Welcome To The Gin Ignite Podcast

Whether you want to party or have a quiet night in gin will ignite

News

Welcome

• Hello and Welcome to Episode 27

Collaboration

• It was lovely to see that Kate from Sip and Share and Brit from The Botanical Trading Company were getting together for some sensational offers.

The Botanical Trading Company

• This months bottle is Lind & Lime gin from Port Leith Distillery
• Lovely Lime based gin. I tried in a Tom Collins over the weekend and it was lovely.

Christmas

• Please support your local or favourite distilleries. Mine are growing by the day !!
• Stockport Gin - their lockdown boxes are amazing as well as their gin filled baubles
• The Edge Gin - great offers for their gins as well as liqueurs, glasses and chocolates. Lockdown 2 offer and Free Shipping over £40
• Pitwheel Distillery - new Orange and Ginger gin as well as all their old favourites
• The Gower Gin Company - GŴYR Six Pack - 6 of their gins all in one box, Sloe Gin and festive 3 (Sloe Gin, Bara Brith and Pinwydd)
• Massingberd-Mundy get a £10 voucher back

Review

• Reviews really help the podcast in a given podcast directory. So if you did have a chance to review the podcast I would be most grateful

Weekly Gin Recommendation

Weekly Gin Recommendation - Lava Spirits Coffee Gin

• I take one sip and I am in Florence in Tuscany. 
• I have just come across the bridge as the sun is setting and settled down in a nice cafe in the city.
• There is lots of hustle and bustle but I am I am having this gin and savouring a moment.
• The nose of this gin is initially a London Dry but very soon the aroma turns to coffee.
• The coffee is just so naturally sweet and I have not tasted coffee flavour like this since I last visited Small Batch in Worthing @sbcrworthing.
• The flavour profile starts with a smooth coffee taste which then goes to a sweeter coffee flavour.
• This is followed by juniper on your palette and then finally a resurgence of coffee.
• I cannot believe how two strong flavours like juniper and coffee can be fused together and that this only took 18 months. 
• The fusion of these two flavours is magnificent and quite simply is a feat of taste engineering.
• I paired this with a Mediterranean tonic to test it as a long serve. 
• Given the flavour profile I should have probably broken with testing protocol and gone with one of Coca Cola’s dark spirit mixers as Laura suggested.
• The possibilities of this drink really lie with mixologists in my opinion. Obvious choices are an espresso martini but I think this would be a fantastic addition to most cocktails given the unique flavour profile.
• I am not surprised this gin has already one an award and given it’s uniqueness I think it maybe destined for many more.
• Congratulation Laura for sticking to your artisan ways, listening to your friends and for creating Lava Spirits. Mixologist all over the world are thanking you for a new unique flavour to add to their creations

Tammy Jackson From @forCocktailSake

What made you want to setup Tammy Jackson HQ ?

• Way too much business travel
• Social media up and coming
• Started working on social media for her mothers beauty salons

What did a typical day look like ?

• Contents planning week or month ahead
• Ran workshops for women networking group
• Started with Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and then Instagram

What makes an Instagram account different ?

• Inject your own personality
• Base on you because you are unique
• Network with like minded people

What makes a good post ?

• One day will post something that spent ages on and does not do well
• Sometimes just spend less time and send something out and it blows up with loads of likes, shares and comments
• It can be a gamble.
• Always go back to why did you start your account ?
• What do you followers like ?

How would you bring more personality ?

• Share or showcase something that is personal to you
• Bring your persona to it and the look and feel of who you are.
• Make you more relateable
• Consistency is key
• Followers need to know what to expect on Instagram
• Always beautifully styled
• Tammy tries to post everyday and sometimes takes time off.
• Not volume.
• Quality over quantity

Distilleries

How can a distillery differentiate from the competion ?

• Find something unique to your brand.
• Should have USP
• Build transparency
• Show behind the scenes
• Tell a story
• Thats when you find your key buyers
• Thats how you get their attention
• Makes personable. Not just product on shelf

How would you introduce a new gin ?

• Use teasers
• Brentingby Gin are doing limited editions with artists
• Gain engagement
• Build anticipation and excitement

What is the best way to show behind the scenes ?

• Taking highlights of the day
• Any changes such as changing still. Ask people to name new still
• Meeting the team - Duck and Crutch gin are good examples

Other key strategies

• Giveaway every so often
• Taking some good photos. Good photos are a important
• Need to present and transparent
• Important to connect. Finding your client and talk to them on Instagram.

How did for @forcocktailsake come about ?

• Love writing and social media
• With illness struggled string sentance together
• Try and retrain brain to write a blog
• Wanted something short and succinct
• Thought about interests health and fashion but meant keeping up with trends.
• Also enjoys food but difficult as in family of 4 all with different dietary requirements
• Remembered back to entertaining.
• Always create cocktail when guests arrive.
• Could share this.

How did you come in the name ?

• Tongue in cheek
• Bourne out of frustration

What does the brand represent ?

• Healing journey
• Creative outlet
• Something positive
• Went down cocktails because simple.
• Helped her learn and grow

How did the lives start ?

• Bourne out of lockdown
• Needed more video content from mix and match and @forcocktailsake
• Choosing Paul to do it made sense as he is a professional bar person.
• He is the professional and Tammy is the home bartender.
• Paul also does recipe development for brands and bars
• It was nice that they both had company

What factors would you take into consideration when choosing a gin ?

• Need to sip it neat
• If it works in a Martini a very good idea
• Has to be juniper led
• Like the gin to stand up against other ingredients
• Prefer to be more citrus based but do also like Coastal and Savoury gins
• Ben mentioned The Edge L’Orange gin. Very subtle orange based taste right the way through the flavour profile.

How would you start cocktail making ?

• Start with the basics
• Good start is with a sour if not a cocktail person
• Start experimenting with different syrups and infusions
• When Tammy is feeling uninspired she always goes back to basics.

How do you source spirits ?

• Very fortunate that a lot of brands allow to try out products
• Broad understanding of base sprits
• Excited about Starlino brand especially as it comes from Malfy gin

How did you come up with the negroni in a recent live ?

• Started with base spirit and looked at botanicals
• For example jaisalmergin has tea botanicals so this is why infused with Butterly peas flow tea and Lemon rind.
• Campari worked with cardamon pods and the Starlino Rosso infused with marinated figs.
• A lot of food inspiration.

How can you changes these cocktails ?

• Negroni - how would make it less dry ?
• Swap out with Aperol
• Campari infusion with strawberry or muddle them
• Martini Cocktails - what are your favourite recipes ?
• London dry juniper led gin
• Dolin Vermouth, Starlino Vermouth, Londinio Vermouth
• Dirty martini
• Singapore Sling - how would you make it better ?
• If used something like Brockmans instead of a normal gin.
• Splash of pineapple juice complements those flavours
• Clover Club - how could you remove the lime element ?
• Go with grapefruit instead.
• Always a good go to.

What is your creative process for designing a signature cocktail ?

• Look at botanicals and what would complement those to enhanced and elevate those flavours
• Juice, citrus or herbs or infusion. Ice cubes as well
• Recipes that people will want now
• Experiment with food to understand how to combine flavours

What should a company look for in a mixologist ?

• Finding someone who’s style fits the brand
• Finding someone who will take the time to get to know the product

How do you continue to be creative ?

• Experiences from magazine, Instagram trend, fashion trend or TV
• International days very good to showcase

How can people get in touch ?

@forcocktailsake on Instagram

What is your favourite gin and how would you serve it ?

• Can’t say particular brand
• Seasonality plays importance, mood, occasion
• Juniper forward, London dry citrus, coastal or savoury
• Serve as dirty martini

What does gin / spirits mean to you ?

• Opportunity to create more than just a drink
• Part of healing journey
• Symbol of celebration - personally, sharing with friends, entertaining and Friday night after work with hubby.
• Drink Aware importantance of Sipping a cocktail
• Real positive

Instagram Community Shout Out

• Cassia @ginqueen_kilpatrick
• In week 4 you were my Instagram shoutout but last week I righted the wrongs with @girls_on_gin. Now I am writing the wrongs with you.
• Why am I doing this ? You were the first real supporter of @ginignite and were the first to comment. I have never forgotten this.
• Liked your post on Brentingby gin. Liked the sound of the pairing with Elderflower tonic although I am not sure about the tabasco !!
• The Orange and Passionfruit Murphy’s gin post was interesting. I really like this but I think I prefer the Pomegranate and Kaffir Lime. Loved your serve ! You need to also try a breakfast martini !! Thank you for the steer towards this from Cheshire Mobile Bars
• I really thought your 8 days a week post was inspired with the combination of Aviation gin, one I have yet to try, Aperol and St Germain Elderflower liqueur. Sounds very interesting.
• Liked the addition of satsuma and basil to bring out the flavours of the Murphys Pomegranate and Kaffir lime. This is one I definitely need to try at some point.
• Also enjoyed your review of Stanger and Sons from the Craft Gin club and the London Essence Co Blood Orange and Elderflower tonic. It was a really lovely serve. It is also such a lovely gin.
• Thank you very much for you support of both the @ginignite account and the podcast.
• I will be adding you to my stories all week.

Get In Contact

• IM me at @ginignite Instagram or @ginignite on Twitter
• E-Mail me at [email protected]
• If you have ideas IM me or e-mail at [email protected]
• If you want to be on the show then IM me or e-mail me at [email protected]

Final Thought

• The thing that I like about the gin community that I have met so far is that no one judges anyone for what they believe, what they look like or who they choose to be.
• The world would be a better place if everyone took that view.
• Grab your drink, toast those you love, enjoy your weekend and whether your decide to party or stay in I will be with you in spirit !!!
• Seriously though enjoy your weekend and I look forward to joining you for another episode next Friday.
• Cheers