Ulverston gin-maker has recipe for success.
WATCHING his huge 6ft-plus figure tower over a table of ingredients, it is difficult to imagine how Andrew Arnold-Bennett would fit in the tiny shed at the back of his house, let alone run a business empire from it.
His head skims the ceiling of the diminutive outbuilding which has become his laboratory-cum-distillery-cum-factory and he can almost reach both sides, simply by outstretching his arms.
But thatââ¬â¢s sort of the point of Shed 1 Distillery Ltd, Ulverston. The philosophy behind the actorââ¬â¢s foray into the world of gin-making is small batch, big flavour.
And this thespian certainly has the recipe for success.
Since launching in October, this most homemade of brands has proved a huge hit with drinkers. It is now stocked in a string of hotels, restaurants, bars and shops in Cumbria. Bottles are flying off the virtual shelves of its website.
Lancashire-born Andrew, 50, said: ââ¬ÅI had no idea what to expect when we started, but it has been brilliant.ââ¬Â
Wife Zoe Arnold-Bennett had always been a fan of motherââ¬â¢s ruin, but Andrew was always more of a beer and whiskey man.
ââ¬ÅA few years ago I had a G and T for the first time in a long time and I just thought ââ¬Ëwow, this is quite nice thing to drinkââ¬â¢,ââ¬Â he said.
His newfound appreciation came at a time when Britain was beginning a "re-gin-eration". In recent years, the spirit has enjoyed a revival driven by premium brands made in the UK, capitalising on an increasing appetite for homegrown produce.
According to HM Revenue and Customs, there were only 116 distilleries in the UK in 2010, but about 100 have opened in the past two years alone. Industry experts predict that demand will outstrip that for Scottish whisky by 2020.
Today, the kitchen table of his home in Sunderland Terrace is scattered with Kilner jars filled with rose petals, cardamom and, of course, juniper berries - just a selection of the ingredients he packs into the brandââ¬â¢s three blends.
Andrew said: ââ¬ÅYou can spend months thinking about things and what might work. I knew we were stopping our festive one and I wanted to have something ready, we really had to think about the type of gin we were going for and make sure it complemented the other two.ââ¬Â
ââ¬ÅHe has an amazing nose for botanicals, weââ¬â¢ve not had one disaster,ââ¬Â added Zoe.
Friends have been used as makeshift focus groups, testing flavours and providing feedback.
Latest to roll off the production line is Fancy Frolic, a potent mix of three types of lime, ginger and strawberries which captures the spirit of summer in a sip.
You donââ¬â¢t even have to taste it to get the ingredients, a sniff is all it takes.
ââ¬ÅI always just recommend drinking it straight or with a clean tonic and garnish of choice,ââ¬Â said Andrew.
The process of gin-making involves buying base alcohol from a wholesaler, adding the exotic blends of herbs, fruits and spices, as well as key ingredient juniper. Hours are spent allowing the liquid to soak up the ingredients.
This forms a compound gin, resembling cider in colour, which is added to his 25-litre copper distiller. Itââ¬â¢s another five-plus hours distilling, requiring close watch, which spells long shifts in the shed.
When you consider that busy periods demand production 36 bottles a week, it is little wonder why Andrew has applied for a licence for a bigger, 40-litre distiller.
The couple have also had to take a unit at Ulverston Auction Mart in North Lonsdale Road, and expansion is on the cards.
Andrew said: ââ¬ÅWhen we started, we thought weââ¬â¢d see how it went for 12 or 18 months and see what happened, but due to demand weââ¬â¢re looking at moving somewhere within Ulverston to have everything in one place.ââ¬Â
But it is the shed where the magic happens, and Andrew insists it always will.
ââ¬ÅThe shed will always be headquarters for development,ââ¬Â he said.
WATCHING his huge 6ft-plus figure tower over a table of ingredients, it is difficult to imagine how Andrew Arnold-Bennett would fit in the tiny shed at the back of his house, let alone run a business empire from it.
His head skims the ceiling of the diminutive outbuilding which has become his laboratory-cum-distillery-cum-factory and he can almost reach both sides, simply by outstretching his arms.
But thatââ¬â¢s sort of the point of Shed 1 Distillery Ltd, Ulverston. The philosophy behind the actorââ¬â¢s foray into the world of gin-making is small batch, big flavour.
And this thespian certainly has the recipe for success.
Since launching in October, this most homemade of brands has proved a huge hit with drinkers. It is now stocked in a string of hotels, restaurants, bars and shops in Cumbria. Bottles are flying off the virtual shelves of its website.
Lancashire-born Andrew, 50, said: ââ¬ÅI had no idea what to expect when we started, but it has been brilliant.ââ¬Â
Wife Zoe Arnold-Bennett had always been a fan of motherââ¬â¢s ruin, but Andrew was always more of a beer and whiskey man.
ââ¬ÅA few years ago I had a G and T for the first time in a long time and I just thought ââ¬Ëwow, this is quite nice thing to drinkââ¬â¢,ââ¬Â he said.
His newfound appreciation came at a time when Britain was beginning a "re-gin-eration". In recent years, the spirit has enjoyed a revival driven by premium brands made in the UK, capitalising on an increasing appetite for homegrown produce.
According to HM Revenue and Customs, there were only 116 distilleries in the UK in 2010, but about 100 have opened in the past two years alone. Industry experts predict that demand will outstrip that for Scottish whisky by 2020.
Today, the kitchen table of his home in Sunderland Terrace is scattered with Kilner jars filled with rose petals, cardamom and, of course, juniper berries - just a selection of the ingredients he packs into the brandââ¬â¢s three blends.
Andrew said: ââ¬ÅYou can spend months thinking about things and what might work. I knew we were stopping our festive one and I wanted to have something ready, we really had to think about the type of gin we were going for and make sure it complemented the other two.ââ¬Â
ââ¬ÅHe has an amazing nose for botanicals, weââ¬â¢ve not had one disaster,ââ¬Â added Zoe.
Friends have been used as makeshift focus groups, testing flavours and providing feedback.
Latest to roll off the production line is Fancy Frolic, a potent mix of three types of lime, ginger and strawberries which captures the spirit of summer in a sip.
You donââ¬â¢t even have to taste it to get the ingredients, a sniff is all it takes.
ââ¬ÅI always just recommend drinking it straight or with a clean tonic and garnish of choice,ââ¬Â said Andrew.
The process of gin-making involves buying base alcohol from a wholesaler, adding the exotic blends of herbs, fruits and spices, as well as key ingredient juniper. Hours are spent allowing the liquid to soak up the ingredients.
This forms a compound gin, resembling cider in colour, which is added to his 25-litre copper distiller. Itââ¬â¢s another five-plus hours distilling, requiring close watch, which spells long shifts in the shed.
When you consider that busy periods demand production 36 bottles a week, it is little wonder why Andrew has applied for a licence for a bigger, 40-litre distiller.
The couple have also had to take a unit at Ulverston Auction Mart in North Lonsdale Road, and expansion is on the cards.
Andrew said: ââ¬ÅWhen we started, we thought weââ¬â¢d see how it went for 12 or 18 months and see what happened, but due to demand weââ¬â¢re looking at moving somewhere within Ulverston to have everything in one place.ââ¬Â
But it is the shed where the magic happens, and Andrew insists it always will.
ââ¬ÅThe shed will always be headquarters for development,ââ¬Â he said.
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