Bowland Brewery moves into world of distilling with first gin

Bowland Brewery, based at Holmes Mill in Clitheroe, has launched its signature gin following an exclusive event held on Wednesday evening.

The brewery worked to handcraft the gin in the copper distillery at the back of the Spinning Block Bar, Bistrot and Grill.

Managing director, Warren Bennett, said: “The beer hall here at Holmes Mill runs because of the brewery and here in the Spinning Block, we follow the same concept.

“Having the distillery on display, we want people to come down, see the machine that the gin they are drinking is distilled in, the same way people can see the brewery when they have a beer.

The No1 Gin was launched at an event on Wednesday evening (July 27)

“We went into this as part of the diversification post-Covid. We were thinking about what we could do and a lot of our staff drink gin, so we decided to do that.”

The London Dry Gin is handcrafted using juniper, orange and chamomile botanicals in the brand new distillery the brewery invested in during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The distillery at Holmes Mill in the Spinning Block

They collaborated with Alcohol Solutions to create the gin who spoke with them about what Holmes Mill wanted from the product, and both the distillers and brewers are elated with how it has turned out.

One of the distillers from Alcohol Solutions, Dave Rigby said: “Ten years ago, it was Beefeater, it was Gordons but now, ten years on, people are more open to the fact that gin can be anything.

“The first thing we had to do was understand the brewery here and what they wanted from the gin.

“We spoke to them, and I think what we have made really is one of the best gins out there.

“It’s simple, it’s accessible, it’s not snotty, it’s just fabulous and unique.”