From Clubhouse banter to gin with a grin
What started as cheeky Clubhouse banter has resulted in ‘Old Buggers Gin’, a range of potent home brew gins distilled by a lively group of gin fans.
Four at Arvida Bethlehem Country Club retirement community residents agreed they were drinking a fair amount of gin so they had the bright idea of distilling their own.
With years of home beer brewing experience, the gents decided to up the ante - taking the leap from beer’s humble 7% to gin’s eyebrow-raising 40% proof (watered down from 80%).
The recipe? Nine days of careful alchemy: seven for fermentation, a day for distilling, another for filtration and half a day pouring into recycled gin bottles.
If there’s a secret ingredient, it’s not just the sugar - it’s teamwork. “Different ideas, techniques and backgrounds, and somehow it just works,” says Brian Wright. It’s proof that, with the right mix of mates and a shared interest, even the most unlikely brew can become something magical.
Each new batch gets a little closer to perfection, thanks to tinkering and technical study from the group. The micro-distillery crew – Pete Hill the former police dog handler, Brian Hall the dairy technologist, Verdun McClelland the computer engineer, and Brian Wright the mechanical mastermind - meet daily to check hydrometers and thermometers on the latest brew.
There’s no selling spirits here - every drop is strictly for personal consumption. “We’re drinking it as fast as we’re making it!” Pete admits, though positive feedback suggests their village neighbours in the Tauranga village are happy to help out. “We’re thoroughly enjoying the whole process, says Brian Hall.
The group are now experimenting with a Sapphire Blue-inspired gin, and they’re also plotting a botanical gin blend for the new year.
Cheers to Old Buggers Gin - the spirit of good company, bottled.