Saturday at White Sands Park is shaping up to be another spectacular event put on by the team at Huskisson Hotel for the Spirits of Jervis Bay Festival.
The festival, running from 12-8pm, is bringing together some of the best local and slightly further afield distilleries in one location. The Shoalhaven is represented by all three local distilleries, Old Salt, Tara and Jervis Bay Distilling. You can read about Old Salt and Tara by clicking here. For just $20 entry you can enjoy a plethora of distilled beverage choices with tasters, cocktails and takeaway bottle options. With 16 distilleries on show, this one of the most concentrated gatherings of some of the most skillful artisans in distilled drinks in one location.
The must try gins from our local area are:
Old Salt Classic Gin
This is Terry and Michelle’s twist on a contemporary London dry style with a big bold hit of the juniper balanced out by lavender grown in the restaurant’s own garden!
Tara Blooming Gin
The stunning rich red hue of this liquid comes from fresh rhubarb sourced and grown specifically for this special drop. You will get back palette notes of sweet strawberry and balanced beautifully by the tartness you come to expect from rhubarb.
Jervis Bay Distilling Coastal Gin
Combining the quintessential gin flavours from juniper with coastal botanicals of salt bush and oyster shell. Don’t knock the oyster shell in a gin until you try it! It works three ways, it adds a subtle saltiness from its time in the ocean, but the calcium rich shells provide a creamier mouthfeel on the palette making it a truly unique experience, as well as using a by-product to make something special – something that this writer enjoys doing through the White Feather brand.
Other must try gins at the festival include the ‘Five Islands’ tea infused gin by South Coast Distillery, the ‘Fig Gin’ by Banks and Solander and the ‘Christmas Gin’ by Unexpected Guest.
It’s not all gin (fun) and games. There are some seriously good food trucks popping up to support the event. You know when Huskisson Hotel puts on an event, they pull out all the stops. There will be delicious pizza from local legends Peter and Eva. Pasta Buoy are also there with a 1kg pasta challenge that is sure to test the stomach, not one for the faint hearted. Espresso Boy doughnuts will also be providing some of the sweet treat offerings. Jervis Bay Coffee Co will be there serving their top notch coffee. There are other cuisines to enjoy such as smoked BBQ from Phantom BBQ, burgers, dumplings and Indonesian cuisine. There is something for every taste.
To top it off there is live music all day to keep that vibe going and allow you to relax in the beautiful surrounds of the place we love to live in! Plus there is a chance for education! That’s right, you could learn something if you aren’t careful by attending some of the masterclasses that are on offer!
Ben from Tara Distillery is doing a history and demonstration masterclass. He has an amazing working
knowledge of the history of distilling in the Shoalhaven Region. Ben is an extremely engaging
speaker and his passion for the topic shines through.
Jervis Bay Distilling Co are also doing a masterclass. If you follow their social media, you will know they are always creating cocktails that showcase their excellent gin and vodka range. This is the best way to get tips on how to jazz up your weekend beverage game.
The espresso martini is a modern classic, so a masterclass on the perfect espresso martini is a no brainer in this setting and who better than Jervis Bay Coffee Co to show us how to make one!
Other entertainment on the day includes lawn games, mini-golf and a demonstration by South Coast Tipis. Bring a picnic blanket, make a base on the grass and slowly sample all the amazing options, and maybe a bottle to take home!
