Miami welcomes new gin and whisky distillery Granddad Jack’s
When David Ridden turned 15 years old, his grandfather took him down to the back shed of his Christchurch home and gave him his very first nip of whisky. It was a longstanding family tradition. Then, when David’s son Luke turned 15, Granddad Jack did the same thing again for his great grandson. This Friday August 24, David and Luke will officially open the doors to the Gold Coast’s first craft-gin and whisky distillery and taproom, Granddad Jack’s – an ode to the man who ignited their passion for spirits all those years ago.
The details
The father-and-son duo first took over the old surfboard store on Lemana Lane in Miami back in January. Creating a distillery is no small feat, but take one step inside and you’ll quickly appreciate why it has taken eight months to bring the venue to life. Recycled materials, aged timber, rusty steel beams and an impressive cement-topped bar have come together to create a truly unique sipping space, while the giant hand-painted portrait of Granddad Jack himself, black-and-white family photos, and vintage trinkets dotted throughout give the taproom a good dose of personality. Armed with a mighty distiller on site, Granddad Jack’s will produce a range of craft gins to start, with whiskies to follow in late 2019. Those keen to try the boutique spirits can do so in the taproom, which will be open day and night from Wednesday through to Sunday.
The gin and whisky
So for now, the Granddad Jack’s taproom will be serving only gin. Not into gin? Well, consider this a gentle nudge to get acquainted. Whisky drinkers need not fret – the first batch is already in the works. David and Luke have collaborated with Miami’s Lost Palms brewery to create the ‘wash’, which forms the base of the whisky, and expect to start bottling it by late 2019. While you’re waiting for that, you can experience Granddad Jack’s three flagship gins, which are based on an age-old family recipe. There’s the juniper-heavy Two Pencils (akin to a London dry gin), the easy-to-drink citrus-style Greenhouse (a good place to start for non-gin drinkers) and the 65 Miles gin – a Navy-strength drop that will surely put some hairs on your chest. The gins will form the base of a selection of cocktails, from humble gin and tonics for the purists, through to favourites like negronis, Tom Collins’ and southsides – all designed to make the flavours and quality of each batch shine bright. The taproom will also be selling its small-batch gin in 200 and 500-ml bottles to the public.
The rest
While the opening of the taproom has been a long time coming, it’s still only early days for Granddad Jack’s. When the whisky element comes in to play, David and Luke will be offering customised whiskies to the public. As in, they’ll source your preferred barrel and store and age your whisky for you – and you can drop in from time to time and taste from your own custom barrel to see how it’s coming along. Impressive. Oh, and the Granddad Jack’s taproom is also BYO food – cheese board and negroni, anyone?
Granddad Jack’s opens to the public on Friday August 24 at 6:00 pm.
Head to our Stumble Guide for opening hours, location and contact details.
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