Tour The London Distillery Where Beefeater Has Made Gin Since 1958
Beefeater founder James Burrough started distilling in 1863, having bought an operation that had been in place since 1820. Beefeater has been at this location since 1958.
This is Henry, he's the first thing you see when you walk into the distillery.
The lobby is full of awards and bottles from Beefeater's past.
And of course, the brand's best ads from then and now.
Everything is Union Jacks and red, white and blue.
Beefeater even put together a cozy bar on the 2nd floor.
This fall the bar (for private events) and a new visitors center will be open to the public.
This is the head distiller's office, where James Burrough's portrait still hangs on the wall.
It too is filled with old bottles of everything from gin to bitters and spices.
This is Desmond Payne, Beefeater's current head distiller. He's holding a copy of 'Gin Lane', the iconic drawing depicting the evils of the gin craze in 1751.
A closer look.
Now on to the process. In its simplest form Gin is water, alcohol and flavors.
Gin purists will tell you that the most predominant flavor must be juniper. These are bags of juniper berries Beefeater buys from Tuscany.
After juniper, distillers have a license to do what they wish. Beefeater is made of 8 other botanicals including lemons and Seville oranges, whole juniper berries, angelica and coriander seed, ground almonds and more. Payne oversees their selection.
The spices must be weighed, and at Beefeater, that's still done on an old fashioned scale.
Then, and this is a difference that separates Beefeater from other brands, the botanicals are seeped with alcohol in stills for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the botanicals are redistilled in the alcohol.
After 24 hours, the botanicals are redistilled in the alcohol.
Naturally, the stills are massive.
After distillation the gin is sent out of London to be bottled and then poured into your favorite tonic.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement