Indie Spirits Tasting Brisbane is back for its second year at Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall on Sunday May 28 from 12.30 till 4pm. The event, which is also staged in both Sydney and Perth, is all about great spirits and good times.
Tickets are just $55 (plus booking fee) online and include access to over 30 exhibitors showcasing more than 120 craft spirits, with master distillers on hand to chat and free seminars diving deep into the world of indie spirits. Click here to get your tickets now.
If you like supporting small brands and uncovering little known gems then the Indie Spirits Tasting is tailor-made for you. Rogue Society Gin, a newbie out of New Zealand, has signed on to showcase their artisan gins a the event. We asked co-founder Mark Neal some questions about his brand.
Give me a little bit of background on your brands and what prompted you to start them.
Story: Two guys from New Zealand who didn’t know each other until one married the others sister and then they did. A year sitting in bars and lounges discussing how they always wanted to make their own gin. This is how two brothers-in-law and a part time musician got in to a lot of debt and created a gin that won gold in London & San Francisco.
Tell us a little bit about your distillery and your distilling process.
Contract distilled. Start with wheat based neutral grain spirit, distilled in a 19th century John Dore copper pot whiskey still. Botanicals macerated. Water is glacial water, takes around 80 years to naturally filtrate from the Southern Alps of NZ to our natural aquifer. The water in this region is some of the most pure water in the world
The spirits industry has changed a lot in the last 5 years, making way for events like the Indie Spirits Tasting. Why do you think this is?
Macro trends of craft, moderation (quality not quantity), premiumisation (consumers looking for quality and will to pay more), localisation (consumers interested in local product/ingredients), rise of cocktail culture.
Where do you see the craft spirits industry heading in the next ten years?
Continuing to grow at a healthy rate, whilst a category will grow, so will the competition, important to stay true to the ethos of quality of product, but also look new/interesting ways grow within the industry.
What are some of your favourite craft spirit brands (other than your own) and what do you like about them?
All Australian craft spirits. The Australian craft spirits scene is very vibrant, innovative, and the people behind the brands are all great people. It is very exciting time for craft spirits and it is fantastic to be apart of. Crowded House were from Australasian weren’t they?
What products do you have in your portfolio?
– Rogue Society Classic. 42.2%. 12 botanical, classical citrus, super smooth.
– Rogue Society Gold. 57%. 13 botanicals, inclusion of tangerine gives it three layers of citrus.
Who will be on hand to discuss the brands at the event?
Mark Neal | Co- Founder, Rogue Society Distilling Co.
So make sure you head to Lefty’s on Sunday 28 May and have a chat with the Mark about his Rogue Society Gin. Click here to get your tickets now.
To keep updated with all the distilleries, spirits, and seminars at the Indie Spirits Tasting events happening around the country, make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and keep an eye on indiespiritstasting.com.au.