Spirits of the Bay

THE STORY OF TASMANIA’S SPRING BAY DISTILLERY

Spring Bay Distillery is the culmination of many years of planning & dreaming by owners Cam and Suzy Brett, who are passionate about making quality, traditional style spirits, without the premium price. From humble beginnings, setting up their distillery at Spring Beach, they now have a second, larger distillery in Cambridge, Tasmania. Both have Cellar Doors open to the public, which gives Cam and Suzy the opportunity to do what they love most – sharing their spirits and the joy of living a coastal lifestyle. The location of the Spring Bay Distillery on Tasmania’s east coast influences their spirits in a few ways. Firstly, they use the pristine east coast Tasmanian rainwater in their spirit-making process, which has a slightly salt-infused taste. This soft and sweet rainwater provides a clean palate for all their spirits, which has contributed to their award-winning products. Even now with a second location the rainwater is harvested and transported to Cambridge to maintain the Spring Bay terroir.

Are there any unique processes used during production?

We believe that texture and mouthfeel are just as important as flavour in gin, so we make a lot of choices to ensure a smooth and full-bodied experience. For example, in our Classic and Pink Gins, we use botanicals like liquorice root instead of star anise and lemon peel from our garden for the citrus, which both add oils to lengthen the palate and add body. Our locally handmade 1200L copper pot still, ‘Beauty,’ has a declining line arm that ensures these oils are carried over into the spirit. We use rainwater captured near the sea, which is soft and light and as pure as the east coast of Tasmania, with a saline component that enhances flavours and texture.

What is your signature Gin product and why?

The Classic Gin is our signature gin, which is a London Dry – the gin we all know and love – the one that all the classic cocktails were designed for. Ours has 10 botanicals, 3 of which are Tasmanian – the lemon from our garden, toasted wattle-seed replacing the traditional nut for its oils, and Mountain Pepper berry for a Tasmanian twist. It’s versatile, smooth, and well balanced in flavour and texture.

How do you recommend serving and enjoying Gin?

Spring Bay Gins work very well with a dry tonic such as Fever Tree Mediterranean or Capi Dry, and a squeeze of lime. The Pink Gin is especially good with soda, a squeeze of lime and a sprig of rosemary to garnish and add aroma. In bars across Hobart, both the Classic and Pink Gins shine in a Negroni or Martini, as well as all the classics and modern cocktails.

What is the best way to store Gin?

We recommend keeping our Gins in the fridge door, which keeps them cool but not frozen, in the dark, and doubles as a very handy location for quick access!

Ingredients

½ block of milk chocolate

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup cream

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.Begin by breaking the chocolate into small pieces and placing them in a saucepan.

2.Add the milk, cream, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to the saucepan, and set it over medium-low heat.

3.Stir the mixture gently until the chocolate melts and the ingredients are fully combined.

4.Continue stirring until the hot chocolate reaches a low simmer and has a smooth and slightly thick consistency.

5.Once the hot chocolate has reached the desired consistency, it’s ready to be served. Simply pour it into mugs and enjoy it while it’s still hot and delicious!

Notes

This hot chocolate should be thicker than your standard drinking chocolate, but not too thick. If it’s too thin, simmer it a little longer. If it’s too thick, add another 1/4 cup of milk to thin it out.

Once your hot chocolate has reached the desired consistency, serve it into mugs and enjoy it immediately. You can even top it with whipped cream, grated chocolate, marshmallows, or a drizzle of chocolate syrup for an extra indulgent treat.

CASERO Penn Steel Set of 4 Mugs $19.95

Exclusive to Minimax, Casero Penn Steel mugs are the perfect vessel for serving your hot chocolate. The mugs’ unique design and highquality ceramic construction make them an ideal choice for cosying up with a hot chocolate or a hot beverage of any kind on a cold winter’s day.