visiting a London distillery

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Fredistiller
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visiting a London distillery

Post by Fredistiller »

Hi everyone,

Next week I'll go for a 5 day trip to London with my beloved one. In the weekend we'll be dancing at the bachata festival. Bachata dancing is a common passion. But I would like to combine the trip with my other passion: distilling.

And so visiting a distillery is scheduled! but wich one? Beefeater "the big commercial one", or a smaller one like Sipsmith, bimber or Jensen's? Any advise?

Thanks!

And for people who wonder what on hearth is bachata:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hMA6j3-RFI
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bluefish_dist
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Re: visiting a London distillery

Post by bluefish_dist »

We visited London last fall and visited half hitch along with beefeater. We found that gin distillers have rectifiers licenses not manufacturing licenses and do not make any of the base spirits. This includes beefeater. Because of this you only get to see the stills.

I would visit half hitch at Camden locks again. Was a small place, Not the production facility, but set up to make your own gin. If I had the time I would have done that. They do let you take what you make home.

Beefeater is interesting for the still as they have some huge column stills that they used to use for stripping/preparing the spirits. The gin stills are decent sized pot stills. Overall you realize how few people it takes to run the distillery. I think they said they have 6 people who run it. They don't make the base spirit and they don't do bottling. Also a bit out of the way to get to.
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Fredistiller
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Re: visiting a London distillery

Post by Fredistiller »

Thanks for the reply! I contacted half hitch and will visit them, as well as beefeater because we rent an airbnb next to it....I am curious.
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Re: visiting a London distillery

Post by frost021 »

another place you may want to visit is portobello Gin hotel I have never been there but meet Jake here in Canada while at the spirited away festival and he has a wealth of info when it comes to Gin
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Mikey-moo
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Re: visiting a London distillery

Post by Mikey-moo »

https://www.58gin.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow might be worth a visit...
Best place to start for newbies - click here - Courtesy of Cranky :-)

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Fredistiller
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Re: visiting a London distillery

Post by Fredistiller »

Thanks everyone for the replies!

We visited Beefeater and Halfhitch. The first one is a big distillery of a big compagny, you can tell. You visit first a museum for about 25 min! So it is huge...and their product: mainstream. Half hitch is run by a a passionate guy, he have stars in his eyes when he talks about his still and product! So it is small...and his product: awsome. Conclusion: small is beautiful :D

( and visiting two distilleries was more than enough for my beloved one :ebiggrin: )
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