First Nations owned distillery, On Country Craft Distillery, launches gin range

A Townsville microbrewery owned by First Nations women is breaking stereotypes and empowering communities — with a focus on native ingredients they can grab from your backyard.

On Country Craft Distillery claims to be the only distillery in Australia that is 100% owned and operated by First Nations women.

Claire Ryder was Christmas shopping for her mother, an avid gin drinker, when she discovered something shocking.

While there were plenty of bottles decorated in beautiful Indigenous art, none of the brands they represented were owned by First Nations people.

“For me that was a bit of a hit. I thought we were better represented than that,” Ms Ryder said.

As a proud Wiradjuri woman and Wulguru resident living on Bindal land, she approached the local elders and shared her idea of starting Australia’s first distillery 100% owned and operated by First Nations women.

“There is a really unfortunate stigma around First Nations people and alcohol,” Ms Ryder said.

Claire Ryder, a Wulguru resident and Wiradjuri woman runs the only gin distillery in Australia that is 100% owned and operated by First Nations women. Photographer: Jane Perkins.

“We have come up against a great deal of racism and sexism which shocked me and was really sad.”

As a social worker who also studied distillation at Adelaide University, Ms Ryder decided to commit a portion of the profits from On Country Craft Distillery to local community projects with a focus on empowering women.

That includes a partnership with local pastor Lyn Munns, who runs a ministry for First Nations women teaching them life skills like sewing and giving them a safe cultural space to sit and talk.

Describing her gin as a “drink that makes a difference” Ms Ryder says she feels very blessed to have the support of the Bindal owners, who were excited by the idea, along with her parents who helped her turn part of their home into a distillery.

“When I opted to switch from a stable career into the risky world of distillation they were very supportive and understanding,” she said.

“I am so grateful they renovated space in their home into distillery.”

On Country Craft Distillery’s gin features native botanicals sourced locally whenever possible.

There are three gins in the range, each named after a local native bird: Budgerigar Dry Gin, Dry gin, Peppermint Parrot gin and her personal favourite, ‘Bin Chicken’ gin named after the Ibis.

“With the Bin Chicken gin we use ingredients that would otherwise go to waste,” Ms Ryder said.

“Lots of people have lemon myrtle trees in their yard and when they get gangly they chop off the branches and they go straight to the tip.”

“We offer to do the trimming, collect the green waste and turn those eaves into gin,” she said.

Claire Ryder with the company’s spirits. Photographer: Jane Perkins.

She also pairs the lemon myrtle with mandarin, using only the skins. The fruit is donated to a First Nations women’s group who turn it into jam to sell at fundraisers for local women’s empowerment projects.

“We put the micro in micro-distillery,” Ms Ryder laughed, claiming she does everything the difficult way.

Where a lot of distilleries use essences and artificial colours and flavours, Ms Ryder says she has been “unnecessarily stubborn” and only uses whole ingredients, with no sugars or sweeteners.

“We only use bush tucker to colour it,” she said.

“Each batch will vary from season to season, but it’s all part of the authenticity.”

People can follow On Country Craft Distillery on Facebook to stay up to date on when their range will be available online at oncountrycraftdistillery.com at $80 per 500ml bottle.

Originally published as First Nations owned distillery, On Country Craft Distillery, launches gin range