Click below on the relevant news feed.
NSW|ACT Distillers "Under Bond" gathering.You are invited to attend our first NSW|ACT Distillers Association get-together drinks. Just in time for Xmas, we are hosting at Eduard & Julie Otter's new Bar 26, right next to their Distillery. A chance to catch up with industry friends in our newly formed group and build camaraderie in this tough economic environment.
With a welcome cocktail on arrival and nibbles gratis, we'll have ~$1K on the bar to get things started. Plenty of food and drinks available pay as you go. Come early, come with your crew, but please leave bottles at home for this event.
NSW|ACT Distillers "Under Bond" gathering.Place: Bar 26, Otter Craft Distilling Address: 26 Halloran St, Lilyfield Time: 5-7pm
REGISTER HERE
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Destination NSW information: Creating EV-friendly Road Trip Experiences:
NSW First Webinar: Date: Thursday 30 November, 10.30 – 11.30am.
Register here
Distilleries can find out more information about the NSW Government’s EV destination charging grants program, which co-funds up to 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing EV chargers.
More Networking for NSW|ACT Distillers to come, including virtual events so we can all meet from all corners of the state and territory. Stay tuned!
At NSW|ACT Distillers, we are reaching out to members to become a valuable part of one of our subcommittees. Your skills and expertise can play a pivotal role in achieving our shared goals, and we're eager to have some volunteers on board.
To take the first step, we invite you to express your interest by completing our Subcommittee Member Application. This brief form will allow us to understand more about you and how you'd like to contribute.
Kindly submit your responses via the form below.
Your participation is invaluable, and we look forward to learning more about your interests and expertise. Should you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out.
The three committees initially will be:
Priorities will be to liaise with SafeWork NSW to create an open an mutually beneficial dialogue assisting in helping NSW|ACT Distilleries to know their obligations and become compliant to relevant safety standards in a way which doesn’t financially or operationally cripple them.
Organise seminars for members to educate on responsibilities around safety, changes to relevant standards and sharing of tips, ideas, consultants and everything safety related.
Dedicated to enhancing the visitor economy by promoting our local artisan distillers and their products. Through lobbying for state and territory government support and funding, we seek to raise awareness and create more opportunities for distillers in the region.
On a mission to champion the premium quality products produced by our distillers on the global stage. With a focus on direct lobbying and government support, our goal is to secure funding for marketing initiatives, trade missions, and grants.
Loading…
Do take a look at our website for more information and the latest news, events and webinar recordings.
Safety Audits Discussion Webinar recording now available on the ADA site with your member login. Guest speakers Gordon Chalmers, Rick Prosser and Sam Slaney, and all members who were able to join the webinar on the day. The recording of the webinar is now available - use the link below.
SAFETY AUDITS WEBINAR
Investing in Mental Health at Work: Black Dog Institute Secures NSW Government Funding.
The Black Dog Institute has received further funding from the NSW Government to continue to deliver Mental Health at Work training programs. Proudly delivering the programs since 2019, over 38,000 individuals have completed the free training, resulting in a 35% increase in knowledge about workplace mental health issues. Tailored for employees, managers, and leaders, these programs provide individuals with practical skills to protect mental health, respond to mental ill-health, and promote wellbeing in the workplace. Training is free to privately owned NSW businesses with less than 200 employees and not-for-profit organisations of any size.
Article to read
Networking for NSW|ACT Distillers, likely to be held as an initial virtual event - details in the coming weeks.
Joining the Australian Distillers Association and therefore also the NSW|ACT Distillers is a pivotal move for distillers in our thriving region. As we continue to craft exceptional spirits and raise our collective profile, your participation amplifies our shared success.
We strongly recommend encouraging fellow distillers in your network to join this influential community. Uniting we advocate for industry growth, regulatory reform, safety and sustainability. Your membership opens doors to a valuable network, exclusive resources, and the opportunity to actively shape the future of distilling in our region. Together, we'll achieve remarkable results.
Please share this news page with someone in your network who would like to know more.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN
The committee of NSW|ACT Distillers Association has been pursuing the goals set since our formation, here's a glimpse of what we've been up to:
We are actively monitoring the expansion of the Container Deposit Scheme. As there is more information about this initiative, we will share details. In the coming weeks, we shall all receive valuable insights and answers to frequently asked questions compiled by ADA (Australian Distillers Association).
One of our achievements was the successful convening of a meeting with representatives from various government departments and other stakeholders interested in craft distilling in NSW. This meeting marked a significant first step in the right direction. It was an opportunity to introduce them to our vibrant community and to explore ways they can contribute and assist. We are optimistic about the follow-up from this meeting and look forward to further collaborative actions that will bring our industry even closer together.
We are excited to announce a burgeoning partnership with Destination NSW. They are keen to showcase our region's craft distilleries and the unique experiences they offer. They are actively seeking content from our members to promote inbound tourism. This is a fantastic opportunity for our members to gain visibility and connect with a broader audience. If you have a distillery experience to share or if you're interested in getting involved, Get Connected is Destination NSW’s website membership program. Simple and easy to use Get Connected membership is free and is open to all tourism operators within New South Wales. This is a fantastic way to get your distillery door listed, all you need to do is follow the steps here. They also have a resource kit to check out.
And they wanted to share that they have an upcoming webinar on Wednesday 25 October 2023 at 10:30 - 11:30am, Elevate Your Culinary Experience; register here.
In this session, they will discuss how you can enrich the visitor experience by delivering world-class tour, attraction or accommodation experiences that showcase the culinary offering of your destination. Join a panel discussion with experts and discover how you can elevate your current offering through incredible local produce and telling the story of your destination.
Started in 2015 by Jesse and Griffin at the tender age of 24, Poor Toms was born kicking and screaming into the urban light-industrial chaos of Sydney's Marrickville. Since that time Marrickville has grown to become one of the premier destinations for craft alcohol in the country, with 5 distillers and 9 breweries in the suburb.
During that time Poor Toms has grown alongside it, first opening a tasting space in 2017 then obtaining a second warehouse on the same street in 2018 for blending, bottling and storage.
In 2021 Poor Toms began work on a brand new state-of-the-art facility, 5 minutes away from where they started all those years ago. The new facility will be 1000sqm, contain a 300-person capacity bar and have a restaurant onsite. Its purpose built design allows for maximum consumer engagement while also complying with all relevant safety standards.
Here's Jesse, Owner and Director of Poor Toms to talk more about the project ...
Our new site will be located behind the Factory Theatre in Marrickville, it used to be an old foundry but sat unused for years until the owners got in touch with us asking if we would be interested in the space. The development also houses Messina Gelatos and Heaps Normal Brewery new headquarters. The site will be a 1000sqm building split in two, one end production the other a 300-seater cocktail bar. We've also built a kitchen, a 'lab' to provide a space for RnD and masterclasses, and an outdoor Gin Garden.
These kinds of projects are always so much bigger than you expect them to be - we had significant delays due to covid, la nina rains and raw materials availability so being flexible with planning became very important. The largest amount of work is definitely corralling the sheer amount of consultants needed for a project like this, from architects, designers, structural, electrical and fire engineers. The DA is also obviously a very important and challenging aspect, things like acoustic reports, odour reports, dangerous good reports, soil testing, environmental impact assessments etc. can all be time consuming and expensive but it's good to know that no stone is left unturned when it comes time to move.
Safety was a top priority for us in the design of the new production area. Being able to build something from the ground up and design it ourselves is every distiller's dream. We've taken the lessons learnt from the previous 8 years and applied this knowledge to our build. Things like in-slab ethanol piping, and an in-slab bunded tank farm means we can operate much more safely and much more efficiently. Things such as firewalls, sprinkler systems, ethanol venting and detection systems, ex lighting and electrical fittings are also a lot more easy to incorporate into a build rather than grandfather them in.
Production and office staff will be in late this year and the bar/kitchen open to the public early next year
Always plan for the unplanned, things will, and do come out of the blue and you have to be able to roll with the punches.
We had the privilege of asking our Committee Co-Convenor Eddie Brook from Cape Byron Distillery a few questions about himself and our industry, this is what he had to say.
My journey into the world of spirits began when a fresh-eyed 17 year old Eddie moved from Byron Bay to Brisbane to start University. As most uni students do, I started working in Bars and quickly fell in love with the incredible world of spirits and found my creative output in cocktails. I spent the next 5 years learning the trade and working for some great cocktail bars through Brisbane (whilst attending the odd uni course), this led me to an opportunity to become an ambassador where I would educate bartenders and customers about the incredible world of Spirits and how they are made. From Tequila to rum, Bourbon, Scotch Whisky, Gin and everything in between. Growing up in a family that farms Macadamias and regenerates rainforest, I’ve always had a strong connection to how products are made from the ground up. Cut a long story short this led me to a Sales & Marketing career with Southtrade for a number of years and then fate would have it that I met my Idol, legendary master distiller, Jim McEwan. From this meeting and work, we formed a great friendship and the idea to start Cape Byron Distillery was born. I was then lucky enough to be trained and mentored by Jim and my journey of Craft distillation began.
There is no one specific memory that springs to mind, when I give it some thought, the thing I am most proud of and in awe of is the growth and development of our industry. We started our distillery in 2016, back then we were one of around 60 distilleries in Australia and very much an up-and-coming industry. To look at our industry today of 500+ distilleries with many distilleries at global scale and the breathtaking level of quality across so many spirit categories. We are so proud to be a part of this incredible industry
I am forever in search of greater productivity. I will always ensure that I block out time in the calendar to get my project work done. I’m also trying to say no a lot more than I’d say yes…it’s still a work in progress. My other tip would be to find a good project management framework/software that works for you. We use Trello at the distillery to ensure all projects and departments are on track and everyone is across what needs to be done.
If I pressed fast forward and we stepped into the NSW|ACT Distillers group in 5 years time, this is what I hope it would look like. The group is a strong State-based industry body that is championing the success and growth of the Distilled spirits industry. Similar to other states, we would have achieved funding and support from State governments to support NSW/ACT distillery's Tourism/Cellar door operations, Export strategies (NSW/ACT export road map) and export development and will be the lead body to improve Safety practices working hand in hand with Safe work NSW.
Our Vision is for this group to be a driving force for the support and growth of our industry. It is brilliant to see the success of other State organisations such as Distillers South Australia, Spirits Victoria Association and the Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Association. These groups have broken the ice and we will be working towards many of the successes that they have achieved. In order to bring this to life, we are going to need your involvement. There is a great old African proverb that I think sums up why we exist ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together’. We look forward to building the NSW|ACT Distillers group into a body that will drive and support growth for our State industry
This is an easy choice for me, a Negroni…with Brookie’s of course!
The NSW|ACT Distillers Association is pleased to announce the formation of three subcommittees which will be filled by board members and members alike. The committees will each have specific goals and priorities to further The Associations objectives. They will report to the board on a monthly basis.
October marks Mental Health Month, shining a light on the importance of good mental health and encouraging help-seeking. This year's theme is 'we all have a role to play' which serves as a reminder that whether you're an employee, manager, or employer you can help contribute to a happy and healthy workplace.
While awareness days and months are valuable for highlighting key issues and themes, we encourage you to champion mental health in your workplace all year round.
Training is an effective way that you can build better mental health at work. To learn more about Black Dog's range of skill-building mental health training programs, you can download their workplace brochure or schedule a time to talk with one of their Workplace Engagement Managers about training options.
Black Dog Institute has received further funding from the NSW Government to continue to deliver Mental Health at Work training programs. Proudly delivering the programs since 2019, over 38,000 individuals have completed the free training, resulting in a 35% increase in knowledge about workplace mental health issues.
Tailored for employees, managers, and leaders, these programs provide individuals with practical skills to protect mental health, respond to mental ill-health, and promote wellbeing in the workplace.
Training is free to privately owned NSW businesses with less than 200 employees and not-for-profit organisations of any size.
Learn more and book training
ACCESS THE ADA MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
If you’re an eligible e-commerce business looking to expand into new international markets, Investment NSW is here to help. Register your interest to receive a free ‘Digital Health Check’ that will help you enhance your e-commerce capability to export your products or services to international markets.
The Digital Health Check will help you assess and improve your business’ digital strategy including the overall effectiveness of your website, Search Engine Optimisation, use of analytics, cyber security and international sales channels. Limited places are available and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
How the Digital Health Check works
Investment NSW has partnered with a digital specialist to provide the free check-ups.
Registrations close on 24 September 2023. There is no cost to participate.
Register for e-commerce export support
Australian Distillers Association
Suite 1601, 447 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
ABN 77 622 845 275
© 2022 ADA | ADA Privacy Policy | ADA Member Code of Conduct | Website T's & C's | System & Design: Advance Association Management
