Woodside: Ryebeck helps new distillery create its first gin!
COVID has changed so many lives, but for some, it has also provided new opportunities. Forest of Dean-based couple Jason Morgan and Jessica Howells launched Woodside Distillery just in time for Christmas. With their brand new gin selling quickly, they are optimistic that 2021 will be a year to remember for all the right reasons.
From cars to distilling gin
Jason has spent much of his career in the motor trade and, as a hobby, competing in local and national rally events. However, expectations of a top five finish in rallying competitions had begun to ebb away at the enjoyment of the sport. With lockdown in effect, Jason spent more hours in his workshops, building or repairing engines and other car/motorbike parts. This was also a time to reflect on other life plans and that was when the idea of distilling gin took hold.
New challenge
“I was sat at home bored“, describes Jason, “and wanted something to do. I remember sitting outside at home one afternoon. It was boiling hot. I was scrolling through the internet and came across a Chase Distillery advert. I saw a picture of a still and thought ‘how does that work?’ and so one thing led to another. I started looking into all the different sizes and shapes of stills and tried to understand how they worked. Then I looked at the reflux capabilities of stills and what would be needed to do one sort of distilling to others.”
With his background knowledge of engineering principles, Jason found the basic science of distilling relatively straightforward to understand. Putting this into practice would be a new challenge, but where to start?
Buying and adapting a still
Having a tight budget, Jason bought an entry-level 65L copper pot still, made for open-fire heating. He then set about adapting it. First he imported parts for a stainless steel column from the US, which he pieced together. Then he designed and built an electrical PID controller to convert the still to electrical heating. “I had a lot of help“, he remembers. “We had to weld stainless steel to a copper lid, which was no easy task!” He also built a cooling system, using a motorbike radiator and cooling fans.
Improving the gin distillation
By the end of July 2020, Jason had constructed his still, but with no previous experience, ran into a few problems. “I wanted a still that we could run off a pressure release to help the botanicals. The still head comes up to a close and the vapours come out of the top of the still. I went from a two-inch to a four-inch column at that point for flash condensation. That’s how I was forcing my botanicals to mix. However, I couldn’t quite work out how to proceed to get licensing and paperwork and how I’d even begin looking at flavourings. At this point, I had tried to run the still with hot water, putting tap water at base. Yet, I wasn’t getting the temperature readings and the results I was hoping for.”
At this point, he realised he needed advice and expertise from within the industry. However, this wasn’t a simple task either, especially as he wasn’t looking to buy any further equipment.
Finding Ryebeck
Jason recalls the difficulties he experienced when trying to find help. “I rang absolutely everyone I could find on internet. For a new person in business, it was quite disheartening. No-one wants to talk to you! They all see you as a competitor. Unless you have the money in the bank to buy what they’re selling, they don’t want to know.”
Eventually, he found Ryebeck and spoke to Managing Director, Tim Prime. Jason explained that he wasn’t interested in buying a still. He just wanted to know why the Ryebeck ones work and his didn’t.
Helpful service from Ryebeck
Unlike everyone else he had called, Tim was happy to spend time answering his questions. “He stayed on the phone with me for an hour. We talked through everything. He gave me advice on moving my temperature probes and how to reconfigure my controller that would give my still a more balanced control.”
However, Tim didn’t just help with technical queries. He also provided assistance with gin recipes, as Jason confirms. “Tim looked over some of my recipes. He asked questions and passed on to Craig Law, Ryebeck’s Master Distiller, for advice on how to tweak them. I wouldn’t have been able to create my product, nor have the equipment in its current state, without his help! He basically got us to the finish line. We had everything roughly in place, but we had questions we couldn’t answer ”
Ryebeck’s long-term attitude
Jason is particularly full of praise for Tim Prime’s attitude. “His attitude and enthusiasm towards start-up ventures and craftsmen are phenomenal. He is so pro-active and there’s never a dull word said. I can’t thank him enough really. Tim has a very unique outlook on life. He’s not just focusing on the money there and then. He said to me: ‘I may not be able to sell you any equipment now for where you’re at and what you want to do. However, when you make a success of this, I can guarantee for the help I give you, you’ll come back and buy your bigger still from us!’ He is absolutely right! If I can make this pay and if I need a still that’s bigger than 65L, then I ‘ll be knocking on his door!”
Local gin-spiration from the Forest of Dean
Because of Ryebeck’s advice and support, Jason is producing a unique gin, inspired by the local area. “The ancient Royal Forest of Dean has a big tourism heritage, but there isn’t a single distillery in our entire district! I wasn’t just looking at the product. I was looking at what I could bring to the area from a tourism point of view. So, I sold the business idea to our local council as eventually a tourist attraction when we can open with gin tastings and gin classes. We tailored our whole design around the local area.”
As a result, the bottle label design incorporates oak leaves, foxgloves and ferns. The year 2020 is inscribed at the bottom of the bottle, a reminder of the sheer achievement of setting up a business in such a difficult year. As a small craft business, they currently measure, fill and label every bottle by hand.
Woodside Gin’s unique botanicals
The real USP of Woodside Gin is the unique mix of botanicals from the local area. This is a principle that lies at the heart of their business approach. “We’re using things like mugwort, violet and dandelion root, but our key ingredient is hawthorn berries. It gives the gin a uniquely sweet aftertaste. Gin is predominantly a dry drink, but it can leave a dry, earthy or sour taste at the back of throat which can be unpleasant. I didn’t want something that was going to be overly sweet or bitter.”
Hawthorn berries used in the botanical mix for Woodside Gin
Woodside supports the local community
Production of this gin is also helping local businesses. Unlike other gins, Woodside’s is supplied in a gift box, with all packaging sourced locally. They sell online through their website and at Forest Deli in Coleford. Bottles cost £38 for 70cl and £5 for 5cl.
Woodside’s future plans
When lockdown is over and, subject to social distancing requirements, they plan to open up the distillery for gin tastings and make-your-own-gin classes. They also have other products in the pipeline, including vodka.
Continuing the relationship with Ryebeck
Jason is still in contact with Tim Prime. He’s 100% sure that Ryebeck would be his first port of call for any new distilling equipment in the future. “As far as dealing with Ryebeck as a company, I can’t fault them. There are no hidden agendas. They will support and help you. I know already that I would get the aftercare. If something isn’t right, I know that Tim would go above and beyond to put it right or find a solution. That’s the confidence he’s instilled in me and I haven’t spent any money with him yet … but I know I will one day!”
If you want to discuss future distillation projects, then Ryebeck can help. You can call the team on +44 (0) 800 689 3216 or contact them via their online form.
Author: Robin Goldsmith of The Write Taste.
