Episode 11 - Laura Bridge from Lava Spirits

Welcome To The Gin Ignite Podcast

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

News

• Hello and Welcome to Episode 11
• Today I am chatting with Laura Bridge from Lava Spirits about her journey to get to where she is now, her brand and more importantly her two brand new gins that she is releasing today.
• If you listen to me in a podcast directory I would very grateful if you could review the podcast.
• Keen to talk to distilleries about their journey and their brand.
• Round of gin is going live on 10th August 2020

Gin Recommendation

• This weeks gin recommendation is Pitwheel Original Spiced
• I have been a big fan of Pitwheel ever since I was introduced to them via their hilarious posts on instagram and decided to take a punt.
• I have tried all of Pitwheels gins and although I loved the Classic Dry and the Raspberry and Vanilla the original spiced just pips them to the post
• Tried in June and I remember being worried about the spice -> Opihr gin
• This gin is exquisite. The palette starts of as dry gin followed by a very mild spice
• Just my cup of tea.
• If your looking for a sensational gin and something just a bit different look no further.

Laura Bridge from Lava Spirits

Italy

• Went to Italy because of redundancy from Random House and recession in UK
• Wanted to take a year out and travel around the world and then come back after a year to see what was happening regarding recession
• Went to visit friend in Florence, Tuscany
• Fell in love with Italy and struck by culture and lifestyle and art and art history
• Signed up for 3 month course and then stayed for 15 years
• Working with small magazine like timeout for cities concentrating on events in Milan, Naples, Rome and Florence

London

• Came back in millennium for personal reasons
• Changed gear and transferred skills into city
• For last 12 years in city working for offshoot of Fidelity investments in property investment arm
• Loved multi-cultural vibe in city and night life
• Gin bar around corner at back of St Pauls near to where based
• Decided had enough in 2018 with city life, commute, stressful job etc

Move to Essex

• Decided to get her Yorkie Narla and enjoy the Essex village in which she lives
• Wanted to do something more creative where she can enjoy environment a bit more
• Different type of stress but one she can decided how much she puts on herself

Gin Creation

• First fruit was Sloe gin
• Went down really well with family and friends
• Spring after that went to many places and saw many fruits
• Time in Italy gave love of food and flavours
• Going back to Tuscan table
• Making jams and fruit tarts. Only so much jam a girl can eat
• Base spirit produced elsewhere
• Masceration /compound method

The Big Reveal

• Could not pick enough fruit unless have an army of people so what would work
• What if I put coffee in gin ?
• Had a play in the kitchen and really worked
• Tried on friends and told this is not like Sloe gins "Laura you can't sit on this"
• Spent last 18 months honing recipe, getting to know drinks industry and setting up the distillery
• Two journeys one for coffee and one for gin
• Learnt so much on her journey
• Loving it now

Flavour Profile

• Coffee strong flavour
• Coffee led not juniper led
• Tuscan table combine...