Masons Gin facts for kids
| Type | Gin |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Masons Of Yorkshire |
| Distributor | Masons Of Yorkshire |
| Country of origin | North Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 2013 |
| Alcohol by volume | 42% |
| Colour | Clear |
| Ingredients | Almond oil, bay, cardamom, coriander, fennel, juniper, lemon peel, lime peel, orange peel, Sichuan pepper |
| Variants | See list |
Masons Gin is a special type of drink made by the Mason family. They started their company in North Yorkshire, England. Even though they only began in 2013, their drinks have won many awards. Their first factory and shop were in Aiskew, North Yorkshire. After a fire, they moved to a new place in Leeming Bar.
Contents
The Story of Masons Gin
How It All Started
Karl and Cathy Mason created the idea for their company in 2012. They launched their first gin on June 13, 2013. This day is known as World Gin Day. At first, their offices were in Bedale Hall. The special machines they used to make the gin were in Cambridge.
Growing the Business
As the company grew, they moved everything to one place in Aiskew. This building used to be a car repair shop. Their main gin is called Yorkshire Dry Gin. They make it using a traditional method called the London Dry Gin method. This involves using a special copper machine called an alembic still. All the natural ingredients, like herbs, fruits, and spices, go into the still. The company also uses Harrogate Spring Water in its drinks.
In 2013, they started by making only 120 bottles. By 2018, the company was making over 250,000 bottles of gin and vodka.
The Fire and New Beginnings
On April 2, 2019, something unexpected happened. One of the gin stills exploded, causing a fire at the factory. Luckily, everyone got out safely, and no one was hurt. However, the fire caused a lot of damage to the distillery.
While the company directors found new office space in Bedale Hall, their products were bottled at another nearby facility. They decided to find a completely new location instead of going back to the old one. A new factory was built in Leeming Bar. It officially opened on March 6, 2020.
Helping During the Pandemic
Soon after moving into their new factory, the Covid-19 pandemic began. This made it hard for many businesses to operate. However, Masons Gin, like other companies that make alcohol, started making hand sanitiser. They gave this sanitiser to places like RAF Leeming and local businesses in their hometown of Bedale.
Masons Gin Products
Types of Gin
Masons Gin makes several different kinds of gin. Each one has its own special taste.
- The Original Gin
- English Lavender Gin
- Tea Edition Gin - This gin tastes like Yorkshire Tea. Some people call it a G and Tea.
- Pear & Pink Peppercorn Gin
- Orange & Lime Leaf Gin
- G12 - This gin has 12 special ingredients, called botanicals. It is only sold in one supermarket.
- G12 - Grapefruit & Mandarin
- Smouldering Heights - This gin has a smoky taste. It uses beech-smoked and peat-smoked malt, heather, and Sichuan pepper. This gin was created after the factory fire.
- Phoenix Gin - This is a special limited edition gin. Part of the money from each sale goes to the Fire Fighters charity. This is a way to thank the firefighters who put out the fire at their old factory.
Past Products
Masons Gin has also made some special drinks that are no longer available.
- Apple Gin - This was made for the 160th anniversary of The Great Yorkshire Show in 2018. It tasted like apple blossoms from the showground.
- Barrel Blended Gin - This gin was aged in barrels from Theakston Brewery.
- Yorkshire Vodka
- Slow Distilled Sloe Gin - Most sloe gins are made by soaking sloe berries in gin. Masons Gin actually distilled the sloe berries themselves.
- Steve's Apple Gin - This gin was made with apples picked from an orchard in Thornton Watlass.
Awards and Recognition
Masons Gin has won many awards for its high-quality drinks.
In 2017, at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Masons won gold for their Original Dry Yorkshire Gin and their Yorkshire Vodka. Their Lavender gin won a silver award, and their Tea gin won a bronze award.
By 2018, Masons had won over 50 international awards. Their original gin was even voted the best contemporary gin in 2017. Both the Original and Lavender gins won gold at the World Gin awards in 2018.
In 2019, Masons received more awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Lavender Gin won gold. The Original Gin won silver. Their Peppered Pear and G12 Botanically Rich Dry Gin both won bronze awards.
Also in 2019, at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, Masons Yorkshire Gin Tea Edition won a Gold Award. This was one of only eight such awards given to gins from all over the world.
