VISIT HERTS IMPACT HERO

Sustainability Hub

As part of the Visit Herts Sustainability Hub we’re delighted to have been named an ‘Impact Hero’. Here’s a little video we made but you can read more by heading to the Visit Herts website.

Impact Hero

Puddingstone Distillery mission statement

Our aim, when setting up the distillery, was to:

“Make gins of exceptional and inspirational nature, created with a mindfulness of community and environment.

Everyday we strive to build on what we’ve achieved so far.

Our impact

We’re constantly monitoring water and energy use and working out how our processes can reduce the use of both. We recycle all glass, plastic and cardboard that comes into the distillery. We work with local suppliers where possible for cardboard boxes, bottle labels and printed materials.

Gin bottles

The Campfire Gin range is available in 70cl and 10cl bottles. The bottles are made from 40% recycled glass. The thin base means less recycled and raw material is required to make the bottles which equates to a reduced carbon footprint during production, transit and ultimate recycling after use.

The Campfire Gin range bottle and anti-tamper watchstrap labels are printed in Aylesbury, just eight miles from the distillery. We use a paper material that is 30% recycled fibre and sourced from a FSC certified supplier.

We use a recycled cork stopper which is embedded in a wooden top made from FSC certified wood. Cork is seen as a sustainable product and one of the best materials for bottle closures but it does take around 10 years for the bark to grow thick enough for harvesting hence the reason we’ve chosen a recycled cork.

Packaging

All our bottles and gift sets are shipped in plastic free packaging, that includes trade and online orders. If you purchase in the distillery shop your gin bottle will be packaged in a kraft paper bag with twisted paper handle – more than strong enough to hold two x 70cl bottles safely. The bag can then be recycled or used to return the bottles for a gin refill.

Gin refills

Once you’ve finished your bottle of Campfire Gin, pop the stopper back in and bring the bottle back to the distillery. We’ll refill it with the same gin and you’ll make a saving on the bottle price. For our trade customers we operate a pouch scheme which reduces the amount of bottles, packaging, fuel and energy used. The pouches are made from recyclable plastic.

Our gin collaborations

Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1 – Himalayan Balsam Gin

Puddingstone Distillery is sited next to Wilstone Reservoir, a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI). The reservoir and surrounding land is maintained by Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Back in 2017 we started working with the Trust running gin tasting events with all proceeds going back to the Trust. We also began work on a collaborative gin called Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1. This was a ‘pink for a purpose’ gin with £2 from every bottle donated to the Trust. The key botanical was the flowers of the Himalayan balsam plant – a non-native, invasive plant imported to the UK by the Victorians. We were able to produce batches of Special Edition No 1 during the summer months for four years after which areas which once previously had been overgrown with balsam were now clear of the plant or had just a handful left which were easier to maintain and keep under control. This was a major achievement.

Ultrasonic Gin

Following the huge success of Himalayan Balsam Gin, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust challenged us to produce a gin themed around bats. To do this Ben decided to use an ultrasonic bath to extract the oils from the botanicals. The results – we could use 40% less botanicals, reducing the impact on the environment. In addition to juniper and angelica we chose other botanicals that a British bat would encounter. Bramley apple, elderflower, malted barley and mint all combine to produce a juniper forward gin that tastes like apple pie! We also donate £2 from every bottle sold to the Trust.

Box Moor Gin

Working with another local conservation trust we distill Box Moor Gin. This gin uses very rare English juniper in the botanical line-up. The juniper is harvested with special permission from The Box Moor Trust by Ben and myself from their protected land in Hemel Hempstead, just 13 miles from Puddingstone Distillery. A classic London Dry Gin distilled from five botanicals – juniper, angelica, orris root, British coriander and fresh lime peel. £2 from every bottle sold is donated to The Box Moor Trust. Voted in the Top 10 Gins of 2023 as compiled by gin judge, blogger and gin writer Gin A Ding Ding. The first batch is almost gone but don’t despair we shall be making more once the juniper is ready for harvesting again!