsay. With this gin, the husband and

them. But what they accidentally did was

called Parma Violets. That’s the colour

wife distillers say the market is crowded

create such an exciting product, that

of Boë gin so there is a nostalgia aspect

with flavoured gin infused with unusual

more and more people were wanting to

of it.

botanicals, so they’ve taken the opposite

Sean Murphy: I’ve got a few really good examples that I always refer to when

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

GIN Distillers Journal: In talking with gin distillers, there seems to be two very

Far left: The cover of the Scottish Gin Bible Left: The bottle of Isle of Harris reflects where it is distilled Right: A bottle Murphy describes as ugly but one that stands out

opposing views regarding the classic drink, gin & tonic. In creating a flavour for their gin, some go for producing a spirit which will compliment tonic – that is their number one goal. Others, however, see gin moving on to take a more prominent role in other cocktails and drinks, and do we bravely say, creating a gin for sipping neat.

Sean Murphy: A lot of people tell me that they don’t like gin. And I’ll say okay, what have you tried, what don’t you like, and they’ll reply: ‘Oh, I’ve had gin and tonic.’ You suddenly realise it’s actually tonic they don’t like, not the gin. What I’m excited about is the growth and variety of mixers that are being brought forward for craft gin. A really good example being Cushiedoos which is Scottish tonic that doesn’t have quinine – great for people who are put off by the strong quinine flavour.

approach with their classic London Dry.

and sense of place. How do you want to

Distillers Journal: Sean, you’ve sampled

I pose the question to you, straight or

stand out? You can use the tools at your

100 gins in producing this book, which is

creative gin? Is there a right or wrong

disposal, so if you live in an area that’s

your Desert Island gin?

answer?

surrounded by at one particular botanical which you might not get in other parts

Sean Murphy: I’m always wary of picking

Sean Murphy: The short answer to

of the country, then it really is to your

favourites because I’m a huge fan of

that would be no, I think it’s horses for

benefit to use that to stand out. I don’t

pretty much all the gins in the book and

courses. I think the exciting thing about

think it’s a requirement, but I do think

I loved learning all about everyone. I do

gin is there are no rules. And I think that

you will see it more and more because

have one gin that I go back to quite a

accessibility of spirit – not just in the

people are beginning to understand the

lot and that’s just through preference

sense that anyone can drink it – but

idea of flavour, where that fits in your

as it’s one of the first gins I fell in love

you don’t have to have any kind of rules

gin, and how you’re not restricted to the

with. NB Gin, North Berwick, does a very

like whisky. A lot of people have this

big five or six traditional botanicals that

classic London Dry Gin that really helps

perception that you need to know a lot

everyone used previously

me in all the right places. So, I probably would pick that one that because I enjoy

about whisky to drink it and wine’s the same way. But you don’t have to do that

Distillers Journal: In your Scottish Gin

sipping it, I enjoy it with a tonic, and I

with gin. For distillers, you can play by the

Bible, there is a recipe chosen to bring

enjoy it with other mixers – it’s about

rules and make straight London Dry Gin

out each gin’s unique flavour. I know for

perfect. NB are regular sponsors of the

or don’t. To me this is lovely, and I really

a fact you’ve tasted all 100 gins, however

BRIT Awards after-party, but it’s not just

enjoy that with gin.

have you made your way through 100 gin

music royalty who’ve noticed the quality

cocktails?

of their gin. The late Queen chose NB as the only gin brand to appear in her official

Distillers Journal: Loch Ness’s distillers won’t reveal what botanicals they use,

Sean Murphy: Maybe not all the

commemorative publication for her

keeping it as mysterious as the monster,

cocktails! They were picked out by the

ninetieth birthday celebrations.

but they will admit to using botanicals

distillers to get the best from their gin.

taken from around the loch. It almost

I have been slowly working my way

The Scottish Gin Bible by Sean Murphy.

seems that using local botanicals is

through, it’s one of the fun things about

Available through Amazon, Waterstones,

becoming a requirement with craft gin.

the book. And it’s something that I hope

WH Smith, and numerous independent

will translate to other people. When they

bookstores.

Sean Murphy: That’s a really interesting

pick it up the book, maybe they’ll want to

point. And again, I think it ties back to

try all 100 gins and all 100 cocktails.

that provenance idea and the acuity

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DEVIL’S BOTANY

LOCAL GREEN FAIRY SPOTTED IN LONDON DISTILLERS RHYS EVERETTE AND BROOKLYNTRANSPLANT ALLISON CRAWBUCK FIRST CREATED A LONDON BAR FEATURING THE UK’S WIDEST VARIETY OF ABSINTHES. NOW THE DUO IS DISTILLING ABSINTHE AS WELL – FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN LONDON. BUT CAN THEIR PASSION SPILL OVER TO PROFITS? VELO MITROVICH REPORTS FROM THE DEVIL’S BOTANY DISTILLERY

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I

f ever there was a spirit cursed

Absinthe, with its ingredient wormwood,

with a double-edged sword, it’s

was seen as the source of society’s ills

absinthe. On one hand, its many

– probably by those secretly jealous of

nicknames include the Green Fairy

early hipsters – and by 1915 absinthe was

and the Green Muse. Drinkers

banned throughout most of Europe and

of it include such notables of potables

the USA. While the UK never banned

as Edgar Degas, van Gogh, Gauguin,

absinthe, this was mostly due to the fact

Picasso, Oscar Wilde, and maybe it’s

it was seldom drank here except in very

most famous drinker of all, Henri de

posh hotels and restaurants.

Toulouse-Lautrec.

Worldwide, the ban was seen as a way

Ernest Hemingway called it: “Opaque,

of protecting folks against thujone, a

bitter, tongue-numbing, brain-warming,

chemical component in wormwood

stomach-warming, idea-changing liquid

which was once believed to be the cause

alchemy. It’s supposed to rot your brain

of absinthe’s seizures and hallucinations.

out, but I don’t believe it. It only changes the ideas.”

Absinthe’s sky high ABV – which makes

Ah, but then there is the other side of

whisky seem like a child’s drink – never

the sword. Another nickname for it is the

seemed to be considered as a reason for

Guillotine of the Soul. What gives its lead

its potent punch. Vermouth, which the

flavour, colour, and bad press is its most

word itself comes from German meaning

well-known ingredient, wormwood.

wormwood, gets some of its flavour from

This has to be the only spirit ingredient

the same. But in the ban against absinthe,

that gets its own mention – twice – in

vermouth and other wormwood-based

the Bible. In the ‘Book of Revelations’,

spirits never got a mention.

wormwood is used to symbolise a fallen

But that was then, and this is now. All

star that turns a third of the world’s

bans have been lifted and for the first

water too bitter to drink. Shakespeare

time ever, absinthe is being distilled in

references wormwood in Romeo

East London by Rhys Everett and Allison

and Juliet by writing that Juliet’s wet

Crawbuck at the Devil’s Botany Distillery.

nurse weaned baby Juliet by rubbing wormwood on her nipples, making them

GREEN BASICS

too bitter to be suckled on.

According to Crawbuck, absinthe is a In 1907 The New York Times called it the

botanical spirit that at its essence, is

“green curse of France”.

made in a very similar way to gin.

In 1915 Allied troops land at Gallipoli,

“You’re going to start out with a neutral

which will become a disaster for the

spirit and then you’ll redistil it with a

Australians and Brits. Italy declares war

mixture of botanicals. If you were to make

on Austria, which will become a disaster

a gin you need juniper, and if you’re going

for the Italians. Russia invades Germany,

to make an absinthe, you need what is

which will become a disaster for the

known as the holy trinity of botanicals.

Russians. And then there is the first gas

That’s grande wormwood, green anise,

attack by the Germans against British and

and fennel seed,” she says.

French troops. What does France do in

Etymologists have theorised that the

the face of all of this? It bans absinthe.

Old English word ‘wormwood’ comes

And if it can only get worse, it does.

from the bitter taste of the plant (wermo

What’s the Ukrainian word for wormwood

is a very early Germanic term for bitter)

¬– Chernobyl!

or from the plant’s ancient use to treat

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

Allison Crawbuck and Rhys Everette at the Devil’s Botany Distillery in East London

DEVIL’S BOTANY intestinal worms – wyrm. There is even

The murders energized prohibitionists

during the French Revolution and there

speculation that wermod may have been

and absinthe became a Swiss national

he was inspired to use wormwood as

an aphrodisiac in Anglo-Saxon times,

concern, a pariah of liquors. The canton

a tonic. Unfortunately – or fortunately –

combining the Old English wer (man) and

of Vaud (containing Commugny) banned

wormwood was too bitter to drink as it

mod (mood).

it less than a month after the murders.

was thus, he came up with his recipe.

The canton of Geneva, reacting to its own There are more than 200 plants in the

“absinthe murder,” followed suit. In 1910

Through marriage, Henri-Louis Pernod

wormwood genus Artemisia including

Switzerland declared absinthe illegal.

obtained the recipe and went on to

southern wormwood, petite wormwood

Belgium had banned it in 1905 and the

establish the Pernod spirits dynasty

– which is used in colouring absinthe –

Netherlands in 1910.

when he opened his first distillery in

and grande wormwood. It’s an extremely

In 1912 the US Pure Food Board imposed

1805. ‘Extrait d’absinthe’ soon outgrew its

common plant and it’s a safe bet to

a ban, calling absinthe “one of the worst

fame as a local Swiss tonic and became

say that there is at least one species of

enemies of man, and if we can keep

a phenomenon in France. By the end of

wormwood growing in every climate in

the people of the United States from

the 19th century, over 2 million litres were

the world, including Artemisia borealis,

becoming slaves to this demon, we will

being drunk annually in France.

found north of the Arctic Circle.

do it.” By 1915, absinthe had been exiled

“Just like London had its gin craze in the

Everette says that the best-known

even from France. Au revoir, mon amour.

18th century, France had an absinthe

species of wormwood is Artemisia

craze in the end of the 19th century

absinthium – called either grand or

when absinthe was made without any

grande wormwood – and is the only

regulations,” says Crawbuck. “There

type that can be used in the distillation

were examples of it being produced

process for a spirit to be considered

with chemical adulterants – copper

authentic absinthe.

SMEAR CAMPAIGN It was late August 1905, where in the small Swiss village of Commungny, a funeral was taking place for a mother and her two young daughters. The husband and father, Jean Lanfray, wept, insisting he didn’t remember shooting the three, according to the Science History Institute.

A few days before, labourer Lanfray started his day with a shot of absinthe

From this crazy time, absinthe got a bad reputation, and it became the scapegoat for all the madness of the era” Allison Crawbuck

sulphate was added as well as other toxins – and it was being made without any real understanding of the dangers of improper distilling, with heads, hearts and tails all being put into a bottle and being sold on to consumers.

“It was also a time when there was the phylloxera crisis going on in France and grape vines were being destroyed by a vine louse that came over from America.

This made wine and brandy prices go up. But at the same time, absinthe prices went down, and it became the drink of

diluted in water, with a second absinthe shot soon following. At lunch and during

Did – and does – absinthe deserve the

choice in France.

his afternoon break at the vineyard where

negative reputation is still generates

“This was all happening in an era where

he worked, he consumed six glasses

today? Perhaps a better question would

there were a lot of other things legal at

of strong wine. Before leaving, he had

be: Why and who did absinthe get its

the time, which wouldn’t be legal today

another glass of wine, followed by some

less than sterling reputation from? The

such as opium dens. From this crazy

brandies at a café on the way home.

answers can be found in shady distilling

time, absinthe got a bad reputation,

practices, poor science-led assumptions,

and it became the scapegoat for all the

Back home Lanfray finished a litre of wine

other jealous alcohol producers,

madness of the era,” she says.

as his wife watched in disgust. She called

and a view that it was leading to the

him lazy. He told her to shut up. She told

degeneration of the French race.

from the wall and shot her through the

From the 1880s and on, it was primarily French scientists who looked into

him to make her. He took his loaded rifle

HUMBLE BEGINNING

wormwood and its associated active chemical thujone as a possible toxin. In

forehead. When his 4-year-old daughter Rose came to investigate, he shot her

Absinthe was first created in Switzerland

studies with mice, after giving them very

too. Then he went into the next room,

at the end of the 18th century when

high doses of thujone, it brought about

walked to the crib of his other daughter,

expat French doctor Pierre Ordinaire

seizures and death.

Blanche, and shot her.

combined grande wormwood with anise,

The public was ready for this news.

From this domestic tragedy the people

fennel, and about 12 other herbs. He

Absinthe was seen as a commoners’

of Commugny drew one inescapable

then distilled the mixture in an alcoholic

drink, the drink of prostitutes, thieves, and

conclusion: it was the absinthe that made

base as an herbal health remedy for his

the morally degraded. French civilisation

him do it.

patients. Ordinaire had fled to Switzerland

and society were “passing through a

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

DEVIL’S BOTANY

It’s all about reintroducing absinthe and making it relevant to today’s drinkers” Rhys Everette

Devil’s Botany London Absinthe turns milky after water is added

period of vulgarity”, caused by absinthe.

– just the same as almost any substance

colourants to turn it green, making it very

When members of the French Academy

ranging from salt to cheddar cheese.

high strength, and then encouraging people to set the liquid on fire, shoot it,

of Fine Arts started seeing postimpressionists, expressionists, cubists,

Still, like a pit bull and its bone,

and become very forgetful about what

and other non-traditional art, what else

researchers did not want to give up on

happened in their evenings.

could they assume but the art was

this idea and reasoned that there must

“We fight daily absinthe’s bad reputation

produced under the moral depravity and

have been a high level of thujone in 19th

from 100-years-ago, to its reputation

hallucinogenic effects of absinthe.

century absinthe. Why else were there

today where some view it as a drink to

Manet’s first major artwork was rejected

so many problems associated with it?

get drunk with, not to savour and enjoy.

in 1859 by the Salon de Paris and his

However, in examining vintage Pernod

“If we go back to the 1920s and 30s,

master, Thomas Cotour, summed it up:

bottles of absinthe, and comparing the

after it was banned across France,

“An absinthe drinker! And they paint

levels of thujone to those of modern

Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, and

abominations like that! My poor friend,

commercial and home distillers of

North America, here it was being sold

you are the absinthe drinker. It is you who

absinthe, the vintage Pernod actually had

predominantly in hotel bars. We have

have lost your moral sense.”

the lowest level of thujone.

the Savoy Hotel in London that released

By 1890 and the publication of leading

If absinthe actually caused hallucinations,

over 100 absinthe cocktails. At the Hotel

anti-absinthe scientist Valentin Magnan’s

madness, male sterility, and a hundred

Cafe Royale, famous people like Oscar

The Principal Clinical Signs of Absinthism,

other issues, it wasn’t the wormwood

Wilde would drink their absinthe.”

common opinion in France largely

or the other botanicals, but instead

agreed with his conclusion: Absinthe was

adulterants being added into the distilling

the cause of all of France’s woes.

process, much like what is happening

So strong were the beliefs against

with illegal moonshine around the world

When you hear Everette and Crawbuck

absinthe and thujone that nobody

in the past and today [See Distillers

describe the first time they sampled

challenged them for around 100 years.

Journal Autumn 2022].

absinthe, it seems amazing there was a

It was finally discovered in the US that

According to Everette, its bad reputation

second time. The absinthe looked like

while thujone could harm humans, it

continues today due to how some of it

mouthwash, there wasn’t the beautiful

would require taking a massive dose of it

is made and then drunk. “They are using

cloudy effect when water added – like

a cocktail recipe book which contained

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51

DEVIL’S BOTANY

they had heard about – and the flavour

and spices. The colour doesn’t have to

“Our inspiration comes, too, from the

left something to be desired.

be green – it can be colourless or white –

apothecaries and their recipes. The

“We thought: ‘Well, there’s definitely

and, indeed, if it looks day-glow electric

apothecaries were considered to be

something wrong here.’ So, we then

green, the chances are there are dyes

a friend of the Devil for their work in

started doing research into what

in it.

distilling botanical spirits. This is a play

traditional absinthe was and found a

“We travelled to places in France and

on that past but also celebrating the

couple of examples that were available in

Switzerland where there are a small

botanical element of it and reintroducing

the UK at the time,” says Everette.

number of producers still making

absinthe as a botanical spirit at its core.”

absinthe in the traditional, pre-ban

MAKING IT

Their “research” led to them consuming

manner. We got to know these distillers,

quite a bit of absinthe which they found

how they made their absinthe, and

to be rather enjoyable. It was at that time

gained knowledge as to what we

Using a small kitchen still to experiment

they decided to somehow contribute to

believed true absinthe should be,” says

with – along with a licence – they created

the spirit category.

Crawbuck.

two recipes. The first one took about 18

What does “proper” absinthe taste like?

months, helped in part by all the Covid

For starters, it doesn’t have the strong

It was these road trips, too, which

lockdowns affecting the bar and giving

black liquorice jellybean flavour you

provided the source of absinthes for their

them time to focus on creating their

might be expecting. With anise and

bar and the inspiration for their recipes

own absinthe. It was still considerable

fennel as ingredients there is a liquorice

when they decided to distil their own.

work, filled with many more failures than

flavour but, depending on the absinthe,

Everette says that the name they choose

successes.

it can be more like a hint. Expect instead

for the distillery, Devils Botany, plays on

Although absinthe was never distilled

nuances of flavours running the gamut

the wicked reputation that it absinthe

until now in London, they found a

of bitters and herbs to floral overtones

once had.

recipe dating back to 1719 in an original

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DISTILLERS JOURNAL

DEVIL’S BOTANY

Far left and left: 150 litre Mueller copper still used for distilling Devil’s Botany spirits; Above: Rhys Everette and Allison Crawbuck using a absinthe fountain at The Last Tuesday Society’s Absinthe Parlour

Opaque, bitter, tongue-numbing, brain-warming, stomach-warming, idea-changing liquid alchemy” Ernest Hemingway apothecaries recipe book which had a

It’s colourless and is 55% ABV.

An easy cocktail to make with either of

tonic called ‘Spirit of Wormwood’. Like the

Absinthe Regalis is copper pot distilled,

their absinthes is a Rattlesnake. This is a

marshes around them, this, too, helped

also with wheat spirit, and has 22

whiskey sour with a bit of absinthe added

to inspire their London absinthe recipe.

botanicals including grande wormwood,

and is popular in the USA as a way of

Luckily for them, a botanist at the time,

green anise, fennel seed, sage,

introducing people to absinthe.

Nicholas Culpeper – whom they named

cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, galangal,

their still after – had translated the recipe

and Devil’s claw root. The resulting

Of course, many drink absinthe in the

from Latin to English.

distillate then gets its green hue colour

traditional style, diluted with a bit of still

naturally in a second maceration process

or soda water; with or without a cube of

If their first recipe was a nod to the

which includes a new mix of botanicals,

sugar added.

traditional absinthes of France and

including white dead nettle and milk

Using the small 2.5 litre kitchen had the

Switzerland, with their second recipe they

thistle, which can be found growing wild

advantage of allowing them to push

wanted a London focus, though oddly

throughout London. It comes in at 63%

through ideas quickly, but it wasn’t

enough they call their first one London

ABV.

practical for commercial distilling. At their distillery today is a 150 litre Mueller

Absinthe and the second, Absinthe Regalis.

In creating cocktails, they feel that

copper still, which they are very happy

Devil’s Botany London Absinthe is copper

London Absinthe, having a very floral

with.

pot distilled with premium British wheat

flavour, works well with spirits like gin

Neither were distillers before starting

spirit and 14 botanicals, including English

and vodka, but also with tequila and

this venture. Everette got a distilling

and Swiss grande wormwood, green

mezcal. With all the spices in Absinthe

certificate from IBD and then worked with

anise, fennel seed, Devil’s claw root,

Regalis, they believe it lends itself well to

a distillery consultant to create Devil’s

lemon balm, meadowsweet, peppermint

cocktails with aged spirits like bourbons

Botany. With always an eye of finances,

elderflower, and other herbs and spices.

and cognacs.

much of what they’ve accomplished with

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53

DEVIL’S BOTANY installation of the still and its usage has

beautiful distillery.

come through trial and error, combined

If you were at Imbibe or other shows, you

How then to get a bottle of London

with good luck.

would see the two introducing people to

Absinthe into the hands of a consumer?

absinthe. Outside of dyeing their blood

“That’s the million-dollar question,” says

What gets overshadowed with their

green – using only natural botanicals

Everette. “It’s all about reintroducing

absinthes is a London Dry Gin they

a course to do so – there seems to be

absinthe and making it relevant to today’s

make. Master of Malt describes is as: “An

nothing else they could be doing to

drinkers.”

attempt to capture the ‘quintessence’

promote absinthe and their business.

After Imbibe’s B2B show, they’ve seen a huge increase in trade sales, with their

of an 18th century classic, this London Dry Gin from absinthe producer Devil’s

So why isn’t the world beating a path to

distributor doubling orders. For Crawbuck

Botany is distilled in a copper pot still

their door?

and Rhys, the show put a lot of people

with a British wheat spirit and botanicals

Like for so many of the UK’s small craft

that they wanted to see all under one

including juniper berries, coriander

distilleries who also have brilliant ideas,

roof.

seed, cubeb berries, lemon peel and

the answer is simple: Limited staff and

“It has raised our profile amongst the

liquorice root. What makes it stand out

marketing funds.

bars in London. We’re still trying to catch

though is its use of two botanicals more

In the USA there is an expression: “The

up with everyone that we spoke to at

common in absinthe: Devil’s Claw root,

pioneer gets the arrow; the settler gets

the trade show, and it certainly put us

used to sharpen the appetite, and Roman

the land.” The first person/company to do

in a stronger position since before,” says

Wormwood, which adds a uniquely

something new creates the market; it is

Crawbuck.

herbaceous flavour profile. Perfect in a

those that follow reap the reward.

Martini or Negroni.”

When you talk to Crawbuck and

And the future?

Everette, you realise they and their

Everette thinks for a moment. “We are

absinthes would do fantastic at Whitby’s

going to work towards pushing absinthe

MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION

Steampunk Weekend. Glastonbury and

into the 21st century. We are inspired by

At this point you might be thinking

Green Man Festival – oh hell yes, they

the past, but we are all for reintroducing

that life for Crawbuck and Everette is

would clean house there!

it to the modern absinthe drinker and

as grand as grande wormwood. Since

But, with only 2.5 staff and limited funds,

creating the next generation of absinthe

2016 they have had their absinthe bar,

that ain’t going to happen – at least for

drinkers.

The Last Tuesday Society’s Absinthe

the time being. And they are the first to

“We’ll play around with different

Parlour, located inside The Viktor Wynd

admit, there is only so much ground they

production methods, different flavour

Victorian Museum of Curiosities. Based

can cover.

pairings with our cocktails, and we’ll see where we can take this spirit category.”

in Hackney, it’s close to the Central Line’s Bethnal Green Station. Inside the Parlour,

With gin, distillers don’t have to change

they wow and amaze people with the

people’s perception of the drink. The

ritual of preparing an absinthe drink in the

horrors of the early 18th century gin graze

traditional manner with a special fountain.

have long been forgotten. Gin drinks have been for years the most popular

Every single one of their cocktails on the

cocktails in the UK. If UK bartenders were

menu has absinthe in it. People may walk

paid 5p every time they heard a G&T

through the door and say that they don’t

being ordered, they would all be retired

like absinthe, but Everette and Crawbuck

millionaires.

are going to try to make them change

It’s not quite the same with absinthe.

their mind before they leave.

Misconceptions about absinthe abound

With Brexit in place, making it extremely

– with what other spirit do you have to

difficult for small independent clubs/

convince people that at best it won’t

bars/restaurants to import spirits from

make them hallucinate? And exactly how

Europe, hats off to anyone who can

many bars and pubs stock a bottle of

duplicate the number and varieties of

absinthe?

absinthes they feature.

However, Crawbuck and Everette aren’t Of course, featured in the saloon are

competing against 800 other absinthe

Everette and Crawbuck’s own absinthe,

distilleries. While in the back of their

also available online and at the numerous

minds is the fear that someone bigger,

shows and events they attend.

with more resources will step in and

They have published a book: Spirits of the

start creating absinthe, Distillers Journal

Otherworld: A Grimoire of Occult Cocktails

doesn’t see that happening for a long,

and Drinking Rituals, and they have their

long time.

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WINTER 2022

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

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ATSUO SAKE

COWBOYS INDIANS AND SAKE

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WHAT MAKES AN AWARD-WINNING SPIRIT? A SAKE MASTER BREWER SAYS IT IS ALL DOWN TO THE SKILL OF THE MAKER. VELO MITROVICH REPORTS FROM HOLBROOK, ARIZONA

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

ATSUO SAKE

H

olbrook Arizona is not a

few customers – the single person

At Tom & Suzie’s Diner, Tammy the

place where you stop

working there tells you she was moving

waitress takes it upon herself to sample

and gawk. Located on

to California 10-years ago when her car

fries as she brings oversized plates to

Interstate 40 – part of

broke down. With no money to repair

tables to make sure they’re cooked. She

old Route 66 – people

it, in Holbrook she’s stayed ever since –

jokes that she’d like to get a tiny branding

drive through the small town in the blink

ultimately marrying the auto mechanic

iron and brand every slice of homemade

of an eye. If they’re tourists, most likely

who took pity on her and fixed her car.

pie with her name so all will know she’s

they’ve come east from the Petrified

For people who somehow get lost after

tasted it and approved. When a travelling

Forest National Park and are heading

exiting to get petrol, there are several

salesman from Albuquerque asks about

west towards the Grand Canyon and Las

dusty shops selling pieces of petrified

what vegetables the diner has, she pats

Vegas.

wood and geodes, with large plaster-cast

her Rubenesque figure and shouts from

At the local museum – with faded

dinosaurs out front as a lure to kids in the

across the large dining room: “Honey, do I

postcards giving silent testament to

backseat.

look like somebody who would know?”

Atsuo Sakurai has travelled far from Japan for sake and love

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ATSUO SAKE

WHAT IS SAKE?

the USA, but Sakurai is the only certified

sake brands, Sakurai won first place.

first-grade master sake brewer. Yes,

After graduating in 2005 he got a job

Is sake a spirit, wine, or beer? The

he says, he has won some prestigious

in a sake factory and learned the trade

truth is, it is an alcohol category unto

awards with his sake, but perhaps

from the bottom up through on-the-job

itself. Makers of sake usually refer to

nobody else entered the competition

training as opposed to formal training at

themselves as ‘brewers’, although it

that year.

a college.

“I started out cleaning the plant – floors,

is far from being a rice beer. Some, like Atsuo Sakurai, say what they do is

Still… as long as you’re already here….

It doesn’t run through a still, but it can

SAVE THE PLANET

but I knew they were very important.

Contamination can be a big problem in

pack a wallop, going up to 22% ABV, and base spirit can be added to it.

windows, and tanks – and maintaining equipment. These jobs are boring,

more similar to wine making.

Growing up in the greater Tokyo region

sake production,” he says.

– the most populous metropolitan Just to make it all even more confus-

area on earth with more than 37 million

The sake master took a shine to Sakurai

ing, in Japan, sake is a general term

inhabitants – Sakurai tells you he had

and his work ethic and began to mentor

for any alcoholic beverage, and what

no background in sake and had zero

him.

Westerners know as sake actually

thoughts of moving to the United States.

“It is difficult to learn sake production by

refers to “nihonshu,” the traditionally

Although his parents hoped for him

oral communication or books, you just

brewed and fermented drink.

to go into automotive engineering or

have to watch a master. On days off he

something like that, the idea of being a

would take me to the nearby forests and

There are over 10,000 variations with

salary man, wearing a suit, and working

mountains, and we’d collect wild edible

different flavours, colours, and with

for the system did not appeal to him.

plants. He taught me that to make good

even some being sparkling. What

In what was not a popular decision

sakes, you need to love nature.”

does hold all together are the four

with his family, he went to university in

key ingredients: Polished rise, koji

the north of Japan where he studied

Three years into the job and Sakurai had

mould, yeast, and water.

agricultural sciences with an idea of

moved up the company’s food chain

becoming an environmental activist and

and, besides being in a senior position,

What temperature should you drink

fight against ocean plastic pollution and

he was now giving tours in both English

sake? In the 1967 James Bond film,

climate change.

and Japanese. One day a 25-year-old Navajo American woman, who was living

‘You Only Live Twice’, you may remember this immortal line: James

But, while at university he was introduced

in Japan and teaching English, arrives for

Bond: “I like sake. Especially when it’s

to premium sakes by upperclassmen and

the tour. For both Heather Basinger and

served at the correct temperature,

found he had a taste for it.

Sakurai, it was love at first sight.

Although you might think thanks to

SOURED ON JAPAN

98.4 degrees Fahrenheit, like this is.

While Bond might prefer is sake at

James Bond and other films, that the

near body temperature (36.88 C), you

favourite beverage in Japan is the

The pair soon married and moved to

can drink it cool or even cold and

national drink of sake, you could not be

the west coast of Japan where they

nobody will bat an eye.

more wrong. By far, the most popular

had two of their three children. Sakurai

drink is beer and then followed by

worked for a local sake company where,

whiskey. Sakurai says that with sake,

as he says, he was still learning sake by

there are class issues at stake with sake

trial and error. The first year there were

But someone she does know – as

being seen as a drink of the working

many errors. In a competition with 150

seemingly do all the other characters

class and/or older adults. Young people

other regional sake companies, his sake

in this arid, high plains desert town – is

much prefer beer, and middle class and

was rated 120 out of 150. The next year,

Atsuo Sakurai. “Oh, the sake maker, he’s

above drink whiskey to impress – not

however, he came in third.

the nicest man in town.”

sake.

While the recognition was fine, Sakurai

The 42-year-old native of Yokohama is

If for no other reason, you have to

himself doing was opening up a small

a bit of a self-made enigma. Very soft

suspect the slightly eccentric, class-

craft sake brewery. While anywhere else

spoken and modest beyond belief,

conscious Sakurai took on the mantel

this goal would be attainable, in Japan

he honestly believes that he has done

of sake just for these reasons. While still

it’s not. Sakurai still feels very bitter about

nothing special, is of zero interest, and is

at university, he took a course on the

this, and it comes out strongly as he

at a complete lost why you drove over

history and production of sake, which

speaks.

two hours from Sedona – after getting a

was taught by the owner of a well-known

“I completed the required seven years of

nail in a tyre – just to see him.

sake company. At the end of the term, in

training, I passed an exam that certified

There are around 20 sake breweries in

a blind tasting contest to identify different

me as a first-grade sake brewer, but…”

was not happy. What he envisioned

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ATSUO SAKE

Atsuo Sakurai holding two of his sakes

In Japan, the national government

In 2014, Sakurai and his family packed

“We tried to make it work but being total

decides how many sake breweries there

their bags and moved to the USA. At

strangers, it is really hard to settle into

can be and for years it has decided

first, they went to Holbrook, near to

a new place,” he says. They ended up

there can be no more. The only way for

where Basinger had grown up on a

returning to Holbrook where at least

someone like Sakurai to open up his own

Navajo reservation. However, Sakurai

Basinger could get a job teaching and

sake brewery would be to buy someone

was shocked by Holbrook. The town was

with her family nearby, there would be

else’s.

small, it was in the middle of nowhere,

help with the children.

“There are no opportunities in Japan

and the arid desert climate could not

to be an entrepreneur in sake. The

be any more different from Japan’s,

Unemployed, depressed, and with

government says there are enough

which Sakurai thought had to be a prime

seemingly zero opportunities, it truly

sake companies so it will issue no new

requirement in sake.

seemed like the end of his sake dream.

licenses. If you have a million dollars, you

There are zero Japanese restaurants for

However, one day while he was watching

can buy an existing sake brewery. Since

easily hundreds of miles and if you look

his kids as they played in a park, he

I do not have a million dollars, I would

the town’s ethnic demographics, the 1%

started talking to a local. Sakurai says

always have to work for an established

Asian is most probably Sakurai and his

that the man was a good listener and

big sake company and obey the strict

children. You have sake regions; Holbrook

he poured out to him his problems, still

government rules on how sake is made.

is a sake anti-region.

believing that he his future had to be in

You cannot be creative.

He says they moved to the Pacific

the Pacific Northwest.

Northwest, looked at Seattle and then “Possibly I could have found investors

settled on Portland, Oregon, where the

After listening, the man told Sakurai:

or tried fundraising, but I wanted to start

damp, cool climate is similar to western

“Why? We have the big Coconino aquifer

my business from scratch. I wanted to

Japan. However, he says they couldn’t

here and the water is good. Why not

start my business with my own money. I

get a permit to make liqueur, they had

make sake here?”

cannot relate to investors or fundraising

no connections to get a loan – they had

Sakurai thought the man could have a

stuff – all can cause compromising

no connections period – and the cost of

point. While training and in speaking to

problems later on.”

living was high.

fellow sake makers in Japan, there was

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Looking at the koji mould doing its magic on sake rice

ATSUO SAKE always a belief that the rice had to be

is around 15 to 16%.

he’s not talking, but you have to suspect

Japanese, the water local, and the area

Surprisingly, sake is made in the USA for

that’s on his to-do list.

humid. But water is water, rice is rice, and

Japanese Americans and sake fans. The

After the koji has developed on the

humidity led to the constant problem of

appropriate varieties of rice are grown

rice, it’s mixed with a sake yeast

contamination. It was the brewer who

and polished in the rice growing region

(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and water.

created the sake, not the ingredients. Just

around Sacramento, California – about

like how award-winning whiskies, gins,

850 miles from Holbrook as opposed to

In regard to water, Sakurai has opinions

and other spirits can be made around the

5,700 miles to Japan.

he is willing to share. In Japan, soft water is considered the best for sake; in

world, why not sake?

NATIONAL FUNGUS THE RICE

Arizona, the water is anything but soft containing high amounts of calcium

You can have the proper rice, polished to

carbonate and magnesium. While in

Much like beer and whisky, there are only

exactly the percentage you want it to be,

previous interviews Sakurai describes

four ingredients that go into sake: rice,

and it’s now been steamed and is placed

the water from the Coconino Aquifer as

yeast, water, and koji, a type of mould

in a large container in a hot, humid room.

being perfect for sake, with you, he tells a

which is also used in the production of

Indeed, Sakurai lifts a lid and up comes a

different story.

soy sauce. While Sakurai might tell you

sweet chestnut-like aroma coming from

“So, we are in a desert region right, and

that special equipment is needed to

the rice. In looking at the rice, however,

our water is not very super good for sake,

make sake, he himself quickly realised he

each grain appears to be coated in a

but this is the water I use” he says. “As a

could make do without when he started

white frost.

master brewer, your job is to work out

brewing sake in his garage.

“That is koji on the rice, a type of mould,”

what you have – rice, quality of water,

Although in theory sake can be brewed

he says, “it’s what gives flavour to soy

whatever – and make the best sake you

with any kind of rice, the best sake

sauce, rice vinegar, and miso.” And then

can.

is produced from medium or short

he goes silent.

“You might think you have limited opportunity, but you can still make

grain rice. The key with any rice in sake Sakurai studies you for a moment and

the best sake or whatever, that is my

you come up short. “The koji process, it is

philosophy, that is what it means to be a

For sake, rice is first milled to remove the

very confusing, much too confusing for

master brewer.”

outer surface of rice. The core of a rice

this interview. We should just move on to

grain is rich in starch, while the surface

the next step,” he finally says.

After the adding of the yeast and water,

of the rice has lots of fats, vitamins, and

However, your research shows that in a

it’s aged for anywhere from one week

proteins.

process discovered around 1,500-years-

to a month, or longer. While in Japan

The taste of sake made with unpolished

ago, Aspergillus oryzae allows sake rice

some sake brewers add sugar, artificial

rice is noticeably deeper and thicker,

or soybeans to be converted into sugar

flavours, colours, additional alcohol,

giving it the impression of being strongly

that can be fermented. Koji (also known

and other ingredients, Sakurai’s sakes

flavoured and smelling of rice.

as koji-kin) is delicately distributed over

are natural. With traditional sakes he

In Japan, rice must be polished at

steamed rice and is carefully cultivated

makes pasteurized and unpasteurized,

least once, according to its grade, by

for 48 to 72 hours to grow evenly on the

and with flavoured sake he uses the

a mechanical grinder and takes about

rice.

forementioned prickly pear cactus and

50 hours. As a general rule, the more

How important is koji to Japanese cuisine,

herbs found on the Navajo reservation.

polished away the original size, the better

in 2006 the Brewing Society of Japan

the sake’s grade/quality.

officially named koji-kin the “national

After fermentation, the sake gets

fungus” of Japan.

pressed, filtered, bottled, and labelled,

What gets confusing is in Japan, the

There are several different types of koji,

and finally, shipped. From start to finish,

percentage on a bottle of sake does

with each giving sake a distinct flavour.

each batch of 1,000 bottles takes Sakurai

not reflect its ABV, but its polishing ratio.

Some in the industry believe craft sake

three months to produce.

To compare it with white rice we us for

brewers outside of Japan will start to

cooking, about 10 percent of the rice

experiment with even more different

is polished off, which would give it a

types of koji and developing different

polishing ratio of 90 percent.

flavours.

production is the “polishing” of it.

For premium sake, a minimum of 30

THE MIRACLE After being inspired by the local man, Sakurai realised he could make sake in

percent is removed.

As it is, Sakurai has developed different

Holbrook. He wasn’t sure of what the

So, if you read 40% on a bottle of sake,

sakes using plants found in Arizona

quality would be, but he could definitely

that means 60 percent of the outer layer

such as prickly pear cactus – giving it a

make it. The challenge would be in the

has been removed and only 40 percent is

stunning pick colour – and Navajo tea

selling.

used in the production for this particular

(greenthread, or Thelesperma). If he has

He says he started filling out applications

sake. The actual ABV percentage of sake

plans as well with using different kojis,

to brew sake in his garage. In January

distillersjournal.info

WINTER 2022

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61

ATSUO SAKE

After fermentation, the sake is pressed

2017 he was granted a permit to brew.

something local with a different terroir.

the way he wanted, and he wouldn’t be wearing a suit.

By 2018 he was breaking ground on a purpose built 1,000 square foot facility.

Sakurai is selling throughout Arizona,

Making a huge amount of money, that

in June 2018, only 18 months after

California, Hawaii, and a few other states.

was never part of the plan or dream and

completing his first batch, his Junmai

Some well-known Japanese chefs in

he’ll be the first to admit that if that was

Ginjo Arizona Sake won a gold medal at

both Arizona and California make a point

his goal, he’s surely gone about it the

the Tokyo Sake Competition, as the best

of serving his sake, so business must be

wrong way.

internationally produced sake.

good. But you might as well be asking Sakurai about koji. You realise though, it’s

Arizona Sake is at that stage where if he

But stepping back to the days in the

not that he wants to keep it a business

wanted to import rice from Japan or filter

garage, when he made and bottled his

secret, but he would feel it would be

the heck out of the Holbrook water and

first batch, he had zero customers lined

boasting. That’s not something he’ll do.

create a Japanese-like soft water, he could. But he won’t. His sake was always

up. No one.

“My first sale is a kind of miracle. While

He mentions that he’s getting ready to

going to be American, using American

driving in Phoenix, I saw a Japanese

expand but one thing that worries him

ingredients, it’s where he and his family

market. I went in and explained to the

is labour. It’s a challenge in Holbrook

live. All he wants is for people to taste his

owner what I was doing – he was a very

finding good workers.

sake and say: “That’s good sake.”

nice man, a very nice guy – but he said

“You can find workers here with no

You suspect that Sakurai is not a Grateful

he didn’t know how to sell my sake –

problem, but it is a big problem finding

Dead fan but as you say goodbye to him,

would anyone want a sake brewed in

good workers. If someone is good, they

as he stands outside his sake brewery in

Arizona instead of Japan? But he was

already have a job. If not…well…there

Holbrook, Arizona, the words to one of

willing to put a bottle of my sake on a

might be a reason.”

the Dead’s songs come to you.

shelf.

For this reason, when he does expand, he

“Two minutes later, a customer walks in,

says he’ll automate processes as much

Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me

sees my bottle, and buys it. The owner

as possible.

Other times, I can barely see Lately, it occurs to me

said, ‘Oh my god’, and both of our eyes went wide with surprise. It was a miracle.”

THE LONG TRIP

With the brand name Arizona Sake

When Sakurai entered the world of sake,

in bold letters on the bottle, Sakurai

he had dreams of what he ultimately

realised that customers would buy it not

wanted to do. He would have a craft

expecting it to be a Japanese sake, but

sake brewery, he would be making sake

62

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WINTER 2022

What a long, strange trip it’s been

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SCIENCE

GIN BY NUMBERS HENRIC MOLIN, CHEMIST AND FOUNDER OF HVEN DISTILLERY IN SWEDEN, EXPLAINS HOW CHEMICAL ANALYSIS CAN IMPROVE QUALITY AND YIELD IN GIN PRODUCTION

64

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WINTER 2022

M

ost wise and evolving

putting more effort into following your

distilleries work

SOP’s and filling out charts, than actually

continuously with

analysing the results.

quality control and

Before getting into the technical aspects

process improvement.

of analysing gin, it must be stressed that

But quality is a word with a wide meaning

there are no substitutes for a human

and it incorporates many aspects

panel. A trained panellist can give many

of production. Everything from raw

angles and insights into a gin that can be

materials to consumer and workforce

hard to find through chemical analysis.

safety. It has to do with taste, scent and

A human being also has the benefit of

character, but also yield, efficiency and

working simultaneously with all senses.

economy. A frequent question among gin producers is how chemical analysis

When getting served a perfect gin and

can help them better understand their

tonic, a human (normally) would first get

product and make a more consistent and

wooed by a nice glass with a beautiful

maybe improved product.

drink looking cold and refreshing. Then they touch the glass and the experience

It is obvious that the more quality control

starts; a cold refreshing sensation goes

aspects you put into your process the

from your fingers to your brain and that

more accurate and consistent it will be.

will affect your other sensors. When

However, it is easy to get carried away

bringing the glass to your nose the first

and create a vast array of control points

thing you get is a wonderful scent of

in your agenda, and you might end up

juniper and most often citrus and some

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

flower, then follows the fizzy sensation of

no taste or scent, but still pose a risk.

for your category.

cold, carbonated tonic. Next is a slightly

Furthermore, even if a panel might pick

How does chemical analysis ensure your

bitter taste note followed by a gentle

up something wrong, it would not be

quality, taste and scent are consistent

acidity accompanied by the perfect

very nice to serve poison to them. To

and potentially improved? As expressed

companion of alcohol as a wheelbarrow

be honest, a distiller of gin would be far

earlier, panels and professional nosers

for scent and taste, sometimes this is

fetched creating something dangerous.

are irreplaceable to create a great gin.

followed by a light sweetness.

If you start out with neutral alcohol and

They are also needed to have the

flavour it with juniper, coriander and citrus

instrument of combined sensory analysis.

This experience could of course be

combined with botanicals that are on

elongated and expressed with so many

FDA GRAS list, the risk is very low.

Great minds have created wonderful

more words. In this case it was truncated

What might occur could be phthalates

equipment that can chemically and

to show how this can translate into

from process, glycol from a chiller or

physically measure most aspects of a

chemistry. There are three major reasons

a contaminant from unknown source.

gin, but even if AI is evolving, we still see

to do chemical analysis on gin. Firstly,

These are risks that could be eliminated

ourselves as irreplaceable to analysing

to make sure your product is safe and

in SOP’s and lift the need for chemical

the results from that equipment, using

up to code. Secondly, to ensure your

analysis. However, to make sure you are

our experience and knowledge to

quality, taste and scent are consistent

up to code it is recommended to send

interpret that into valid results and

and potentially improved. Finally, to

an occasional product for ABV testing

perfection.

help improve yield, economy and

and maybe do a fingerprint GCMS (to

So how, why and when do we use

sustainability.

be explained later) to make sure your

chemical analysis to assure our product

product is legal and within the borders

according to sight, scent, taste and feel?

Let’s look at my first point; ensuring that

of TTB category. The sample you send

Visual: The human eyes are good. High-

your product is safe and up to code

could then be used as your reference for

performance liquid chromatography

through chemical analysis. Even though

in-house testing.

(HPLC), refractometry and spectroscopy

a panel might be able to do very good

If by any chance you source your neutral

are better. If you have a sweetened or

judgement on taste and scent, there

spirit from a source that does not supply

coloured product like pink gin, oak aged

are potentially harmful compounds that

a full chemical certificate of the spirit you

gin, sloe gin, then you need to make sure

might end up in your product that have

should always test it so it is within code

sugar levels are correct. Doing sugars by

distillersjournal.info

WINTER 2022

|

65

SCIENCE

5.0

Linalool

Terpinen-4-ol

6.0

g.-Terpinene

7.0

b.-Phellandrene b-Pinene Myrcene

8.0

Limonene

(x100,000)

a-Pinene

9.0

Black line = Base Gin (TK50-920 40%)

4.0 3.0 2.0

Pink line = Juniper Distillate (LA09976)

1.0 0.0

Blue line = Coriander Distillate (LA09977)

-1.0 -2.0

Brown line = Lemon Distillate (LA09978)

-3.0

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

9.25

9.50

9.75

10.00

10.25

10.50

10.75

11.00

11.25

11.50

11.75

12.00

12.25

12.50

‘Nosing’ difference in juniper, citrus and gins

calculations and spreadsheets are more

with the thickness of a hair. This fibre

of their charge in LPA to be bottled would

often wrong than right. Also, if you have

might have different characteristics to

get return on investment on a chemical

a coloured product you want to make

promote separation.

consultancy.

sure the colour is the same from batch

When the sample is injected into the

to batch.

fibre the components it is made up

This is not just to make money, it will

This is troublesome for the naked eye,

of will wander through the column at

also save energy and work with waste

but fairly easy with spectrophotometry.

different pace. To help separation the

management. Best of all if you get more

Turbidity is another factor to check

oven gradually heats up to make certain

bottles out of every run. Ultimately, that

with the product to make sure it looks

compounds run at another pace. When

actually saves energy, money and the

good and that your filtration is done to

they eventually come out on the other

environment. A true sustainable distillery

perfection.

end of the fibre, a mass spectrometer will

uses chemical analysis to decrease their

Scent: This is where chemical analysis

analyse the compounds and a “curve” is

climate and environmental footprint.

really can help many distillers. When a

created.

producer has set a recipe that is what the consumer expects that brand to deliver.

Looking at this, it is possible to identify

Much of scent quality control can be

and quantify not all components but

done by panellists but there are aspects

most that have a vapour pressure point

that are harder to address.

below 600F. To a distiller this can be a

First of all, panellists have good and bad

great and inexpensive tool to analyse

days, machines tend to most often do

new harvests of plant material to make

what they are told. Also, distillers tend to

sure the botanical load to the charge is

have multiple suppliers of plant material,

similar to reference product, but also to

these might have variations between

optimise recipe utilisation. This will save

harvests and there might be challenges

raw material and hence work but also

with certain crops.

guide in how to maintain and improve

With chemical analysis, a lot of headache

quality and sensory triggers. It might also

and unnecessary work can be avoided.

discover unwanted substances.

The main go-to is GCMS analysis. This

It would be evident that if you use the

is an analysis where you take a small

information from a GCMS analysis of a

sample of a product and inject into a

product and the distillation run, this could

machine called Gas Chromatograph.

be used to optimise botanical load per

It could be done in a multiple of ways but

ready bottle. This might be just to find the

the general principle is that the injected

sensory thresholds, but also to make sure

sample comes into a column placed in

you get most out of your charge. Anyone

an oven. The column is a 65-260 ft fibre

that does not take out at least 90 percent

66

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WINTER 2022

DISTILLERS JOURNAL

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