After my recent visit to Brighton Gin Distillery, it became clear that the brand’s philosophy is based on sustainability. They are doing their best to be environmentally conscious where possible. It doesn’t really come as a surprise considering Brighton has consistently voted Green. As Kathy once said:
“We want to try and be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.”
So how does this show in their daily routines and production…
Production
The distillery uses fairly traded products and sources locally when possible. For example, the coriander used in the Brighton Gin recipe is grown at Ringmer in Sussex, just up the road from Brighton. In fact, they are the first commercial coriander growers in the UK in over 200 years. Other botanicals include juniper, fresh orange and lime peel, angelica root and milk thistle, which is native to the South Downs (and which improves liver function, hence I take my daily dosage in tablets…).
There are plans to create soaps using the leftover botanicals from the distillation, but these are still in the development phase. Meanwhile, all the waste is composted at home by one of the employees.
Brighton Gin is distilled in small batches; the still capacity is only 10 litres. To avoid wasting water, the still has a modified cooling system which recycles the water. This helps to save up to three litres per minute from going down the drain. A renewable energy provider is used to keep the stills running and the lights on at the distillery, or the gin cave as they call it.
Don’t you just love Brighton Gin bottles? Those unique bottles are made in England from 40% recycled glass, and labelling is done by hand at the distillery. After the gin has been bottled, labelled and sealed with wax, the bottles are ready for delivery. The cardboard that comes into the distillery is reused for various purposes, from box dividers to shipping boxes.
Did you know Brighton Gin is certified vegan by the Vegan Society? This means the wax and the glue on the labels is also vegan.
Looking after the community
Brighton Gin local deliveries are done by bicycle when possible (you should see their thunder thighs!!) to keep their carbon footprint down. The distillery has five branded bikes which can often be seen across the city during deliveries or when the staff are simply cycling to and from work (Brighton is quite hilly, so the hardest deliveries are good exercise …). These bikes are British postal bikes, handmade in the UK and restored by Elephant Bike, who donate one bike for every bike bought to a microfinance project in Malawi.
This takes us to another beautiful thing Brighton Gin does. They are always giving something back by taking part in community events, such as beach cleans, and by supporting several local charities in many ways. For example, each year they donate a proportion of proceeds from their unique Brighton Pride bottles.
Overall
Brighton Gin as a brand is very Brighton. Everything from the colour of the wax (Brighton beach railings) to the fun and playful staff to looking after the vegans! Their marketing and branding are excellent and very much on point. Whether it’s looking after the environment or helping out a LBTQ+ charity, Brighton Gin is happy to do their best to contribute.
Be sure to try Brighton Gin and their Seaside Strength, both great for neat sipping or served with premium tonic and an orange wedge or in various cocktails (you can find some ideas from my Instagram feed). To book a distillery tour, head over to the Brighton Gin website. The dates are limited, but new dates will be released regularly.
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Brighton Gin, but they did give us a free tour over a G&T recently.
