Greensand Ridge London Dry Gin
Greensand Ridge, a craft-distillery near Shipbourne, in the Weald of Kent, has achieved one of its original green goals by becoming carbon neutral, the first UK distillery to do so.
The Kent-based distillery was launched in 2015 with the aim of being ultra-low impact on the environment while also having a positive impact by using surplus produce from local farmers, such as plums and apples, which the supermarkets won’t take.
“Our carbon neutral certification is the culmination of a great deal of work over the last year” says Greensand Ridge founder and distiller, Will Edge. “It doesn’t change our spirits but it’s a statement of what is important to us as a new and growing business.”
The assessment makes up part of the distillery’s inaugural Sustainability Report which details all the work that is done at Greensand Ridge to minimise the environmental footprint through schemes such as renewable power, heat recovery systems, removing plastics and being chemical free.
Will’s approach to use surplus produce or byproducts directs the spirits he brings to market. “We work with local farmers to mitigate their waste and so make a lot of fruit spirits like our Apple Brandy and Raspberry Ghost”, he says, “even our Wealden Rum is made from a locally sourced byproduct.”
Now in its fourth year, Greensand Ridge took some time to achieve carbon neutrality. “The regulations demand a significant ongoing investment in time and resources and we needed to be well established before we undertook the work. Hopefully, that work can be a template for other businesses in the industry”.
Greensand Ridge’s 2019 Sustainability report is available online at www.greensanddistillery.com, and spirits can be purchased directly, from fine food outlets or by the trade directly from the distillery or through distributors.
Sample box spirits
The multi-award-winning London Dry Gin is distilled from eight local botanicals, including gorse, rosehips, oak moss and bay that grow within a mile of the distillery in the fields, woods and orchards beneath the Greensand Ridge in Kent. These are married with seven classic botanicals to create an exceptionally smooth and delicately balanced premium gin. (70cl, £35.50)
Raspberry Ghost is a delicious Eau de Vie that captures the aroma of late Summer Kentish raspberries. The berries are infused in 100% wheat spirit before distillation. The spirit is called Ghost in homage to the German name for this technique, Geist. Drunk as a gin with tonic, the delicate raspberry flavour is present from start to finish. (70cl, £36.50)
Wealden Rum is a delicate and smooth rum with a floral nose, giving way to subtle honeycomb and roast cobnuts on the palate. A long finish with raisin and oak with a sweet, full taste. (50cl, £36)
Our cask-aged Apple Brandy is a delicately perfumed spirit made from quality surplus apples, every Autumn, from fruit growers in the Weald of Kent and Sussex. The sweet juice from dessert apples, such as Gala and Golden Delicious, is fermented long and slow to develop complex vanilla and caramel flavours before being distilled. The true whisky of the Weald. (50cl, £38)
Rye Cask Gin is an unbelievably smooth and complex sipping gin, matured ten months in Rye Whiskey casks for a warm fruitiness and dry spiciness. A warming treat on a chilly evening and perfect as a base for a Negroni or Old Fashioned. (50cl, £38.90)
Our PX Cask Gin is a rare and unique expression of what a cask-aged gin can be. Greensand’s London Dry Gin is aged in Pedro-Ximenez casks for ten months creating a spirit infused with layers of raisin, molasses and Christmas spice, lifted by bright orange citrus. (50cl, £39.90)
About Greensand Ridge Distillery
Greensand Ridge Distillery launched in July 2015 with the mission to reduce food waste at the farm gate by fermenting and distilling quality fruit that supermarkets won’t take and combining these with local botanicals such as cobnuts, gorse and bay to make a range of unique spirits.
Powered by 100% renewable electricity and with a zero target for chemical use and non-recyclable waste, Greensand Ridge Distillery is a truly sustainable business.
Gin lovers can visit the distillery, set in a beautiful location overlooking the Weald of Kent, just outside the village of Shipbourne, as part of a Gin Experience, where visitors can create their own full bottle of gin to take away with them.
The business is run Will Edge who worked in IT, marketing and finance before he undertook a Masters’ Degree in Brewing & Distilling in order to return home to Kent and set about turning his love of spirits and craft cider-making into a livelihood.
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For more information please contact:
Hannah Blake (hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk / 07730 039361)
Notes to editors:
2019 Sustainability Report: https://bit.ly/2HiqBpk
Hi-Res images for download & reuse: http://bit.ly/2H8Oqkn
Image Gallery: http://www.greensanddistillery.com/photos/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreensandRidge/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greensand_ridge/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gsrdistillery