HEARTS AFIRE GIN by ginsociety

THE BROGAN’S WAY HEARTS AFIRE EDITION

RICHMOND, VICTORIA

BROGAN’S WAY DISTILLERY DOOR AND COCKTAIL BAR IN RICHMOND IS ONLY 2KM FROM THE HEART OF MELBOURNE’S CBD

FOUNDER’S

WELCOME

Welcome to the latest edition of the Gin Journal – we can hardly believe we’re already halfway through the year! For this issue, we are celebrating all things local. You might already be familiar with the hugely talented Brogan Carr of Melbourne-based Brogan’s Way, and her mulled-wine inspired Hearts Afire is our gin pick for this edition. We sat down with both Brogan and her father Simon to hear the story of how a mid-life crisis spawned one of the best new distilleries in Australia.

HEARTS AFIRE GIN IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL GINS THAT BROGAN AND SIMON CARR PRODUCE. CHECK OUT PAGE 27 FOR SOME OF THEIR OTHER AWARDWINNING GINS.

We also hear from arguably the biggest name in the Australian mixer space – CAPI. The pandemic hit local businesses particularly hard, but especially those moving purely in the hospitality space. CAPI’s Thurman Wise shares just how disruptive the past 12 months have been and why a groundswell of community support is critical for local operations to thrive. Rounding things off is our Ginsider for this edition – the incomparable Sami Lukis. A household name in the world of Aussie TV and radio, Sami gives us the lowdown on her fascination with gin and offers a trio of desert-island gins that would satisfy even the most discerning drinker. As always, you can drop us a line at hello@ginsociety.com – we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the winterwarming Hearts Afire Gin!

Andrew Burge Founder, Gin Society

VISIT US AT WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM

4 MEET THE MAKER

How a father-daughter duo mastered the art of gin

16 IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Con

The story of the entirely Australian-made CAPI beverage company.

29 THE GIN LST

Brogan’s Way has more than just this delightful winter gin. Check out the rest of the award-winning gin collection.

The Gin Society team

Founder: Andrew Burge Director: Jagdev Singh Creative Director: Annah Lansdown Head of IT: Chris Richardson Membership Relations: Emily Prunty Designer: Tori Gibson Editors: Lisa Cugnetto and Helen Alexander Sub-editor: Simon Jones

34 THE GINSIDER

with media personality Sami Lukis

HEARTS AFIRE GIN

ntents

38 COCKTAIL HOUR

CAPI share their favourite gin-based drinks

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B R O G A N ’ S

W A Y

HOW A FATHERDAUGHTER DUO MASTERED THE ART OF GIN 4

SIMON AND BROGAN CARR, THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER DUO BEHIND BROGAN’S WAY

Combining Brogan’s ﬂair for chemistry with Simon’s business nous, it’s no wonder this powerful father-daughter team have made such great strides in just a few short years.

Simon Carr didn’t always dream of crafting gin. In another life – one that spanned almost three decades – he had a successful corporate career. His job took him all over the world, connecting him with interesting and highprofile individuals. But there was something missing. A void that the fast-paced corporate lifestyle simply couldn’t fill.

“Growing up in Africa, that was an environment where quite a lot of gin was drunk in the communities,” says Simon. “It was the goto other than wine. So it was a big focus for me.”

“As I progressed further and further in corporate life, I was feeling less and less fulfilled,” says Simon. “It became more about the process of the big machine rather than the fulfilment I was searching for in life.”

“I was finishing up my medical laboratory science degree in my last year and I wasn’t loving it,” Brogan admits. “It was interesting, but I didn’t know if that was what I wanted to do at that point. Dad suggested I look into a Masters of Brewing and Distilling, so I decided to apply and see what happened.”

The first to admit he enjoys a tipple or two, Simon figured he could try his hand at making drinks. Wine was his first thought, but as the pieces fell into place it became clear that gin was the right passion project.

Around the same time Simon was learning about distilling and manufacturing in the drinks segment, Brogan was also deciding what to do with her life.

Brogan’s new studies were all about the science and flavour chemistry of crafting spirits, and so it was obvious the father and daughter duo were finally on the right path.

SIMON ENTERTAINS THE CROWD DURING A TASTING EVENT AT BROGAN’S WAY DISTILLERY

AFTER DECADES LIVING ABROAD, DAVID AND JO RETURNED TO NEW ZEALAND AND CHOOSE TARANAKI AS THE HOME FOR THEIR NEW GIN

THEIR HANDCRAFTED STILL, VISIBLE BEHIND THE BAR IN BROGAN’S WAY COCKTAIL BAR, GILLY.

R E A L I S I N G I T W O U L D A L W A Y S B E ‘ B R O G A N ’ S W A Y ’ Becoming awardwinning gin-makers with an exceptionally popular distillery might have been the dream for Simon and Brogan, but it was certainly not the original plan. Instead, says Simon, it was the challenges of them both studying while trying to set up their business – with all the associated highs and lows – that they forged an even more powerful bond than they already had. “That’s how the name Brogan’s Way came about,” jokes Simon. “It became pretty clear early on that one of us had the touch. Brogan’s got this real gift for balancing science and flavour, and so it became ‘her way’. Trust me – if it was called Simon’s Way, I don’t think we’d be anywhere near as successful as we are now, because people wouldn’t be drinking the gin!” After wrapping up their

studies, Simon and Brogan set forth on a personal ‘world tour’ to help inform the how, what, where and why of crafting their own gin. BROGAN’S WAY ROYAL BLOOD, EVERYDAY SALVATION AND EVENING LIGHT HAVE ALL PICKED UP MAJOR GONGS.

They spent two months touring distilleries, meeting spirts makers, seeing their handcrafted still in its birthplace of Germany, and mastering the fine art of distilling. Eight weeks. 30 distilleries. And a whole lot of knowledge to parse before they unveiled Brogan’s Way in September 2018.

T H E M U C H M A L I G N E D P I V O T Despite being an unknown 24-year-old distiller at the time, Brogan and her impeccably crafted gins saw immediate success. This youthful distillery with a hub in the beating heart of Richmond, Melbourne was making a name for itself – and fast. Within a year, their first three gins – Royal Blood, Everyday Salvation and Evening Light – all picked up major gongs at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and the renowned San Francisco World Sprits Competition.

times my neck is on a swivel. We did everything – we made hand sanitiser, we moved online, we upgraded our website, we introduced a takeaway service, we focused heavily on virtual tastings. Then it was a COVID SAW BROGAN’S WAY TRY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING RELEASING A LINE OF HAND SANITISERS

Things were looking up. Until the world stopped. “We weren’t even two years old when the first lockdown hit us,” says Simon. “You’re just starting to make a name, you’re just starting to get your distribution right and then everything becomes cash-focused. “My most hated word in the vernacular now is ‘pivot’. I think I’ve pivoted so many

case of trying to deal with multiple reopenings and density rules. One of the key learnings for us was that consumer behaviour can turn on a dime. “Every time we come out of a lockdown or there was another announcement, behaviours changed dramatically. And you have to move fast.”

BROGAN CHATTING WITH VISITORS AT THE DISTILLERY DOOR AND COCKTAIL BAR

T U R N I N G O B S T A C L E S I N T O O P P O R T U N I T I E S Despite being such a young distillery, Simon says the local community provided a groundswell of support during Melbourne’s strict lockdowns. “The people of Richmond really got behind us during that first lockdown,” he says. “They were ordering online and trying to find ways to connect with us, so there was most definitely a level

of support there. When we reopened in June 2020, there were quite severe restrictions where you couldn’t be in a space for more than two hours and the density limits were quite onerous. We found that lots of people were very eager to get out and meet their friends in places that were different, like our distillery. So we got a lot of support through that period.”

LIGHTING A FLAME It’s because of Simon’s ambitious business mind that you’ll be able to find Brogan’s Way spirits on more shelves in the very near future.

One of Brogan’s latest concoctions, Hearts Afire, is our featured gin this issue. The perfect winter gin – although just as quaffable all year round – it works beautifully in a Negroni or a Sweet Martini.

Simon also loves it as a base for Sangria. And on those freezing winter nights, it’s the ideal addition to a hot chocolate. “It does exactly what we were hoping the gin would do,” he says. “It’s a warming, comforting-style drink.” Here’s what the gin-maker herself, Brogan Carr, has to say about Hearts Afire Gin:

“

We designed Hearts Afire based on the flavour profile of mulled wine, so it’s a gin that has all the sorts of flavours you’ve come to expect from mulled wine. There’s the orange peel, cassia, cloves, nutmeg, aniseed myrtle, cinnamon myrtle and lots of lilly pilly, strawberry gum and roasted wattleseed. Everything emphasises the spice flavours without it being a hot, spicy gin. Instead, it’s a really warming gin – quite mature but still balanced. 13

“

SIMON SAYS “BROGAN’S GOT THIS REAL GIFT FOR BALANCING SCIENCE AND FLAVOUR, AND SO IT BECAME ‘HER WAY’.”

But beyond the community element, Simon and Brogan spotted a business opportunity in the lockdowns – an opportunity to bring their niche gin label to a wider market. “One of the good outcomes was that many of the retail groups started to focus on locally made products, as they were trying to connect with communities. That allowed us to get in front of many of the big retail groups and it’s expanded our footprint. Our sales footprint was nearly 200 retail outlets as we came out of COVID, compared to just the 50 that we had going into it. That’s been a big upside for us; it really gives us something to work with.”

While the effects of COVID-19 will be felt for some time to come, Simon is focused on how to leverage opportunities in this ‘new norm’. “In the old world, you could plan for a number of business scenarios. Things like the virus still impact businesses but they’re not driven by markets. We’re going to need a lot more strings to our bow, and we’ll need to keep this idea of being nimble and moving on our ideas. The ones that work, keep adding fuel to them. The ones that don’t work, put out those fires quickly. “Fail fast, I suppose, is the business term. We now have to make decisions really quickly. That’s our philosophy.”

IT RUNS IN THE FAMIL For over 10 years now, CAPI has crafted a delicious and vibrant range of Australian sparkling mineral waters, mixers and fruit sodas. We sat down with Thurman Wise, Director of Brand and Innovation, about what makes this family owned and operated business so special.

FOR A BRAND THAT’S SO SYNONYMOUS WITH TOPNOTCH MIXERS, it’s incredible that CAPI only celebrated its 10th anniversary at the end of 2020. What started out as the brainchild of Austrian-born Pitzy Folk has now exploded into one of the most diverse offerings of drinks that you could imagine. So how did Pitzy and his crew reach this point? As Thurman Wise, Director of Brand and Innovation at CAPI, puts it: “Pitzy found it amazing that cafés and restaurants and bars were importing so many products to Australia, even though we had such great resources here.”

YUZU IS A JAPANESE CITRUS AND IS SAID TO HAVE ALL THE BEST QUALITIES OF LIME, LEMON AND MANDARIN COMBINED.

THE MOST NATURAL THING IN THE WORLD

A hospitality veteran and coffee mogul well before he shifted his gaze to water and soft

NOT CONTENT TO ONLY DOMINATE THE TONIC MARKET, CAPI ALSO HAS A FAMOUS RANGE OF SODAS AND SPARKLING WATERS.

drinks, Pitzy recognised a major gap in the market. He simply couldn’t understand why a local restaurant would source a bottle of water from Italy, one that was created by a huge conglomerate on the other side of the planet, when we already have amazing water sources right here in Australia. IN A TALL GLASS ADD 30ML OF BROGAN’S WAY HEARTS AFIRE GIN, 15ML OF MAIDENII SWEET VERMOUTH AND 20ML OF The lack of natural APEROL OR SWEET ORANGE APERTIF. ADD ICE AND TOP OFF drinks on the market – WITH CAPI SPICY GINGER BEER.GIVE A QUICK STIR. GARNISH most of them laden with WITH AN ORANGE WEDGE AND A SPRIG OF MINT. preservatives and other nasties – also irked the CAPI founder. “Everyone today is all-natural and preservativefree, and there is so much amazing competition in the mixer space,” Thurman says. “But you have to remember that 10 years ago this type of thing was really out there.”

HEARTS AFIRE RUNNING MAN

What began as an attempt to plug a gap for Australian-made drinks soon grew into a one-stop shop for food and drink businesses. And with the extensive range on offer today – from their Grapefruit Soda that pairs perfectly with tequila for a mouth-watering Paloma, to the recently released Melbourne Tonic that captures the city’s dramatic sunsets with flavours of mandarin, blood orange, grapefruit and pink sea salt – it’s no wonder the brand has exceeded the decade mark. But an unforeseeable almost brought this beverages to its knees. 18

pandemic titan of

CAPI’S MELBOURNE TONIC CAPTURES THE CITY’S DRAMATIC SUNSETS WITH FLAVOURS OF MANDARIN, BLOOD ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT AND PINK SEA SALT.

A CRUSHING COVID BLOW Almost every business on the planet has been affected by coronavirus in some way. But hospitality was hit particularly hard, and CAPI felt the full brunt of it. “Before COVID, we were a team of 25 people, but 75% of our business was all food, beverage and hospitality,” Thurman says. “So the day that all of hospitality closed, it was an earthshattering moment. We didn’t know what was going to happen. Overnight, 75% of our business was gone. After that, our team shrunk from 25 to just five people. And it was just the five of us for almost seven months, trying to figure out how we were going survive as a brand.” 20

The saving grace for CAPI was online. “Luckily, we had invested a lot into our online business and our digital footprint right before COVID hit. So we really pushed ahead on how our brand could evolve so that if something like this were to happen again, we weren’t going to experience the same chaos that almost crushed us. “Next month, we’ll be up to 12 people at CAPI again. We’ll hit a record year in terms of revenue, which is crazy. COVID shook us up and made us look into the deepest parts of our business.” Thurman says they had to ask themselves some tough questions. What made them so

COVID PUSHED THE FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS TOWARDS A BIG-RETAIL ROLLOUT, MEANING YOU’LL BE SEEING CAPI PRODUCTS OUTSIDE OF JUST DAN MURPHY’S AND THE CAPI ONLINE STORE.

WITH THE RECENT INTRODUCTION OF AUSTRALIAN-MADE GLASS BOTTLES, CAPI CAN NOW PROUDLY CALL EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PRODUCT FULLY AUSTRALIAN-MADE.

successful in the first place? What things had they done that weren’t so great? The result was a decision to aggressively pursue a big retail rollout, which means you’ll be seeing CAPI products outside of just Dan Murphy’s or their online store in the very near future. “It’s been a wild ride, but it’s given us the time to see what was going wrong. One of the best examples is our bottles. While we bottle all our water at the source and all of our products are made in Australia, the one piece of the puzzle that wasn’t Australian-made was our glass bottle. During COVID, there were so many challenges with

supply, from trying to get things shipped from Indonesia over here, and then there was a strike at the port. In January, we even ran out of bottles so we couldn’t make any products – we were completely sold out. “So now we’ve switched to an Australian-made bottle, 100% made in South Australia. That closes the loop on us being a truly Australian-made product. And that came out of COVID. There were so many stresses around what we were doing, and we realised that working together with other local businesses is far superior in terms of the quality we could get.

A MAJESTIC DIVERSITY OF DRINKS WHETHER YOU’RE A RELATIVE NEWCOMER OR A SEASONED CAPI VETERAN, THERE’S NO OTHER BRAND THAT MAKES DRINKS QUITE LIKE THESE. HERE’S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THURMAN’S FAVOURITE PICKS. BEST OF ALL? THEY MIX PERFECTLY WITH YOUR FAVOURITE AUSSIE GIN. CAPI YUZU

“If you were to take the best qualities of lime, lemon and mandarin, and then combine them all into one fruit, it would end up as the Japanese citrus Yuzu. Our drink has a really unique flavour profile that works well with a floral gin and a touch of mint.”

CAPI GARDEN TONIC

“One of two newly released tonics (alongside Melbourne Tonic), CAPI Garden Tonic is inspired by Victorian gardens, with notes of forest mint, native lime and rosemary.”

CAPI GRAPEFRUIT SODA

“Usually reserved for tequila, our Grapefruit Soda also plays really well with gin. Using a gin with a really nice juniper background will make the citrus flavours pop, which works well with either our Grapefruit or Blood Orange sodas.” 24

COLLABORATION FEEDS INNOVATION It might have been a necessary change – a pandemicinduced transition to look beyond the most cost-effective option and instead build relationships with other Australian businesses – but Thurman says it’s given CAPI a new outlook on how both businesses and the wider community can benefit from local collaboration. “If you’re not investing in other local businesses, there won’t be innovation and advancements. What’s really cool is that when you support local businesses, you’re giving them the funds to improve, to find new ways of working that benefits everybody. “By working together and growing the

local economy, we’re going to see some great things come out of Australia in the next couple of years. There’s already so much amazing talent and amazing resources, and we just need the money to be invested into that talent and those resources. “We’re already seeing how Australian spirits are taking over the world. All of a sudden it’s not just about London gin being the best; Four Pillars from Victoria is top of the list. Then there are whiskies from Gospel and Starward and Archie Rose and Lark – soon it’s going to be the standard that Australian whiskey is up there with some of the best in the world, and it’s because everyone is supporting each other.”

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The Gin List 4 BROGAN’S WAY AWARDWINNING GINS

AND 1 VODKA

Hearts Aﬁre gin may bring the wonderfully warm sensation of mulled wine into your cocktails this winter, but Brogan’s Way oﬀers several other gins, all of which are award winners. Why not dabble in some other fantastic Brogan’s Way gins?

ROYAL BLOOD GIN

This savoury Navy Strength gin reveals each flavour in turn. Fresh rosemary, olive leaf, flatbush and mountain pepper leaf boost the classic cardamom heat. Smooth as silk for special times. Every ingredient has a purpose – to make the moment more memorable. The way it should be. TA S T I N G N O T E S Juniper-forward, dry, slightly citrus and extremely savoury. Herbal and aromatic characters of fresh vapourdistilled rosemary leaf are supported

by bay leaf, olive leaf and black peppercorns, amplified by the Australian natives of spicy mountain pepper leaf, fragrant and savoury saltbush and salty sea parsley. A bold amount of roasted native wattleseeds lengthens the finish and exaggerates the heat of green cardamom. Serve with lots of ice, a premium tonic and a slice of mango for garnish.

ROYAL BLOOD GARDEN PARTY EVENING LIGHT GIN

This new-age gin is very contemporary, full of the lively flavours of fresh mango, raspberry and grapefruit. Shaken up with a little red rose and river mint, it brings the sweetness to make sunkissed afternoons shine a little brighter. Every ingredient has a purpose – to make the moment more memorable. The way it should be.

How To Add 30mL of Royal Blood Gin, 30mL of cassis, 4 raspberries (or 15mL of raspberry shrub), and ice in a cocktail shaker with a scoop of ice. Shake. Double strain into a rocks glass and top with ice. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

TA S T I N G N O T E S Lighter and more delicate in flavour, not alcoholic strength. A gentle piney juniper and dry coriander seed base is lifted up by fresh Australian mangos, raspberries and white grapefruit juice to create a lively character. Highlighted by the delicate floral flavours of red rose petals and lavender, and warmed by cassia bark. Australian native botanicals of strawberry gum, lillypilly and river mint give a gentle, sweet, berry-like element and deliciously refreshing finish.

How To Add 30mL of Evening Light Gin, 10mL of curaçao, 10mL of lemon syrup and 1 tsp of orange marmalade into a cocktail shaker. Add a small scoop of ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass.

EVERYDAY SALVATION GIN

EVENING LIGHT BREAKFAST MARTINI

We have a way to distil moments into flavours, so there’s a gin for the mood you are in. This balanced Australian Dry gin layers strawberry gum and zesty white grapefruit peel. Enlivened by a gentle pepper berry tea, it is the ultimate companion to kick back and cool off with. Every ingredient has a purpose – to make the moment more memorable. The way it should be.

TA S T I N G N O T E S A juniper-forward punchy Australian Dry style gin. The dry citrus hit of coriander seeds is accentuated by organic white grapefruit peel, providing fresh zesty qualities of citrus with subtle hints of bitter lemon. Floral top notes of lavender rose and orris root, with earthy undertones from angelica root presenting on the nose. The Australian native botanicals of sweet strawberry gum and hot pepper berry linger on the finish, which is elongated by the nuttiness of roasted native wattleseed.

EVERYDAY SALVATION NEGRONI

How To Add 30mL of Everyday Salvation, 30mL of Campari and 30mL of sweet vermouth into a mixing glass or jug. Add a scoop of ice and stir until chilled. Strain into your rocks glass and top with ice. Garnish with an orange wedge. 31

M O T H E R ’ S W AY G I N LIMITED EDITION Mother’s Way Gin is a very special Old Tom style gin inspired by the favourite flavours of the still’s namesake, Brogan’s mother, Gilly! Made in celebration of all mums with a unique blend of sweet pine, strawberry gum, native pepper berries, fresh lime, pink grapefruit, fragrant rose and lavender. Every ingredient has a purpose – to make the moments more memorable. The way it should be. TA S T I N G N O T E S A fresh and bright citrus driven pink grapefruit Old Tom. Bright and complex sweet, zesty citrus flavours supported by delicate floral notes. Subtle strawberry gum flavours are balanced against gentle warming native pepper berries, and soft piney juniper shining through.

STRAWBERRY SCONE SIPPER

How To Add 45mL of Mother’s Way, 15 mL of Rose Vermouth and 15gms of strawberry jam into a cocktail shaker. Break up the jam by stirring with a spoon. Add a scoop of ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a glass and garnish with a strawberry fan.

AUSTRALIAN VODKA

Another original vodka from Brogan, carefully distilled with small amounts of Australian native botanicals to add character. Achieving a very clean spirit with out the need for traditional carbon filtration. TA S T I N G N O T E S A bright, clean vibrant spirit with mild oily textures of roasted native wattle seed and the very noticeable gentle sweetness of lillipilli. A sip-able, soft, lightly flavoured vodka with a subtle savory character coming through.

BROGAN’S WAY COSMOPOLITAN

EVERYDAY SALVATION NEGRONI

How To Add 45mL Brogan’s Way Vodka, 60mL cranberry juice, 30mL orange curacao and 10mL fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker along with a scoop of ice and shake until ice cold. Strain into your martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

THE GINSIDER One of the most versatile media personalities in Australia, Sami Lukis is just as comfortable on TV and radio as she is mixing up a Gin & Slim…

What was your first proper introduction to gin? As a proud, gindependent woman, I actually think my deep passion and respect for gin is in my genes. My mum was born in the town of Schiedam in Holland, which is credited by some as the birthplace of gin. All of my friends are highly amused by my gin obsession. But it’s also become the easiest and safest go-to present for me for any occasion. I actually have a dear friend in Tasmania who I now refer to as my “Tassie Gin

Dealer” because whenever he comes to visit me in Sydney, he brings me a new gin to try. What do you like about gin as a spirit? I don’t just like it. I LOVE it. I’m actually obsessed. I love that no two gins are alike. Every brand has its own unique flavour and I’m fascinated by the subtle differences between each one. I love that it’s so versatile. There really is a gin for every mood, and a gin-based cocktail for every occasion.

SAMI’S DESERT ISLAND GINS

BROOKLYN GIN

SANDY GRAY GIN

GRACE GIN

“Made in my favourite city in the world and my second home, New York.

“My favourite Aussie gin and sentimental favourite.

“My new favourite.

www.brooklyngin.com

www.sandygraywhisky.com.au

www.lkc-drinks.com/grace-gin

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I love that you can customise your gin in so many creative ways. With or without tonic. With or without garnishes. There are so many clever ways to spice up your gin. And these days, there are so many varieties and flavours of tonic to play with too. The Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic is a pretty reliable pairing. How do you drink gin? My standard go-to is plain old Gin & Slim (with sugar-free tonic). No garnishes. The gin is the hero. I like to taste the flavour of the gin in all its glory. If I do want to spice things up a little, my favourite garnish is sliced pear and pepper. Have you tried any new gins lately? The Grace Gin from Greece is my latest find. It’s absolutely spectacular. I especially love that it’s the shared vision of three women – a gin made by women, for women. Yas Kween! What is your most memorable gin experience? The night I discovered Brooklyn Gin at my favourite rooftop bar in Williamsburg, overlooking the Manhattan skyline at sunset. Perfection. I’m also incredibly honoured to

be the proud owner of the “Bottle 1 Batch 1” for each of the Sandy Gray gin varieties they’ve produced so far. A friend introduced me to Sandy Gray a couple of years ago and I’ve been their biggest fan (and number-one ticket holder) ever since. It’s a micro-distillery in Spreyton in northwest Tasmania and, like so many Tassie gins, they just get it right every time. Their Sandy Gray Artisan Small Batch Gin just won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. I heard a saying recently that I love: “Gin was made by the Dutch, refined by the English and perfected by Tasmanians!” Which gin-based cocktail would you be? A Vespa Martini. Simple, stylish, with a cheeky kick. And I just think it’s hilarious that it’s a fictional cocktail that’s crossed over into reality. What do you like about Gin Society? I love that you guys are as obsessed with gin as I am. You’ve also introduced me to some gins I never would have thought to try otherwise. I mean… Greek gin? Who knew!? I never would’ve discovered Grace Gin if it wasn’t for Gin Society, so thank you!

Cockta H 38

ail Hour

CAPI SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE GIN-BASED DRINKS

There’ s nothing wrong with a Martini or t you just want to spice up your weekend know a thing or two about putting a f which is why Thurman Wise, CAPI’ s Br shared these exceptional cocktails for yo

GIN MULE

A REFRESHING GIN TAKE ON A CLASSIC COCKTAIL. 30mL of your favourite Aussie gin 15mL lime juice Top off with CAPI Spicy Ginger Beer Garnish: Ginger Glassware: Rocks or Highball In your preferred glass mix your favourite Australian gin with fresh lime juice. Add ice and top off with CAPI Spicy Ginger Beer. Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger.

traditional G&T, but sometimes d cocktails. The team at CAPI fun spin on gin-based drinks, rand and Innovation Director, ou to try.

Gin Mule

The Last Drop

YUZU SOUTH SIDE

FOR SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER TASTED BEFORE… BUT WILL DEFINITELY COME BACK FOR SECONDS.

45mL your favourite Aussie Gin 10mL lime juice 4 fresh mint leaves Top off with CAPI Yuzu Soda

THE LAST DROP

THE FLAVOUR COMBINATION OF GRAPEFRUIT AND BITTERS WILL SEND YOUR TASTEBUDS SOARING. 30mL of your favourite Aussie gin 125mL CAPI Grapefruit Soda 15–25mL Australian Bitters or Campari Garnish: Grapefruit Glassware: Rocks or Highball In a rocks glass add your favourite Australian gin. Add ice and CAPI Grapefruit Soda. Depending on how bitter you like your cocktail, ﬂoat 15– 25mL of Australian Bitters or Campari. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Garnish: Citrus wheel Glassware: Rocks In a rocks glass add your favourite Australian gin. Add ice and CAPI Grapefruit Soda. Depending on how bitter you like your cocktail, ﬂoat 15– 25mL of Australian Bitters or Campari. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

GIN SOCIETY GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS Perfect for the gin lover in your life, a subscription to the Gin Society is a passport to the incredible world of craft gins. Available for 2, 4 or 6 box gift memberships. visit www.ginsociety.com