Ginposium 2018
The gin industry annual seminar
By the gin industry, for the gin industry
Watch the 2018 presentations from Ginposium online now:
Ginposium 2018 highlights including the introduction of Gin-Note™:
For films of previous events and more
See www.theginguild.com
Timings, speakers & details of this Gin event:
RSA HOUSE, 8 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6EZ
| To | From | Details | Speaker(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09.00 | 09.20 | Registration | ||
| 09.20 | 09.30 | Opening remarks and the Gin Guild. | Ed Pilkington | Grand Rectifier of the Gin Guild |
| 09.30 | 10.00 | Dying to be different (the Ambridge effect). The dangers of relying on locally foraged botanicals. Do you know the difference between edible and toxic/dangerous/waste of time/not worth the effort? | James Firth MA (Oxon), MSc, MCIHort, MPGCA, FRGS. | www.firthgardens.co.uk (Forager for Fishers Gin) |
| 10.00 | 10.20 | Local Flavour. Using science to assist the art of recipe development. Analytic techniques to identify and isolate flavour molecules. Pitched at average distiller level! | Dr. Ulrich Dyer | (Medicinal Chemist) Woodlab Distillery |
| 10.20 | 10.40 | Starting up a distillery! The smart approach. What to do and what not to do, from a team that has just done it. | Professor Katherine Smart & Dr Christopher Smart, | Surrey Copper Distillery Limited |
| 10.40 | 11.15 | Coffee and networking | ||
| 11.15 | 11.35 | Gin categories in a wider world and consumer aids to discovery and understanding. A paper for industry consideration. | Justin Hicklin | The Gin Guild |
| 11.35 | 12.05 | Tutored gin tasting - what’s new for 2018 The world of gin is a fast-paced environment with constant innovation and there have been many new releases since last year’s Ginposium. This session looks at some of the more interesting new releases, as well as gin trends on which to keep an eye. With samples | David T Smith Spirit Author and Gin Judge | SummerfruitCup |
| 12.05 | 12.45 | Panel Discussion: Gin categories and consumer aids to discovery and understanding | ||
| 12.45 | 13.05 | “Well he wood say that wouldn’t he!*” Wooded gin (stored and transported in barrels) is part of gin history. With expanding current interest in wood aged gins we look at the effect of different woods and pre-used barrels on gin production. With samples *With apologies to Mandy Rice-Davis | Alexandre Sakon | ASC- cask suppliers to the barrel-aged spirits industry |
| 13.05 | 14.00 | Lunch and networking | ||
| 14.00 | 14.20 | Grain to glass. Fad or fanfare? Increasingly gin distillers are creating their own base spirit. Why bother? At what cost? What effects on the product and marketing? And the importance of the 96% regulation. | Olivier Ward | Gin Foundry |
| 14.20 | 14.45 | It's all about the base, the base Neutral spirit is supposed to be neutral? Do different neutral products create different gins? With gin samples based on • Rye • Barley • Apple • Potato | Joanne Moore Master Distiller | G&J Distillers Quintessential |
| 14.45 | 15.15 | Innovation. Is diversification in the gin industry an aid to building consumer interest (and sales), or a distraction and diversion from sales of a brands key product. With samples | Ben Ellefsen | Atom Brands |
| 15.15 | 15.50 | Tea and networking | ||
| 15.50 | 16.20 | The American Dream. Gin in the USA. A view from across the pond. | Simon Ford | Ford’s Gin |
| 16.20 | 16.50 | Changing tastes - Classic cocktails of the past and their current day interpretations. With samples | Dr Anne Brock & Sam Carter | Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke Mill |
| 16.50 | Gin & Tonic and networking A selection of gin and mixer options presented by London Essence The London Essence Company uses fine fruits and botanicals to create elegant, contemporary mixers. The first all-light mixer collection includes: Classic London Tonic; Grapefruit and Rosemary Tonic; Bitter Orange and Elderflower Tonic; and Delicate Ginger Ale. |
Find out more about the Gin Guild:
Gin Specification
The Guild only recognises gin styles produced by distilling ethyl alcohol in stills traditionally used for gin, in the presence of juniper berries and other botanicals – provided that the juniper taste is predominant.
About the Gin Guild
The Guild operates as a limited company, with the board of directors being appointed by the Worshipful Company Of Distillers, who hold the shares, and include brand owners, master distillers, associated industry representatives and those with wide gin industry experience.
The titular head of the Guild is the Grand Rectifier. The four largest distilling companies are represented by Founder Wardens. Other gin distillers are represented by Warden Rectifiers. Individual Guild members are known as Rectifiers.
Gin Guild Membership
Membership is open to all (subject to gin distillers and brand owners meeting the Gin Guild Gin specification).
Applications for membership of the Guild should be addressed to the Gin Guild Director General (see contact details).
Benefits of Gin Guild Membership
Networking & events
A key benefit of Guild membership is the opportunity to network. The Guild has at least two formal functions a year, at which Guild installations take place. Both offer exceptional hospitality and opportunities for key guests to be invited.
The Spring Installation is combined with the Gin Industry Annual Dinner. Our Autumn Gin Guild Installation event is the more formal of our two installations. It is held at The Mansion House, in the heart of the City of London. Members and their guests are also invited to join our parent company, the Worshipful Company of Distillers, at their Annual Banquet, which follows the Guild Installation.
Guild events offer a quality and worthwhile entertaining programme and support to Guild members, alongside participation in other events (including those of our own creation), to a wider audience.
Prestige and Recognition
Join and be an active member in an organisation supported by many of the world’s leading gin brands, their distillers and colleagues, and celebrate and promote excellence in the distillation and promotion of gin.
Showcase
We provide opportunities, especially for smaller members, to have their products made available to a wider and focused market.
Industry Events
The Guild organises and hosts one of the highlights of the year, the annual Ginposium. This is a one-day trade and industry conference, with many cutting edge seminars on gin topics, from production to marketing. Open to trade, industry, distilling students, and others interested in the subject, these events have been a great success. See film footage of previous events on our website.
Awards
The Guild sponsors key gin awards within the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). These include the London Dry Gin of the Year and the Distilled Contemporary Gin of the Year.
The Gin Guild Website
The Guild website is an active resource, promoting events, lectures and member companies and brands. There is a members only section.
Gin-Note™
The significant growth in the number of distilleries producing gins means that there are now a growing and often confusing number of gin styles and tastes to navigate.
The Gin Guild, in consultation with over sixty brands, launched (copyright and Trade Mark), for use by brands. Gin-Note™ is intended to be a simple flavour indicator of a gin. It is not intended to replace a brands own label but is intended to be a navigational aid. Gin Guild brands listed to date with Gin-Note entries: www.theginguild.com/the-ginopedia
Category Protection
The Guild, working in conjunction with Trading Standards (with whom a Primary Authority partnership exists via Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards), also has a material role in enforcement and protection of the category. It calls out and seeks correction by beverage brands who claim their products are ‘gin’, but which do not comply with the EU/UK regulations which cover spirit production and sale.
The Guild, in connection with the above, by way of assistance and clarification has already published two key guidance notes interpreting the above regulations. These provide information on how to label no and low alcohol products which emulate (but which are not gin), and gin liqueurs. This guidance is known as Approved Guidance and is formally issued by our Primary Authority partnership, and approved by DEFRA.