Four Pillars Gin has announced it’s preparing to open a home base in Sydney by early 2020, following planning approval.
The Four Pillars Gin and Drinks Lab will be at 410 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It will be located in the 1930s Bussell Bros building, adjacent to The Dolphin and across the road from Bartolo.
The distiller will bring its 70L Carl still ‘Eileen’ up from Healesville to be on the premises, allowing it to make small batches of gin during masterclasses and events, while Creative Director of Drinks James Irvine will be behind the bar.
There will also be a retail store selling Four Pillars Gin products including marmalade, Gin Pig Salami and Hunted & Gathered chocolate in addition to bar kits, T-shirts, gin books and drinking miscellany.
Four Pillars will be working with the crew at Amber Road on design and interiors and will also have some new human resources to announce soon, who will bring the space to life.
The distillery will also be starting work on the long-planned extension to our Healesville home in 2020.
It is working with Breathe Architects to bring to life a doubling of our hospitality space, a new production area, some increased catering options and an outdoor gin garden. Stay tuned for a late 2020 opening.
Lion helps Four Pillars grow
Lion announced it was taking a 50% stake in Four Pillars Gin earlier this year.
Four Pillars was established by Stuart Gregor, Cameron Mackenzie and Matt Jones in 2013, and has gone on to become an award-winning craft gin brand enjoyed by people around the world.
Four Pillars said the investment in its Healesville-based distillery by Lion will allow the founders to follow their dream of building the world’s leading craft gin brand.
“The partnership with Lion really is a ripper for us,” said Four Pillars co-founder Stuart Gregor.
“It would not be untrue to say that more than a few organisations have shown an interest in us over the past 18 months and Lion just felt the best. We like their focus on craft, we like the fact we will be their first and most important craft spirit brand, and we like the fact that part of the deal is a slab of Furphy every month for the rest of our lives.
“We have a terrific relationship with the senior management at Lion and reckon this is the start of a really exciting new chapter for our business.”
Lion Managing Director James Brindley said: “The partnership with Four Pillars is really exciting for Lion, as we venture into new categories outside our core beer business.
“What Matt, Cam and Stu have done in creating Four Pillars in just over five years is nothing short of remarkable and we want them to keep their hands on the wheel, while we offer advice, counsel and assistance.”
Pictured main: Cam Mackenzie, James Irvine, Stu Gregor and Matt Jones.
