Support from the community is fuelling Port Lincoln’s first distillery to greater heights.
After a journey around some regional distilleries, Justin and Sally Braakhuis were inspired to open West Coast Distilling Company – the first in Port Lincoln.
While Justin has continued his career as an accountant and Sally running the local florist Poppy and Cotton alongside their liquor exploits, they managed to construct a formidable team while allowing locals to enjoy some splendid spirits.
Justin said he and Sally stumbled across the building for the distillery and thought their business idea could stir up Port Lincoln.
“We stumbled upon a quirky building in a fantastic CBD location that practically begged for a makeover,” he said.
“With a building we could shape into anything we want, everything fell into place for us to take the leap into full-time distilling.”
One of the most popular gins at the distillery is the blood orange gin, with new cocktails introduced every week to keep the offerings fresh and interesting.
In the short-term, West Coast Distilling is looking into new gins and vodkas infused with local produce, along with exciting collaborations, bottled cocktails that blend the spirits with expert mixes and darker spirits like whiskeys and rums, aged in locally coopered barrels.
For anyone eager to open a distillery, Justin said they should expect to jump through a few hoops.
“I would say master that legal aspect first and then get familiar with the rules, because compliance is key and once you’ve conquered the paperwork that’s just the beginning.”
Justin said the support he and Sally received from family and friends had kept them going, along with the community support and regular customers.
“Their cheers and feedback fuel our passion and drive us forward.”
