Innovative Distillers Using their Loaves
Three years ago, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell were shocked by the thousands of tonnes of bakery goods that end up in landfill.
In 2020, they decided to explore making spirits from these products and Dunedin Craft Distillers is the result; the first distillery in New Zealand to make spirits from waste bakery goods.
Dunedin Craft Distillers are proud to have been awarded Waste Minimisation Grants from the DCC for 2 years in a row and have saved close to 8 tonnes of bakery products from landfill since they started trading in 2021.
The distillery collaborates with food rescue organization KiwiHarvest who collect leftover bakery goods from retailers around Dunedin. Anything that cannot be given away for food ends up at the distillery and four loaves go into each litre of alcohol produced. Bread, buns and bagels are mixed with water and a little malt and heated.
This mash is strained and left to ferment then distilled and filtered. Botanicals are added before final distillation. The distilled spirit is cut to proof with rainwater harvested from Mount Cargill.
A Gold award for The Bay Gin at the London Spirits Competition (LSC) this year demonstrates that Dunedin Craft Distillers products can compete with the very best.
Their Dunedin Dry Gin and Naked Spirit both won Silver at the 2023 LSC. Cacao Vodka which uses cacao nib and husk sourced from their Roberts Street neighbours, Ocho Chocolate, won a Silver at the 2021 NZ Spirits Awards.
Purchase online, visit here or from the cellar door, at Otago Farmers Market. or your local liquor store. Helping the environment has never been more pleasurable.
