Focus on:GIN & Vodka
During the first lockdown in 2020 I started flavouring gins for my Front Line friends to help them through the tough week and let them know they were appreciated. I played around with some flavours and the ingredients I had in season. My little bottles were dropped off locally and popped in the post to my friends and family further afield. I had lots of lovely feedback, and a little idea to cheer people up grew.
In September 2020, I started making enquiries into selling Gin, researching bottles and licenses. I took the personal license course and applied for my DBS check and personal license. My personal license was granted in October 2020 in time to launch my Gins at November's Burwell Farmers Market. My off-license, to enable me to sell through my website, was granted in December 2020.
With the exception of my Parma Violet Gin all my Spirits are flavoured using the natural ingredients I use in my Jams and Marmalades. Whilst I will have a core stock of Gins and Vodkas, I also use the seasonal fruit and veg that is available to us through the year. The selection will expand and contract as we move through the seasons. My Strawberry & Black Pepper and Gooseberry & Elderflower Gins have both proved extremely popular. The Christmas and Christmas Pudding Gins are always a hit in the festive season and my Breakfast Gin is usually the one to spark the most comments at an event. Just remember, it is a name, not an instruction!
As not everyone likes Gin, I have a small range of flavoured Vodkas including: Vanilla, Cranberry, Raspberry, Toffee (in the cold months), Bloody Mary Vodka (just add to Tomato Juice). For the more seasonal Vodkas I have Spiced Pumpkin and Blushing Russian.
I am enjoying getting to play with flavours. The preserves tend to stay pretty similar as the seasons progress, so it is nice to dabble with something different.