No one makes the same Gin twice at Brisbane’s only Gin School.

Nestled amongst the Brisbane River and adjacent to the verdant Davies Park, lays a newly expanded Gin School at Brisbane Distillery Company. As Brisbane’s first grain to glass artisan distillery, you can learn first-hand how to curate your very own unique gin blend, watching the process unfold in front of your eyes.

Ignite all the palates of your tongue with a choice of 150 different botanicals covering the woody flavours of macadamia and toasted wattleseed, to spiced cinnamon, or chili. If you would prefer a soft or sweet touch then delve into the florals of rooibos, raspberry leaf, or strawberry eucalyptus. You might even be inspired to throw some fresh fruits or ginger in the mix, and a squeeze of honey or maple syrup, too.

Gin tutors, Jen and Leah, will make you into a gin aficionado as they take you on a two-hour journey from illustrating Gin’s 13th century history to guiding you step-by-step to formulate your own gin concoction. Known as Gin Jen, she says “let your gin say something about you.”

Your inner geek will be embraced as you pour various liquids into glass beakers and calculate volumes of water and distillate for your batch. You’ll certainly feel like a scientist distilling your chosen flavours into your copper alembic still that steams away over a temperature-controlled hotplate.

Head of Events and Brand communications, Lara Harris, says the Distillery also values sustainability and are always looking for ways to work symbiotically with nature and reduce their environmental impact. “The moral compass of the company is very strong and the Distillery’s founder, John Atherton, is focused on creating no waste.”

The site is powered by 30 kilowatts of solar systems, making them a net producer of power. They buy their produce as natural and local as possible and also discard the residue of the distillation in the compost bins across the road at Jane Street Community Garden. The Distillery offers a bottle refill service by sterilising and refilling your bottle, with the first refill free!

By focusing on education, sustainability and fun, this Gin School will make those creative juices flow and change your whole perception of the gin world while you’re at it.

After the class, you can celebrate your signature gin bottle at the 23m long, elegantly outfitted bar that offers tastings and cocktails of their ever-changing assortment of gins.

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