They’ve come to the rescue Gold Coasters.
They’ve come to the rescue Gold Coasters.
In one of the biggest glow ups of 2020, hand sanitizer has fast become a hot commodity with approximately zero bottles available in local supermarkets. You know where there are bottles available though? Distilleries. Who would’ve thought our beloved local distributors would come through for us even more than usual?
They have though, with several switching things up to create their very own brand of hand sanitizer to alleviate the stress of mass unavailability world (and indeed Gold Coast) wide.
A big pat on the back to these local brands who have come up with the goods in terms of keeping our hands fresh and clean.
Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery
The gin and whisky distillery were already serving up the goods when it came to delicious alcoholic beverages and now they’re keeping us free of germs too. The team began creating their own liquid hand and surface sanitizer just this week and they sold out quick smart, such is the demand. They’re releasing the 1L goods online every day at 12pm, as they only have limited numbers, but you can also join the online waiting list. They’re making up to one litre of beautifully scented Lemon Myrtle, Grapefruit & Rose Hip bottles and you know you want that! Get in quick here. May as well add a bottle of delicious gin too…
Tamborine Mountain Distillery
The beloved distillers found up on Tamborine Mountain have also come to the rescue with their new liquid hand sanitizer, with scents of Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Lavender Essential Oils and ranging from 100ml to 700ml bottles. The bottles are the same as those that their liqueuers are presented in so once you’ve used up all your sanitizer, you can keep the bottle for a lovely little house decoration. Pre-order is open now and you’re also able to pickup from the distillery. Grab yourself some here.
Husk Distillery
Down south a little further, Husk Distillery is doing their part to fill in the gap in the hand sanitizer market with their very own brand of the liquid gold in a lemon myrtle scent. Beautifully branded, the new product is available in a square gin bottle, also perfect for displays once you’re all done with it. The team at Husk have an online ordering system available for delivery and a drive thru pick up service too. You get 200ml for $10 and it’s a limit of three bottles per person for obvious reasons. Pick yours up here.
Wildflower Gin Distilling
A newbie that hasn’t even had the chance to release their new goodness to the public thanks to the virus which we shall not name, have instead launched with hand sanitizer and we are all very grateful for it. Wildflower Gin Distilling are adding their own Wildflower botanicals and the distillers own backyard honey to the mix, making it a little bit more magical than you might expect. Available from April 14th, you can support them here.
See, there is some good in the world.
Words by Kirra Smith
In what may just be the happiest news of 2018, a gin and whiskey distillery will roll open its doors in a few short weeks and we could not be more into it.
Granddad Jacks Distillery has been in the works for what feels like four years to those of us who love both gin and whiskey a little too much. In reality it’s only been four months but the wait is almost over.
On August 24th, the industrial-style Miami distillery will open for the good folks of the Gold Coast and, it’s certainly a cause to celebrate. Found on Lemana Lane, the distillery has taken up in what used to be a mechanics workshop and the transformation is pure magic.
Father/son team and owners Dave and Luke Ridden (along with the lovely Jess) scoured the Gold Coast in search of iron beams and the like to build a space that fits perfectly in Miami’s backstreets. Steel-inspired high tables with copper stools stretch down the centre of the room and two of the coolest leather couches we’ve ever seen make for a little chill spot at one end (if they go missing forget you read this). A day bed along one wall is lined with colourful cushions and underneath a mural proclaiming ‘too busy for bullshit, too tipsy to care’ and that, friends, is our new life motto.
Above the bar, an exposed brick wall boasts a painted portrait of the man himself, Granddad Jack, whose face peers out over the whole space, keeping an eye on you and your whiskey-fuelled shenanigans. There are wine barrels placed artfully about and the cruisiest of cruisers, decked out in Granddad Jack’s signage, is parked up the back. Oh and the main affair, a huge copper still sits at the back pumping out all the tasty booze. Love you.
So who is this Granddad Jack your new favourite watering hole is named after? Well, he’s a New Zealand born lad whose hard work and sharp mind allowed him to pay a huge family debt singlehandedly at the ripe old age of 14, that’s who. Luke, his great grandson, adopted the same hard working, ‘too busy for bullshit’ attitude and here we are, just a humble beachside city with our very own distillery. What a time.
Granddad Jack’s will sell only their own styles of both gin and whiskey and they’ll have a few varieties of each including what they call a ‘navy strength’ gin that’s 58%. Gimme.
There’ll be no food available on site but, hooray, you can BYO whatever you like so it’ll be a cheese platter and gin party for us thank you very much.
The epic space is also available for events including birthdays, engagement parties and wedding receptions and there was even a secret Sofar Sounds gig there recently. So much room for activities.
Okay we’re done and so very excited. Keep August 24th free, you won’t want to miss this one.
LOCATION: 43 Lemana Lane, Miami
HOURS: 10am until midnight Wednesday to Sunday
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
More and more these days we, the people, love knowing everything there is to know about local businesses. How they were created, how they operate, what goes into creating something that works.
Luckily for us, there are many an incredible local business popping up both on the Gold Coast and within the local surrounds that have interesting stories to tell, the latest of which is Husk Distillers.
Creators of Ink Gin (you know the magical purple elixir that changes colour), Husk Virgin Cane Rum and Spiced Bam Bam (spiced rum, love you), Husk Distillers was born in Tumbulgum, tiny little northern NSW town now home to a quite big, much-loved local brand.
Now, the impressive paddock to bottle brand have announced the opening of Husk Farm Distillery and it’s set to be an absolute must-visit destination.
Set on the Messenger family’s farmland with the stunning Wollumbin (Mt Warning) as the backdrop, the cellar door, bar and café will be open to the public in mid-June and, as you’d expect, there will be many a tasty treat.
The cocktail and café menus will showcase local produce, along with Blackboard coffee, gin and rum infused chocolates, local cheese/charcuterie boards and tasting paddles made from old barrel staves.
So all of the very best things. Plus of course, you can take home a bottle of Ink Gin or three for the cabinet slash that nights’ drinking shenanigans.
In case you haven’t heard the story; Husk is the baby of the aforementioned Messenger family, inspired by their love of all things rum and the culture of Caribbean, the family began their adventure in 2012, creating a plantation distiller on their cattle and cane farm.
Production began with their first paddock to bottle agricole rum, made with their homegrown sugar cane and capturing the flavours of the region.
The cane harvest is restricted to August – November and the months off over summer made way for the development of the ever-popular Ink Gin. Meanwhile, Husk Virgin Cane Rum and spiced rum, Spiced Bam Bam, quietly matured on oak in the background.
Ink Gin hit the market with a bang, with lucky sippers getting on board with the smooth Australian taste and quirky colour change of the butterfly pea (from blue to purple) when you add tonic. So great.
And now, after much hard work from the Messenger’s and much gin sampling from us, Husk Farm Distillery is set to be our new favourite destination drinking hole.
Bring on mid-June for bulk roadtrips down south.
LOCATION: Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum
They say strength is born from adversity and that is certainly the case for the Sowter family, Mt Tamborine locals who lost their family home, restaurant and gallery in a devastating fire on New Years Eve of 2016.
The Polish Place was one of Tambo, and indeed the Gold Coast and surrounding areas’, most-loved restaurants due to their exceptional Polish menu, stunning hinterland views and everyone’s-part-of-the-family hospitality.
The restaurant and adjoining accommodation were built from scratch (and with a whole lot of love) by Phil and Ania Sowter in the early 1980’s and although the loss was obviously a devastating one, we bring you extremely good news.
The Polish Place is in the final stages of building and the brand new restaurant is set to open this week and we could not be more excited for the Sowter family and ourselves (and you), who now get to eat all of the Polish food, all of the time once again.
Before we get to the menu though, let’s chat scenery and as you’d know, having no doubt visited Mt Tamborine on many occasions, there are very few places that don’t offer breathtaking views and The Polish Place is no exception.
Overlooking the Scenic Rim (mountains as far as the eye can see) and with an outdoor area that’s home to countless colourful Rosella’s and filled with homegrown greenery, it’s one of the most relaxing spots we’ve ever encountered and you’ll probably have a hard time leaving to be honest.
Now let’s talk Polish feasts and the very best advice we can give you is to arrive hungry and prepare yourself for some absolutely incredible flavours.
Ania has brought the most delicious homemade recipes from her native Poland and perfected them over the last 35(ish) years. The flavours are traditional, fresh and comforting and everything is made onsite.
The most popular dish, and the one The Polish Place has become famous for, is the Roast Duck for two with cherries. Those simple words don’t even begin to describe the love and life-changing flavours that make up this dish but you can expect soft, twice-cooked duck with not only cherries but apples baked inside and resulting in a sweet, mouthwatering dish that you’ll likely never forget.
Not only that though, we absolutely adored the Bigos (sauerkraut), Polish sausage, Pork Hock and a tomato soup with egg noodles that was the best we’ve ever tried.
There’s an extensive range of Polish beers, vodkas and local and Australian wines to complement the menu and everything can be enjoyed in front of the fire (season permitting) or out on the deck with the wildlife.
It’s been over two years in the making but the time has finally come to welcome The Polish Place back into the fold and once those doors do swing open, you better get in quick. Not a day has passed that the venue hasn’t received a call requesting an opening date.
Do yourself a favour and pay The Polish Place a visit ASAP, it’s famous for very good reason folks.
LOCATION: 333 Main Western Road, Mt Tamborine
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
