North of Eden

Focus: Creating world class spirits using sustainable craft production methods and locally grown ingredients.​

Background: North of Eden Artisan Distillery was established in 2018 by converting an old farm shed into a distillery and cellar door using a mixture of upcycled and recycled materials. Its gins all feature locally grown and foraged ingredients, including waste oyster shells from local oyster farms and juniper grown less than 100kms from the distillery. It is the first distillery in the world to win an international gold medal for a gin made entirely on Australian grown juniper.​

Circular innovation: North of Eden’s botanicals are either grown at the distillery or foraged locally, where they were once considered waste but now re-used as ingredients in the distillation process, including oyster shells and fruit peels. Post distillation botanicals are fed to the distillery’s resident highland cows, while broken up oyster shells to their chickens. The distillery uses a glass bottle which is 30% lighter than standard spirit bottles and is also fully recyclable. In terms of waste streams, waste cardboard is shredded to use as packaging material, wooden pallets re-used by local oyster farmers, and steel alcohol drums are given alternate uses via the local waste management facility. Water usage at the distillery is minimised through the use of a closed loop water system.​

Impact and future development: Using locally grown and sourced ingredients, lighter weight packaging and the recycling and upcycling of waste, North of Eden contribute to a reduction in transport and waste emissions, all while producing products with a low food mile footprint. Energy needs are currently met from a mix of solar and LPG gas and the distillery is actively seeking a local biogas alternative to LPG for the future.​

For more information: www.northofeden.com.au.​