Four Pillars has announced a free party in Melbourne on Wednesday 17 April to celebrate the re-release of its Sticky Carpet Gin. The party will take place from 6pm until late at the revered Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda, and will feature multiple live music acts and a free gin and tonic upon arrival.
Affectionately known as ‘the Espy,’ Hotel Esplanade claims to have the stickiest carpet in Australia, having not replaced it for 144 years. The Espy was also the original inspiration for Four Pillar’s first Sticky Carpet Gin released in 2019.
“I know they say the follow-up album is often never better than the first, but I think we’ve done a pretty good job at proving them wrong,” said Head Distiller Cameron Mackenzie.
“Sticky Carpet Gin has become one of our most requested limited-edition gins to bring back from the archives, and I can’t wait to get it out there.”
The 2024 re-release differs from its predecessor primarily through the style of beer poured into the stills alongside the botanicals. Cameron Mackenzie says that by replacing the previous roasted stout with Little Creatures Pale Ale, Four Pillars was able to extract more lifted aromatics.
“The Little Creatures brewers have made a beer that is the benchmark for American-style pale ale, with slightly tropical and resin-y flavours, like Sierra Nevada, my fave US beer,” he said.
In addition to Little Creatures beer, the distillation features a base spirit and dried botanical mix of juniper, coriander, barley, cassia, macadamia nuts, orris root, lemon myrtle, honey, lavender, ginger, and lemon peel. A bag of Cascade and Chinook hops was also hung above the spirit to extract the aromatics in a way that is similar to the botanical basket only at a higher temperature, thus boosting extraction.
“In a way, this is the closest we’ve come to making a Jenever-style of gin,” said Mackenzie.
“It’s a dense canvas of resin-y juniper with deep brown spice notes. There’s a chewy, malty hop character that hangs onto the macadamia nut and it’s a touch fruity with bright citrus notes, too.”
The free party will feature musical acts from local bands Floodlights and Back Pocket. To get tickets and to grab a voucher eligible for one free gin and tonic upon arrival head to either the official ticket page or to the Hotel Esplanade’s website.
