Moonshiners Institute is releasing its very first batches of five entirely different spirits. The brand new multi-spirit distillery will be starting business with a gin, a white and dark rum and two American-inspired spirits: White Dog and Not-Bourbon, an alternative to bourbon whiskey. As ‘Adventurous Spirit Makers’, their mission is to ‘make damn good spirits’, […]
Long live the local
Data released by the British Beer & Pubs Association (BBPA) reveal that when pubs close there is a significant rise in loneliness, which is now on a par with peak pandemic levels of isolation. Their research found the one-in-three people become lonelier after losing their local and with more than 2,000 pubs having closed since […]
Seven year itch?
After selling his successful logistics business, David Blick had time to think about what he wanted to do. Having lived in the Leamington Spa and Warwick area for over 25 years, David, a keen local historian, realised there was no local gin company. With the launch of the Warwickshire Gin Company he has been able […]
Killer cocktails from Cointreau
Cointreau is the iconic orange liqueur which dates back to 1849 when Maison Cointreau was founded in Angers, France. Today, the brand’s heritage as a liquorist-distiller lives on at the heart of more than 500 cocktails, including the original Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Cointreau’s distinctive character is the result of the meticulous selection, harmony, and distillation […]
Wake up and smell the coffee
We don’t usually cover coffee or hot beverages at Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine, but we do get through quite a lot of coffee. So, when we were offered the chance to review The Art and Science of Coffee Fermentation, we accepted. It is a fascinating read, especially if, like me, you didn’t realise that coffee […]
Robot Cola achieves B Corp status
The company behind the award-winning Robot Kombucha Organic Honey Cola, Net Zero Foods, has officially become a Certified B Corporation (B Corp). Pascal du Bois, the founder of Net Zero Foods, developed Robot Cola to not only become the healthiest cola, but to run a company that also does good for communities and the planet. […]
Warwickshire Gin’s G&Ts are RTD
Warwickshire Gin Company is one of the first producers in the country to offer authentic ready-to-drink gin and tonics, available in 250ml cans, based on two of their award-winning gins: Leamington On Parade and The Philosopher’s Daughter. Leamington On Parade is a lightly spiced gin infused with with Ceylon tea, cinnamon and hibiscus, and is […]
The most remote distillery in the world
Here at Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine we were intrigued when we received a press release from a distillery claiming to be producing gin at the most southerly distillery on the planet. However, having looked in to see which actually is the most southern distillery, we found that the McHenry Distillery in Tasmania stated on its […]
Twice as good
Michelin-starred chef and BBC’s Great British Menu winner, Tom Shepherd, has embarked on an exciting new venture with the launch of Twofold Spirits – a premium spirits brand created in collaboration with his wife, Charlotte. Tom, who is widely recognised for his innovative approach to flavour and dedication to his craftsmanship, is now bringing his […]
Home grown perfection
It wasn’t that many years ago that we didn’t need to describe the size or shape of fruit and vegetables, we just purchased the produce that we needed. For many years the major food retailers, given their enormous buying power, have only accepted perfectly proportioned fruit and vegetables. Some retailers have started selling mis-shaped produce, […]









