Mossel Bay has been known for its Post Office Tree and the beautiful bay for decades. There is however a new claim to fame. Inverroche, one of the first proper craft gin distilleries in South Africa, has set up a Gin school at Cafe Gannet in Mossel Bay. We’ve recently enjoyed an afternoon of crafting our own gin here. The establishment is quite new, but with this location we suspect there will be fights about booking a space in the near future.
The Experience
The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The level of involvement, education and pure enjoyment was also perfectly balanced. To get that creative juices flowing you are welcomed by one of Inverroche’s finest gin creations. Your booklet includes a recipe planner to make the process easier for you and helpful information about Gin distilling.
The Process
Firstly, you will choose a base for your gin and then enhance those flavours with extra elements like coconut, cacao and banana (which we both chose unknowingly). Even if you choose the exact same flavours, your gins will still taste unique.
Next up, your flavour-filled botanical bag is added to the pot still, containing alcohol, and then the waiting game begins.
While waiting on your masterpiece, you are treated to a tasting of all 4 the Inverroche gins. Interestingly enough we learned to never, absolutely never, put the flesh of any fruit into your gin as it sucks up most of the taste and alcohol.
The Product
Despite signing an indemnity, working with highly flammable fluids and getting slightly tipsy, it’s a fun day out and you get to go home with your own craft gin in a sleek looking bottle.
The cost is R595pp for the entire gin school experience, but if you don’t want to be schooled on the making part you can also enjoy just the tasting or the taste pairing which also looks delicious.
