If there’s a typical path to becoming the master distiller at Bombay Sapphire, Anne Brock didn’t take it. Besides some bartending experience, her road took her through studying medicine and getting a doctorate in organic chemistry on the way to England to lead production of one of the world’s most popular gins.
In this episode, Brock covers a range of topics with host Molly Troupe, from her scientific approach to botanicals and fixatives to consistency of product and the global future of gin. Along the way, she discusses:
- being ready to deal with short-term crises (such as finding unexploded WWII ordinance in the distillery)
- the challenges that small distilleries face and the need for adaptability
- her experience with the single and multi-shot distillation methods for gin
- the debate over fixatives in gin—such as orris and angelica—and testing their effectiveness
- sourcing and certifying sustainable botanicals for a global brand
- the challenges of maintaining consistency despite botanicals that inevitably vary by season and growing region
- the value of her close collaboration with Alessandro Garneri, Bombay Sapphire’s master botanist
- the importance of bridge ingredients and experimenting with new botanicals, such as fresh turmeric
- the current trend toward classic, juniper-forward gins
- the demand for gin in emerging markets—such as India and China—and, in turn, the flavors that those regions can contribute
And more.
G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.