Tweed distillery Husk Distillers prepares to welcome the public to its long-awaited expansion

It’s been a spirited journey for the Husk Distillers family as they prepare to toast to its next chapter. We take the first look at the Tweed distillery’s new cellar door, bar and cafe.

Husk Distillers is a family run distillery in Tumbulgum. Daughter Harriet Messenger. Picture: Jerad Williams

A scientist concocts a gin that turns pink, a Hollywood celebrity endorses it, and a country’s obsession with craft liquor explodes.

It was the recipe for success at Husk Distillers, the family-run Tumbulgum distillery preparing to open its farm to the public next week following a significant expansion of its paddock-to-bottle operation.

Since creating the iconic colour-changing Ink Gin and Caribbean-inspired rum in a tiny distilling shed on a sugar cane farm in 2012, Husk Distillers has barely kept up with Australian and global demand for its craft spirits.

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Husk Distillers ready to open up their farm to the public with a new bar/tasting area and cafe. Pure Cane Mojito (back left), Gin and Tonic (centre) and Southside cocktail (right). Picture: Jerad Williams

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Harriet Messenger, daughter of head distiller Paul Messenger, says she knew the business would be successful, but never imagined it would boom so quickly.

“It started off as a bit of a hobby, but dad’s somebody with a lot of vision — it was never going to be a hobby,” Harriet says.

“The craft liquor scene in Australia was just about to take off. It was a combination of right place, right time.”

And a photo of Margot Robbie knocking back an Ink Gin and tonic on Instagram in 2016 only added fuel to the fire.

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The cafe and bar will shine a spotlight on the Tweed region’s food products. Picture: Jerad Williams

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With two trailblazing craft spirits — Australia’s first sugar cane produced, agricole rum and gin that turns pink when mixed with tonic — the business outgrew its distilling shack and began expanding, with a new cellar door, bar and cafe set to open to the community next week.

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While both the rum and gin products already shine a spotlight on the Tweed hinterland’s harvests, Emily says Husk’s new venture will magnify the region’s by-products.

“We live in a food bowl — we can source everything from here,” Harriet says.

“The concept is we’ll have a full cocktail list, that’s going to be seasonal and showcase local produce.

“We’ve got 12 hectares of rainforest as well, so we’re taking inspiration from all of that and working that into our menu.

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Husk Distillers’ cellar door and bar will offer tastings of its famous Ink Gin, agricole rum and an extensive list of cocktails. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We’ve Blackboard Coffee roasting out of Burleigh. We’ve got harvest platters and cheese boards, everything is from the Tweed or a little bit further out.

“We’ve also got boozy cakes and coffee, one will be a Jamaican black rum cake served with a shot of rum.

“Everything either has a link to the land or booze.”

Sweeping views of Mount Warning and the Scenic Rim are taken full advantage of with an open, breezy cafe setting and a lush lawn made for Sunday sessions.

“The cafe exterior’s been based off an old phosphate factory in New Zealand. The interior is very much plantation vibes. It’s called Planter’s Cafe,” Harriet says.

“The bar cellar door is a bit more earthy and rum-y.

“The real hero is the view outside — we’ve got a big lawn which will have picnic vibes, and views of our little cattle paddocks.”

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Husk Distillers ready to open up their farm to the public with a new bar/tasting area and cafe. Picture: Jerad Williams

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Harriet says remaining small was never an option, but that’s something every business owner dreams of toasting to.

“We were in our seven-by-five-metre shed up until about a year ago. We kept running out of gin and having problems with the demand,” Harriet says.

“We didn’t think we would be able to do it at once. But we thought ‘let’s just do it and see how it goes’.

“The region’s been really supportive as well, the local’s community says they’re so excited.”

Husk Farm Distillery opens on June 13 at 1152 Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum