Downton Dispatches

Szechuan pepper provides the warmth and spice in Explorer’s Gin. It originated from China and has been used in culinary foods since the 14^th century. 

Most people will remember their first encounter with this little peppercorn. You might have been happily tucking into your savoury, spicy dish when suddenly you’re not sure you taste anything anymore. You get a tingling sensation on your lips, which is followed by a numbness of your tongue. A citrus flavour on the tongue switches suddenly to eucalyptus and mint. Did I mention it’s electric? The smell is very fragrant, intoxicating and lemony. Albeit small, it packs a mighty punch, although it’s not as hot as black or white pepper. 

Facts about Szechuan Peppercorns:

Scientific Name:  Zanthoxylum (a member of the citrus family)

Common name: Sichuan pepper, Chinese Coriander, Mala or Timor berry

Family: Rutaceae

Origin: China – Szechuan Province

Height: Plants can grow up to 4m high and have ash like leaves. They produce small yellow flowers in the early summer.

History:

The Szechuan peppercorn originates from Northern China. Sichuan is notoriously wet in winter, and the summers are very hot. To counteract the humid weather, the Sichuanese people have historically spiked their diet with warming foods like garlic, ginger and Szechuan pepper, making it an essential part of the regional cuisine.

It may also surprise you to learn that Szechuan peppercorn isn't really a pepper at all. It doesn't come from Piper nigrum as does black pepper (native to India).  In fact, the peppers are the dried red-brown berries of the prickly ash tree.

The Science behind the tingly sensation:

So what is behind this strange phenomenon, scientifically known as paraesthesia? Scientists believe that it has something to do with a molecule called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which is present in the pepper corns. This molecule interacts with our cell receptors differently than capsaicin, which is the active ingredient that causes chillies to produce a burning sensation in our mouths.

While capsaicin triggers the same receptors that are activated when we’re burned by excessive heat, the active chemical in Sichuan peppercorns excites tactile sensors in our lips and mouths—in other words, you feel the taste of the pepper as though your lips are being physically touched by something vibrating quickly, causing that numbness associated with eating Sichuan peppercorn.

The active ingredient, sanshool, causes a vibration on the lips measured at 50 hertz, the same frequency as the power grid in most parts of the world, according to a 2013 study at University College London.

Explorer’s Gin

Peppers were always going to be part of the botanical bill and so I started to research which types would work with the other botanicals in my recipe. A Chinese writer called H Wang stated, “In Sichuan, it has been written that eating spicy food has come to be regarded as an indication of such personal characteristics as courage, valour and endurance, all essential qualities of the adventurous spirit.” This sealed the deal!

Working with the fresh, zesty and aromatic character of Szechuan was tricky at first. Too much and its taste would dominate the distillate; too little and you wouldn’t taste anything amongst the other botanicals. After a lot of experimenting I have finally found the right balance. I hope that, when sipping your Explorer’s gin, you can taste its character showing through on your nose and on your palate, and that you get the ‘essential qualities of the adventurous spirit’!

Discover Western Red Cedar

On the grounds of Downton Manor House grows a very old tree who reminds me of 'Tree Beard', an Ent who appears in the Lord of the Rings. He towers over the other trees, with his branches swinging low, his bark like brown plated steel. His pose and grace reflect wisdom and knowledge and when you run your hands through his scales, the most wonderful sweet aroma fills the air, making you think of pear drops. This is our 'Red Beard'.

Facts about 'Red Beard'

Scientific name: Thuja plicata

Common name: Western Red Cedar

Family: Cupressaceae

Origin: It came to England in 1852 from the West Coast of America (Oregon)

Height: Can grow up to 70m high and can live up to 1,000 years.

Smell: Crush the leaves between your fingers to release the wonderful oils, which smell citrusy and of pineapple.

Did you know that largest known western red cedar in the world, the Quinault Lake Red Cedar; has a wood volume of 17,700 cubic feet or 500 cubic meters? It is 180.5 feet high and has a diameter that is 20 feet!

A mythical tree that gave life

In Oregon this tree was called 'the Tree of Life.' It was, and still is, held in highest regard by all northwest coast tribes for its healing and spiritual powers.

The 'Kakawaka'wakw Tribe' of British Columbia, consider it the cornerstone of their culture because of its great spiritual significance and its many uses. The wood was used to make dugout canoes, house planks, bentwood boxes, arrow-shafts, masks, and canoe paddles. Its inner bark and the long arching branches are remarkably strong, given their flexibility. This bark would be soaked in water and twisted into ropes und used for mats, nets, clothing, baskets, and fishing line. The Kwakwaka’wakw warriors also created protective armour using the bark rope before going into battle. The scaled leaves were used to treat stomach pains and diarrhoea, whilst a decoction could be used to treat colds. The leaf buds are chewed in the against toothaches and sore lungs, whilst the shredded bark was used to cauterize sores and swellings.

Legends of old

Tales say that a person could receive its strength even if standing with their back to the tree. This we have tried following the bottling run, however our results are inconclusive!

Explorer's Gin

Whilst testing recipes for our Explorer’s Gin, I knew there was something missing from the botanical bill. I was able to tick off the normal citrus profiles which tied back into Explorer’s Gin, where citrus prevented scurvy amongst sailors and maritime adventurers. Whilst foraging around the gardens, looking at Linden Limes, Tulip Trees and other fauna I came across ‘Red Beard’. Most people would overlook such a tree mistaking it for Leylandii - which is poisonous - however on rubbing the scaled leaves it was clear that this was anything but and it was potentially the missing piece. It was then discovering and learning how it could be used in Explorer's Gin to show case those wonderful notes without over powering the other botanicals, to create something fragrant, floral and unique.

The more I learn about this tree the more respect I have for it. An entire culture was able to thrive by using it -  it provided food, shelter, materials and allowed native Americans to venture into the ocean.

This wonderful tree has come back to Downton and it is this tree that gives Explorer's gin its unique taste. A modern twist on an revered, ancient and historical botanical.

435 years ago, on 25th March 1584 Queen Elizabeth 1 presented Sir Walter Raleigh a royal patent to settle and colonise the new world at Westminster. That April the first expedition to the Americas set sail. The idea was that a defended colony could potentially provide both a very lucrative trade route and a base that English ships could sail from to raid the Spanish treasure fleets returning from South America briming with gold.

July 1585 the boats made land fall on an island called Roanoke and as the colony was being founded Queen Elizabeth was asked to name this new exotic land. She decided to call it Virginia. Unfortunately, the Anglo Spanish wars between 1585 and 1588 prevented the resupply ships from sailing back to Roanoke, as the boats were used to fight against the Spanish Armada. When they finally returned three years later in 1588, they found the inhabitants of settlement to be missing. This is historically now known as the ‘Lost Colony of Roanoke Island.’

The following article was created by the Gin Foundry team consisting of Leah, Emile and Olivier. The subject matter is around the term 'craft' and its meaning to you, the customer.

Craft vs. Scale
The term ‘craft’ has, in our opinion, long lost any real merit. It still holds the ghost of a once potent resonance amongst many drinkers, but overuse has become mis-use, and the claims, counter claims and general misinformation about what it is isn’t craft (or even if the label matters), has stopped the term holding much weight.

As this happened something far more damaging to it regaining any semblance of meaning also occurred; Craft stopped having any distinguishable metrics, let alone the common consensus, on which to be evaluated by in the first place. Worse still, things that shouldn’t matter have become significant barometers in the eyes of many.

As journalists who’ve dedicated a decade of thought to Gin as a category, we are now so numb to the word that we’re almost oblivious to its inclusion in every second sentence on many a brand website. We don’t really subscribe to the term at all if we’re  being honest, but it’s put in there as a hallmark of trust and superiority, so it’s high time we really analysed it a little further.

In almost all circumstances, scale is used as an indicator of craft.

We hear about hand-made, gently-warmed, lovingly bottled (that’s our favourite nonsense term. Do you whisper sweet nothings into the spout?) gins, with the general view being that the fewer bottles there are in a batch, the more care and attention paid to each one. Craft and scale are inter-related as concepts, and the size of operation is often the first port of call to justify whether or not something can be considered Craft.

We, however, really don’t think it’s that hard to separate the two. While brands may like the shroud of mystery and while journalists like to imply that something small is something precious, we know that there are (and need to be) so many other factors at work here. We also know that some of the best gins in the world are made en-masse, so it’s fair to say we’re wading into this argument with more than a little bias…

Size matters to many
It is naïve to think that the term craft does not have any romantic connotations to most drinkers, and that this connection relates to the perceived scale of enterprise going on. It clearly does.

Small is traditionally associated with accessibility. Small is traditionally associated with being personable. Small is traditionally associated with being relatable and small often genuinely does involve a more labour intensive, manual process.

It’s also clear that once everything reaches a certain scale, the level of automation and industrialised procedure means that the human qualities and touches that are intrinsic to products made at smaller scales are lost, even if that also means the human errors are ironed out too.

The issue with distilling, especially with gin, is that many of the elements that are scaled are redundant to the parts that take skill. Does washing a bottle and applying a label really need to be done by hand for something to be deemed more crafted? Where is the skill in that? Automation isn’t always the enemy and while it might look industrial, it isn’t actually taking away from the parts that really matter.

The problem with size
The issue with judging craft by using the metric of scale is that size rarely reflects quality. A complex series of decisions, actions and intentions goes into every gin, no matter the size of the operation. Thus, if you don’t judge all of the other factors, you are essentially saying that it’s neither quality nor a pursuit of excellence that defines craftsmanship, and that any crap can be craft, so long as it’s a small operation.

Food and drink is one of the few industries for whom the term craft is the exclusive preserve of the small. Take building on the other hand, and one would never assume that because you could make sheds you are a craftsman, while those who work on cathedrals are jokers. Quite the opposite, it is the larger edifices of architecture that are more frequently deemed to be masterfully crafted wonder pieces – not the quirky yet lovingly made huts at the end of a garden.

In art, sculpture and almost every other creative medium where something is being made, the scale of something isn’t what’s being judged, it is the workmanship, artistry and attention to detail the defines whether something is considered to be well crafted or not.

Food and drink are clearly perceived differently. But why? With food and farming it’s a little easier to state why, as the scale of operation plays a huge role in the realities of welfare and how much attention to detail any given product can reasonably have.

But why is distilling – something by and large done via industry-standard equipment –  considered the same, and why is it not acceptable to have a big still and be a finely crafted product?

Is a Bentley less ‘craft’ than a high performance Go-Cart due to its scale? Of course not, and yet for gin makers, a small and often rudimentary pot still is considered an important part of a maker’s craft credentials. Just because it is hard to fully appreciate the sheer complexity of an operation once it reaches a certain size, it doesn’t mean we should discount the workmanship involved and the meticulous attention lavished on all the components that come together.

Attitude aside, at what point does one even calculate the scale? Measuring the size of a still, or the volume of fluid produced off each run of a still (or by bottle batch, or by yearly output, or, or, or…) each makes for some very subjective and easily exploitable criteria.

For example, if you were to say that to be considered ‘craft’, the still size would need to be less than 500L, or that the volume of fluid would need to be limited to a hearts cut of 300L per run, producers could easily just move to a multi-shot method and concentrate their recipes. We’re actually seeing this happen a lot anyway, as smaller distilleries cannot afford to re-invest in infrastructure and so look to increase the efficiency of their spirit runs.

For context – using those figures there, there is currently a British producer who makes between 15 and 22 thousand bottles a batch depending on the recipe and the client needs. While it’s an impressive bit of technical distilling, 22 thousand bottles of gin made each and every batch from a comparatively small still that only produced 300L of useable fluid is an obscene fact to marry-up to the fact that it would constitute being a ‘craft’ product.

The size of the still had nothing to do with the scale of batch. It may look small, but the concentrated dosage makes for a completely different reality once you look at the wider process and what happens thereafter.

If you measure the batch size in either fluid off the still or in finished bottle equivalent, this Single vs Multi-shot process dilemma makes deciding what number is appropriate very tricky, and it can disproportionately favour one style of production or the other and more inopportunely for those who peddle these messages, certain types of producers with specific agendas from which they look their best. Meanwhile, those who create separate distillates to then blend together become nigh on impossible to police.

For those who would like to go the American way and don’t look at batch size but focus on yearly output only – this is equally fraught with issues. Mostly, it is punitive for those doing well. Isn’t the point of all of this to build successful thriving businesses?

Capping someone to a level of culturally acceptable achievement and then handicapping them thereafter seems more of a punishment and less a celebration of decent products performing well. Especially as for most who reach that threshold in the US, nothing will have changed in the way they make a product – they will either have got an additional still, or finally pushed the distillery to its actual capacity, as opposed to when they start, where most only distil once or twice a week. It’s nonsensical in every way.

Bombay Sapphire kills the argument that small equates to Craft
Bombay Sapphire is a single shot distilled product. Their process is literally no different technically speaking than anyone else who distils with a small apparatus, it just happens to be done at 1000 times the scale. It’s gargantuan, but it’s the same process and the same raw material in terms of spirit and botanical.

Their procurement ethics, their sustainability and their environmental footprint however are far more scrutinised, therefor greater care has been taken than with smaller brands. With power comes responsibility, and also the financial capabilities of bankrolling a good conscience.

Bombay Sapphire’s botanical consistency, the testing they undertake on each component and the level of research they apply to each element of the chain is far greater than any micro-distillery. They have the same direct relationships with suppliers, just as the tiny one man bands do. All the factors that matter – the endeavour, the attention to detail, the passion are the same if not (cumulatively speaking) more acute, as there are more people who get to apply their entire focus on smaller areas of the process.

The scale is the only different factor and so we ask, if judged on all the other factors involved in production, how is Bombay not a craft product? Surely these other factors are more important than the size of their operation.

Craft is more complex
It is clear that judging crafty’ness is complex. In the case of Bombay Sapphire, the craftsmanship is more easily apparent in the sourcing, the consistency and the monitoring of ingredients, their environmental protection processes and their ability to recreate an identical standard each day, 24-hours a day. That level of precision is, when fully understood, truly admirable.

On a small scale however, it is less about those elements and much more about attribute the craftsmanship of the distiller. How they operate their apparatus and how they, the individual human at that end point on the production chain, define the outcome.

Those who say these small lone distillers do what all of the bigger players do, but they just do it all themselves and so display greater craftsmanship are talking absolute nonsense.

There is no room, no time and no funding for them to put each ingredient through chemical analysis; they don’t have to do the same evaluative process to monitor performance, nor manage the staff they manage, nor deal with the volumes of fluid etc.

While it can feel that a one-man band is the definition of craftsmanship, don’t fool yourself into thinking they do to the same level as if each component had an expert dedicated to just doing that one thing alone. There is not enough time, nor resource to be able to do that. As size grows, the level of craftsmanship and understanding to deliver consistency needs to grow too.

It’s time we all accept that in both situations, humans define the outcome. For the larger producers, more individuals play a smaller but more defined detailed role at impacting the final product, whereas in the small distilleries it is fewer people who share a bigger burden of the craft of making exceptional spirit but spend less time drilling down into each facet along the way.

The craft is deferred elsewhere away from the sole individual; it is different as it is applied to other areas and for each person as we showed above, it is about very specific sets of tasks – but it exists all the same.

Size is not a valid metric for craft
We were once told the difference between a builder and a craftsman was attitude, experience and skill set. By this definition size has no place in the equation. Just as with the builders, it is time we judge the action, the endeavour and the finished result, not just the scale of the tools being used.

For those who say gin making is a far more artistic creation than building, then consider this: All art has craft and vice versa, but craft seeks perfection whereas art seeks expression. The craftsman’s job is to make something identical each and every time. That’s why there are not two Mona Lisa’s. By these criteria, the judgement surrounding Craft is therefore one that is made about the ability to replicate something consistently. This has nothing to do with size.

Another good example of this is Beefeater Master Distiller Desmond Payne. He’s been in the game for over 50 years, and while he produces one of the biggest and highly industrialised, most far-reaching gins on the globe, he is undoubtedly a master of the craft, able to tell if a gin is up to scratch merely by sniffing it.

It is time we start looking at scale in a different way and accept that just like building cathedrals or creating monolithic sculptures, it is possible to make something big and bring in the kind of personnel, procedure and integrity that can in the right circumstances be considered Craft with a capital C.

Pepper is a spice that originated from southwest India and has been the world's most traded spice. Pepper grows on a flowering vine and the different colours (except pink) are variously aged peppercorns from the same plant. White pepper is the ripened fruit, green pepper is the dried unripe fruit whilst black pepper is the boiled then dried fruit. It appears within Greek and Roman literature and was a highly sought-after spice trading for large sums of money. Pliny the Elder complained that the pepper trade was draining the Roman Empire of 50m sesterces every year! The Southern Arabia traders fabricated stories around this spice in order to protect their monopoly and profitable business. Stories included monsters, clashing rocks and falling of the ends of the earth, who in their right mind would want to undertake such a perilous journey? In the mediaeval times Italian city states like Genoa and Venice started to trade with those using the Silk Road, however pepper remained the most expensive commodity and the terms 'peppercorn rent' and 'pepper expensive' came into being. It was the 'Golden era of discovery' that broke this strangle hold. Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh opened new trade routes and it became more available to the everyday citizen. Giving someone a single peppercorn was the symbol of friendship and trust.

Pepper contains the compound limonene within it, a flavour also found in citrus and herbs. This is why it is a popular ingredient in both food and gin.

Explorer's Gin can now be found at Wilton House Café which is now being run by the wonderful Ministry of Food Hampshire family. On entering the Café to deliver the stock my nose was overwhelmed by the wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen, unfortunately there was nothing to sample but seeing the menu and discussing their ideas this is going to be an exploration of culinary delights. We can't wait to go back when it formally opens 07^th April.

Ringwood is an old town that dates to 961 and its original name was Rimucwuda meaning 'town next to the wood'. This most likely refers to the New Forest. New Forest wines is run by a wonderful gentleman called Graham who is a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge. Pride, passion and a love for what he does makes this is wonderful place to explore and unearth new wines, spirits, beer, cider and now 'Explorer's Gin.'

To the south west of the New Forest lies the town of Christchurch. This town used to be part of Hampshire but in 1974 became part of Dorset. It's here within the curiosity shop called 'Christchurch Confectioner' that you will now find Explorer's Gin.
Sally and Lloyd run this wonderful shop and the back wall contains the largest selection of small batch gins that I have ever seen! They also host Gin tasting evenings, where several gins are tasted together alongside a mystery guest gin. Make sure you book in adavance as these are hot tickets.
Did you know that Christchurch used to be called Twynham but this changed following the construction of the priory in 1094.

Explorer's Gin can now be found at the 'Bath Farmers Market' every Saturday. The market can be found in the old railway station. This beautiful building was built in 1870 and was referred to as ‘Bath Queen Square Station’, after the prestigious square about a quarter of a mile away. In 1951 it became ‘Bath Green Park’ under British Railways.

The market is full of tantalising local produce including the 2014 World Champion Bath Blue Cheese, 'Moist' artisan hummus and fresh milk from 'Dreamers Farm' 20 Jersey cows. If you love a good scotch egg like me - then you will not be disappointed! We look forward to seeing you at the market between 09.00am - 13.00hrs.

WHAT GARNISH?

This is a question that I have often been asked when talking about Explorer's gin. I believe there are no hard and fast rules, however your garnish will impact the flavour profile of 'Explorer's Gin.'

PROFILE

Therefore it is worth understanding the profile. Our profile is soft, designed to be the opposite to some of the bolder flavours. Both citrus, pepper and verbena have been used each providing their own unique flavours. Citrus on the nose, pepper to the taste with verbena providing the silky creamy notes, but at its core a London dry gin.

Therefore using a slice of lemon will do both the gin and your palate a disservice. 

WHAT WE HAVE USED

The simple option is to peel the rind of either a red grapefruit or orange, ensuring both are not the waxed options (super markets often wax their fruit). Then slice the peel into thin strips, twirl and quickly warm into shape over heat.

The heat will release some of the oils within the rind, enhancing the profile of the gin. Dehydrated grapefruit or orange will also work if you can wait that long!

The second method uses both the peel with Sichuan pepper. To release the pepper flavour is easy, heat them in a frying pan then take of the heat. These feisty peppers with the orange will bring your gin and tonic to new heights.  

By knowing the botanicals used in a gin, choose the garnish that you think will complement or enhance those ingredients. Enjoy and have fun.

Explorer's Gin launched at the Salisbury Christmas Market 2018. The first two batches of 180 bottles were sold within two days, much faster than anticipated. In total 17 batches were completed. Local support and feedback were fantastic. We are grateful to everyone who came to see us and you can now order online or see us every Friday night at Downton Brewery.