Bristol-based micro-distillery Psychopomp expands into retail premises

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 01 April, 2016

Bristol's Psychopomp micro-distillery is to open retail premises on the city's St Michael's Hill, close to the university.

The team will be distilling on-site using two 30-litre stills and offering gin to sample or to take home.

Co-founder Danny Walker describes the customer-focused side of the venture as "event-led and experiential", featuring bespoke tastings and other opportunities.

Walker founded the distillery with partner Liam Hirt six years ago, on the micro-brewery model, building the brand locally through hand-selling.

Walker and Hirt distribute their gins to the Bristol on-trade themselves and are committed to a non-corporate, artisanal approach to their business.

They have no marketing or sales team and do not use any external PR company.

"The day we start talking about hiring a brand ambassador will be the day we stop doing this and look for something new," Walker said.

Psychopomp, which is named after spirits which guide the dead to the after-life, currently uses one 30-litre still.

Its core range at present is built around the Woden brand, which it has been distilling for four years.

Promotional photograph for Psychopomp microdistillery in Bristol

Woden is made with botanicals such as coriander seed, angelica root, cassia bark, grapefruit zest and fennel seed, and has an abv of 40%.

Psychopomp also produces four season gins annually: Ogmios in spring, followed by Ankou, Babalu Aye, and Wooden.

Each is produced in limited-edition runs of 300 bottles. The 2016 Ogmios, launched in March, is already close to selling out.

The recipe for each seasonal gin changes every two years.

Psychopomp also produces bespoke own-brand gins for local restaurants and bars such as the Milk Thistle, The Ox, and Pata Negra, each of which customised to a distinct flavour profile appropriate to the venue's identity and food offering.

The gin produced for tapas bar Pata Negra uses botanicals such as rosemary, bay leaves, almonds and lemon zest.

Psychopomp gins are available to buy online from www.thefinespiritscompany.co.uk, and retail at £35.95 for a 70cl bottle.

For more information about Psychopomp, please email the team at info@microdistillery.co.uk.

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