Gin boom continues with new distillery at the Rockpool
A Townsville bartender is launching his own spirit distillery — brewed, bottled, labelled and sold direct from the Rockpool Pavillion on the Strand.
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A Townsville bartender is launching his own spirit distillery — brewed, bottled, labelled and sold direct from the Rockpool Pavillion on the Strand.
Creatively called ‘Tan Lines Distilling’ the plan is to create handcrafted, 100 per cent Aussie gin and vodkas before expanding into more demanding spirits.
Before the official launch next week, family and friends were piling in to help bottle and box up the first 500L of gin, with swimmers and Magnetic Island providing a colourful backdrop through the bifold doors.
Melbourne born and US raised, distillery owner Aaron Rieniets said a spirits business has been on his mind for a few years.
“The big dream is whisky, but it takes several years to get whisky done so we’ll start with gin and vodka,” Mr Rieniets said.
“I’ve been developing the recipes and they are award-winning. The pink gin won silver and the white gin bronze at the Australian Gin Awards.”
These judges were some of the first to taste the recipes, getting early access to the experimental batches.
Mr Rieniets is focused on creating a tropical flavour and using his MBA in sustainability to build an ethical business.
“I’ve been very conscious of the way I do things and how we source materials,” he said.
“The label is designed to peel off in one piece and it reveals an art piece through the glass.”
The beautiful design makes the first run of gin a perfect shelf decorator or holiday gift.
People can buy the bottles through the cellar door in the Rockpool Pavillion or through the Tan Lines Distilling website.
Mr Rieniets said he’s already received inquiries from local resturants looking to stock the new drink.
The businessman settled in Townsville after falling in love with the lifestyle.
“We did a big trip up to Port Douglas and stopped in all the towns. We ended up liking Townsville best because of the schools and the lifestyle,” he said.
In a very Townsville twist, Mr Rieniets’ new cellar door is actually a glass door that steps the customer right into the distillery room overlooking Magnetic Island, collecting a nice sea breeze.
When asked what made his gin stand out, Mr Rieniets said it came with a great view.
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Originally published as Gin boom continues with new distillery at the Rockpool
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