Episode 35 – Legacy
Today we visit 1919 Distilling located in Tamaki Makarau rau, Aotearoa / New Zealand to speak with founder Soren Crabb
Soren’s early career comprised a navigator’s role with a cruise ship company, rotating 3 months on, 3 months off.
After an uneventful visit to Colorado during some well-earned leave, Soren encountered the notion of craft spirits for the first time. During the corresponding break a year later, Soren discovered that the number of distilleries, of all shapes and sizes, had ballooned from 3 to 33
With his interest piqued, and armed with a renewed sense of purpose, Soren took the decision to leave his job of 10 years, return to NZ, and embark on the epic adventure; craft spirits making.
He’s still very much a navigator at heart, plotting his course, looking ahead, at times going against the current, but always with a steady hand on the tiller.
4 years in, and the best is yet to come for one of Aotearoa's finest
Sit back, relax, and enjoy Soren describing his story and the 1919 Distilling narrative.
0:00 - Welcome -
0:42 – Show reel -
03:22 – Distillery visits are go -
10:00 – Selling the world’s smallest batch -
14:27 – Research and Development -
17:36 – Soren’s view of the 3 cash drivers -
19:47 – Darkest hour; NZ has shut down -
23:05 – Branding challenges and Distribution -
29:20 – 4 years in, biggest challenge -
34:32 – The Kiwiana range -
41:10 – Future plans -
44:36 – Plotting against the COVID tide
46:48 – Soren’s 5 tips
53:36 – Glamorous? Yeah …right…
55:07 – 10Sixty and closing remarks
Be bold. Enjoy yourself. Let’s create a new gin narrative.
Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores
Additional Podcast Reference Links
1919 Distilling website
Soren Crabb contact
Host: Marcel Thompson
@stillmagicway [email protected]
Guest contributor: Soren Crabb
Voiceovers: Jules Brooke.
Contact here Jules Brooke
Editor: Dave Stokes.
Contact here Author2Audio
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Still Magic
Hosted by award winning gin distiller and educator Marcel Thompson, the Still Magic podcast provides insights concerning gin making, gin producing, gin distilling, gin manufacturing, gin commercialising, gin tasting, gin drinking gin steeping and everything else in between.
Each podcast episode brings gin's centuries-long history to life in a contemporary setting, season by season. This includes assessing an array of different gins in efforts to determine what makes a great gin.
Local and international distillers share their insights as well. You'll receive a rare glimpse into the energy, passion, and desire that manifests itself as wonderful products people enjoy worldwide.
Collective experiences from episode guests will show that the following principles are as applicable to a gin making journey as any other new, exciting, or challenging endeavour
- Simplicity is best;
- Less is more;
- Inexperience is no barrier to success.
Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative...