Hoochery Distillery facts for kids

Hoochery Distillery is a special farm-based business in Kununurra, Western Australia. It was started by Raymond Bernard "Spike" Dessert III. This distillery makes different kinds of spirits, like rum, gin, and whiskey. It's known for being the oldest legal distillery that has been working continuously in Western Australia.

History of Hoochery Distillery

Raymond Bernard "Spike" Dessert III first started a farm business called R.B. Dessert Seed Co. in 1986. To try something new, he opened the Hoochery Distillery in 1995. At first, it mainly made rums.

Spike Dessert passed away in December 2017. Today, his daughter, Kalyn Fletcher, is in charge of the company.

How Spirits Are Made

Hoochery rums are made using local sugar cane and molasses. Molasses is a thick syrup left over after making sugar. These ingredients are put into large vats on the farm to ferment. Fermentation is a process where yeast turns sugars into alcohol.

After fermentation, the liquid is put into a special, hand-built machine called a pot still. This machine heats the liquid, turning it into a vapor. The vapor is then cooled, turning it back into a liquid, which is the spirit. This process is called distillation.

The spirits are then aged in oak barrels. These barrels have been re-charred, meaning their insides are burned slightly. This aging process can take from two to 15 years. It helps give the spirits their unique flavor and color.

The distillery's main rum, called Ord River Rum, was first sold in 1999. In 2018, a new collection of rums was released. These were aged for 7, 10, or 15 years and named "Spike's Reserve" to honor the founder.

Awards and Recognition

Hoochery Distillery has won many awards for its spirits.

• In 2015, at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards:
  • Spike's Reserve Dark Rum won the top prize, Champion Rum.
  • The distillery also earned one Silver medal and three Bronze medals.

• In 2016, at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition:
  • Ord River 10-Year-Old Spike's Reserve Rum received a Double Gold Medal for extra-aged rum.
  • Another Silver Medal was also awarded.

In 2019, a special award was created in Spike Dessert's memory. It's called the Raymond B "Spike" Dessert III Trophy for Champion Rum. The Hoochery's Ord River Rum Single Barrel Selection won this first-ever award. It also won a gold medal for Dark Overproof Rum. In April 2022, Spike Dessert was recognized again. He was part of the first group of people to be included in the Australian Distillers Hall of Fame.