“Two guys walk into a bar,” could be the beginning of any number of sordid tales, lad’s jokes, television pilots or erotic novellas. Undoubtedly, it’s also the setting of countless world-conquering business ideas that never quite found their legs. In this instance however, it serves as the catalyst to continue a story that began way back in the 1700s, when almost everyone on the streets on London was drunk all the time.
This story is about gin, which has been causing no end of mischief since the Dutch first brought the clear juniper spirit to London during the reign of William III. At the time, the entire city mistook Gin as being like-for-like with beer and were downing pints of the stuff at once. Unfortunately, the population did not share the liver fortitude of Robert Downey Jr in the mid nineties and issues ensued.
But much like Robert Downey Jr, despite its notoriety gin’s popularity surged because it was here for a good time. During the 18th century, once people had figured out how to drink the stuff, ‘Gin Palaces’ become popular destinations all over the UK. But the spirit’s real defining moment came during US prohibition in 1920, when it became the bootleggers liquor of choice. Secretly produced bathtub gin was commonly available in “blind pig” speakeasies at the time as a result of its relatively simple production. This was key to galvanising the mythology of the liquor as the most iconic beverage of liberal revelry.
From the left, Adam Carpenter and Wes Heddles of Prohibition Liquor Co.
“The idea that prohibition was such a core time for gin, where underground, bootleg, clandestine producers were responsible for bringing people together was what resonated with us,” explains Adam Carpenter, who on December 1st 2015 armed himself with a case of Prohibition and alongside business partner Wes Heddles, walked into a bar in Adelaide.
“Into Hains & Co,” recalls Wes, “and saw The Admiral (owner) Marcus. We told him the story, he tasted the gin and all of a sudden we were the ‘Gin of the Month’ and he’d bought a box!”
Developed in collaboration with the expert know-how of Brendan Carter from Applewood Distillery in Gumeracha, Prohibition Gin’s primary goal was to be ridiculously drinkable. Without unnecessary wank or pretence, Wes details the process in earnest.
“The full list of botanicals aside, one of the big flavours for us was the wormwood, which is also used to create absinthe and hallucinogens when concentrated. That banned product played in nicely and balanced the flavour really well. Then we looked at pink peppercorns, which in pirate days was ‘black gold’ and a trading currency. Ruby red grape fruit and blood orange are references to blood spilt during times of prohibition and is perfect accompaniment for the drink. And because we are Australian, we’ve got lemon myrtle to bring it back home.”
This is all tied together by the impressive bottle design of Adam, owner of Toolbox Graphic Design, ensuring that like most craft producers, the product embodies some especially personal touches. But beyond that, their collective goal was to embody the spirit of prohibition in a drink, adding another chapter to gin’s frivolous narrative. Returning to that first day pounding the pavement, Adam fondly remembers The Admiral’s first impressions.
“He said he thought we looked like a couple of bootleggers so we handed him our cards where we’ve called ourselves bootleggers! It was a nice thing to happen because we’re not booze people and we’re not sales people either! For us, this is a passion project and if we can’t do it bloody well we’ll go back to our day jobs. Either do it well, or don’t do it.”
“That comes back to the spirit of Prohibition and how we want to get it out there,” he continues. “I’ve got friends in the wine industry who say that we’re just tourists who have strolled into the industry and have no idea how things are done… but we’re making it work for us!”
As the state burgeons with locally produced and internationally acclaimed craft gin, it is a pleasant revelation to find that when it comes to gin, the local industry is void of competitive ego. In fact, the push for South Australia to become ‘The Gin State’ is a united push from the distilleries and brands based here to further their reputations as international leaders and innovators.
“At Tasting Australia, we had six of the eight local Gin distillers get together, but as a whole, we try to all get together once every couple of months and talk about the market at the moment and where we can build it,” Wes reveals. “We can see there’s an opportunity. You look at the products being produced, Sacha (La Forgia, 78 Degrees) just recently won Gold in San Francisco and Jon (Lark, KIS) has collected some Australian distillers awards, it’s sensational. You’ve got the likes of KIS and Settlers who have paved the way for the upstarts to join in, but instead of treating us like upstarts Jon especially has looked at the strength in unity. I think that’s a very SA thing.”
“For us, this is a passion project…” says Carpenter.
With a strong foundation set during their first five months of operation, Prohibition Liquor Co. are now eager to continue their evolution. “Our current release is a 700ml, 42% gin,” begins Wes. “What we are working on now though is an Over-Proof gin which will be closer to 69%.” There are also rumours of a Single Malt Whiskey in the works as well, with individuality of taste and design both key considerations being weighed up.
“You buy first with your eyes, then with the taste,” says Wes. “But people can just enjoy the spirits because it’s bloody good booze!”
In business, often timing is everything. For Adam and Wes, the timing of Prohibition in their lives was right. The emergence of the small bars industry and the ever-evolving palates of South Australian drinkers seems pure serendipity. “We just want Prohibition to be to be a success; to go somewhere else in the world where they tell us they love it, and we’ll say we thought it was pretty good too,” says Adam. “That’s a nice thing that’s surprised me after we launched the gin – it’s bringing joy to people. We’ll hear stories of, ‘We tried your Gin and loved it, had the best night drinking it, so thank you for making it!’ And that dials back again into the story of gin during prohibition. It’s kind of cool.”
To find a list of stockists and other useful information, visit the Prohibition Gin website.
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