Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop has become a bucket list destination for foodies with the South Australian icon synonymous with high-quality food and Barossa Valley produce.
Along with the eatery, the stunning Barossa property offers a unique experience whereby guests can shack up in the original farmhouse, The Orchard. The property is of high sentimental value to the Beer family and allows guests to surround themselves with the slower-paced lifestyle that the area promotes.
But for those visiting just for the day, there are a number of experiences available to elevate the experience including participating in group cooking classes and gin mixing. There’s even flower arranging WITH gin mixing. Spiked your interest? We thought it might. There are a number of gin-related classes to choose from that tie in perfectly with the release of their very own gin range.
As a side project to the Farm Shop, the team joined forces with Adelaide based gin makers, Blend Etiquette Craft Distillery, to create a range of spirits that hold a special place in all of their hearts.
The range features three gins and one vodka with each boasting a different flavour profile to represent the unique personalities of the Beer family members.
Maggie, her daughter Elli and Head Chef Tim Bourke worked closely with Geordan and Lindon from Blend Etiquette to develop the recipes, ensuring the flavours matched all of their quirks and characteristics.
For this reason, each spirit has its own story to tell.
The first of which belongs to the culinary queen herself. A dry gin, The Grande Dame is an ode to Maggie’s love of martinis. It’s strong on the juniper paired with rosemary and dried pears and finished with lemon myrtle.
The Farmer is for Colin Beer. Maggie’s husband of over 50 years and the reason for their settling in South Australia. The pair moved to the Barossa so Colin could fulfil his dreams of being a pheasant farmer. A gin as dry as his wit, The Farmer is made with saltbush, fresh pepper and hints of orange with Maggie describing the spirit as “my farmer in a bottle.”
The third and final gin of the range belongs to the youngest of the Beer family, Elli. A quince and sloe berry flavour fused with lemon thyme, it’s aptly named The Good Mother and reflects the roles women play, particularly as mothers as Elli is. The soft pink hues serve as a reminder of the contrasting sides in each of us.
The fourth and final spirit in the range isn’t a gin. It’s vodka. Maggie’s late daughter, Saskia, was many things. A passionate cook and a mother, but gin drinker she was not. And so, The Rembrandts Wife was created in her loving honour. A grape spirit vodka combining her favourite flavours – basil, lemon and fresh pepper.
“We nailed the recipe on the first go and she would have absolutely loved that,” says Elli.
The key ingredients used across the range to define the different profiles are sourced from The Farm and from the family’s orchard across the river.
The gin range is available to purchase from the Farm Shop Cellar Door, the online store and is also featured in the Hamper Emporium’s gift hampers.
A trip to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is a memorable experience and one that every food lover must do at least once.
For more information on the Farm Shop experiences or to make a booking, visit the website.
Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is located at 50 Pheasant Farm Road,Nuriootpa, Barossa 5355
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