The English Whisky Co.

[English Bloke]

I dunno... Bloody English! first they're wearing the Kilt and now they're making whisky... Where will it end?

I currently work on a gas compression platform in the southern north sea and before finsihing my last hitch I was contemplating the helicopter flight in and the long drive back home from Norfolk to Lancashire. I was thinking how best to break the journey when I suddenly remembered reading about the St. George's Distillery near Thetford. Always fancied a visit to a distillery and as I virtually drive past this one on my way along the A11 what better excuse.

I also realised that our good friend Chas from this forum whom I met at a kilt night in Preston lives in Thetford too so I got hold of him and asked if he'd like to join me. We met at the distillery at 15 o'clock.


Arial View of the St George's Distillery

We hastened inside only for me to realise that I'd left all my cash money in the BANK and they didn't take card payments for less than £10 or something. I was about to dash to the gift shop to buy all manner of goodies when Chas offered to pay for my ticket. An embarrasing moment to say the least.

We were offered coffee while the video of the distillery story played, Chas and I stood at the back and caught up a bit, chatting about kilts mainly, now there's a surprise.

There were a couple of others (non kilties) on the tour and soon the assistant distiller Steve came in to take us round.


Chas with coffee... In a distillery... I mean I ask you!

It's a fairly small affair custom built on two floors as a completely independant operation.


This is the view as you enter the actual works. In the foreground is the 'mash-tun' and in the back are the two 'pot stills'.


Steve explained it all to us.

The Grist or milled, malted barley is mixed with hot water in a large vessel called a mash tun where the sugars are extracted and a syrupy liquid called wort is produced. This is then transfered to another large vessel called a washback and yeast is added to make a fairly rough beer called wash.




Here shows the wash inside the washback. It's about 8% by volume and smells like bad beer. Takes about three days to ferment.

It's then transferred to the pot stills where the distillation begins. The pot stills are hand made from beaten copper and brass. These two were made in Scotland by a company called Forsyths and were installed by Scotsmen because the English don't know the secrets... Beautiful craftsmanship I must say.



The first distillation produces a liquid called 'low wines' which is about 23%bv, slightly cloudy with floaty bits. This is then transferred to another pot still (the spirit still) and distilled again and often again to produce a clear spirit at about 72%bv.


Low wines on the left, finished spirit in the middle. This is actually going back into the low wines tank to boost those for the second run...

This final spirit is then watered down a bit and transferred to oak casks ex american bourbon usually or sometimes Spanish sherry or Port wine casks for maturation.


By law it can't be called whisky until it has matured in the wood barrel for at least 3 years.


The first run from the English Whisky Co. was distilled in November 2006 so not long to go before their first single malt whisky becomes available (it can't be called Whisky until the end of 2009... can't call it scotch though... ever!)

When we came out from the tour we went to the tasting bar for a couple of sippers and there are currently two varieties of this fine English single malt spirit. "Chapter 3" which is unpeated and "Chapter 4" which is peated. Both are quite pale which is to be expected really as they haven't been in the wood very long but both quite drinkable. I decided I prefered Chapter 4 (I'm a pretty peaty sort of chap) so went onto the gift shop and bought myself a bottle for sampling properly at home. I also managed to use my plastic and paid Chas back for his generous sponsorship with an engraved nosing glass bearing the distillery logo.

A fascinating afternoon spent in great company. Shame we weren't kilted but I had just got off a helicopter.

Only downside was having to change a front tyre in the car park due to an aquired nail. Cest la vie. Although again Chas gave me a much appreciated hand. Cheers Chas, it was a blast. We should meet up more often. Oh yeah. Sorry the photies are a bit ropey. I only had my mobile phone with me and although it's meant to be 2 mega pixels or summat, it's still a phone.

Web link is here for anyone who is interested http://www.englishwhisky.co.uk/home.html

[Paul]

I dunno... Bloody English! first they're wearing the Kilt and now they're making whisky... Where will it end?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8180791.stm
It'll never end
Nice pics btw!

[English Bloke]

I'm not laughing at that... honest! That's got to be the best English steal since "Thomas Rawlinson invented the kilt"

... The pot stills are hand made from beaten copper and brass. These two were made in Scotland by a company called Forsyths and were installed by Scotsmen because the English don't know the secrets...

It's good that we get on so well, you northerners and us southerners... What a team!

[McFarkus]

Whisky made in England! Is nothing sacred! (thanks for the pics)

[BEEDEE]

Well considering that whisky or whiskey is produced in the USA, Canada, Japan, India, Ireland, Wales and New Zealand (those are the countries I know for sure) it's not surprising that a distillery pops up in England.

Imitation, after all, is the sincerest form of flattery.

Brian

[cessna152towser]

Fabulous pics with informative text, love the reflections of your little group on the top of the pot still.

[Chas]

An impromptu but great meet-up.

It really is a pocket-sized distillery. It is the smallest that HM Customs and Excise will allow - any smaller and they say that it could be 'portable'! There is no fathoming the mind of a Tax Man. It seems that the shape of the tapers and angle of the top pipe on the pot stills are a major influence on the final taste. So the man who anneals and beats the copper is as important as the distiller to the final outcome. I must admit, that I understood very little - stuff goes in; stuff goes out and after at least three years of hoping and praying and anguish, nectar comes out the other end.

Anyway, a fantastic afternoon - who said that it was only women that gossipped? Can hardly wait for the next meeting, which should be Derick's Folk Festival in Wales.

Regards

Chas

[English Bloke]

Spot on Charles. Here's to Rumney 2009.

[The Thing]

Well considering that whisky or whiskey is produced in the USA, Canada, Japan, India, Ireland, Wales and New Zealand (those are the countries I know for sure) it's not surprising that a distillery pops up in England.

Imitation, after all, is the sincerest form of flattery.

Brian

Well Ireland is the home of Whiskey so anything else is just flattery
Ahh Kilts, Haggis and now Whiskey/ Whisky is nothing safe from those English boyo's.......

[Midsmed]

Thanks for sharing the photos with us. Also Sweden have two a distillery Mackmyra,(producing) and Isle of Lime(Just started)