It was only a short trip from Frogmore Creek to the Cambridge-based Sullivans Cove Distillery. We were greeted at the distillery by Sullivans Cove Head Distillery, Pat Maguire, who wasted no time showing us where the whisky wash (from either Moo Brew or Cascade breweries in Sullivans Cove’s case) is pumped into the distillery. Sullivans Cove is set up to receive 12,000L of whisky wash at a time, although the distillery only operates a single 2,400L pot still. The whisky wash is transferred to a storage tank on the outside of the distillery to be pumped, when required, to the pot still inside. The distillery is open to the public for tours and cellar door sales throughout the business week and has a viewing platform overlooking the copper pot still, tucked away in a corner of the bond store. From 1996 – 2003, Sullivans Cove distillery occupied the old gas works site in Hobart and employed two people; the distillery was then sold and moved to Cambridge in 2004 where it now employs 12 people.

During those two or more years, the spirit and wood undergo an almost magical metamorphosis where the wood releases organic chemical compounds into the spirit that introduce new colour, flavours and aromas. 

Having followed the whisky making process from malt to bottle, the Intro to Distilling course returned to Hobart. A lucky few who did not have to dash away, were met at Hadley’s Orient Hotel by none other than Bill and Lyn Lark and shared a dram or two with the first-family of Tasmania Whisky.

You know how when you mix Milo with milk and you get those big clumps? If you bite into one, it’s full of dry powdered Milo. Well malt does the same thing and clumps together. Any malt that doesn’t get wet is wasted sugars so it’s important that the malt is mixed well in the Mash Tun to ensure it all comes into contact with the hot water and there are no clumps. 

The contents of the Mash Tun really is like a grainy and cloudy sweet hot porridge, but at this stage that is all it is, a grainy sugar solution. Next, the contents of the Mash Tun are pumped into a Lauder Tun, otherwise known as a Separation Tank. The purpose of this step is to separate the grain husks or Grist, from the sugar solution.

Inside the Lauder Tun, explains Dave, the grist floats on the surface and forms a natural filter bed. A hot water spray or Sparg, runs through the barley grist bed to separate the sugar solution from the grist. If the barley was not milled to the correct size, this natural filtering process would not work properly. 

Introduction and Whisky Basics

My day begins at the historic Hadley’s Orient Hotel in the heart of Hobart, Tasmania. Commuters pass by the hotel bar windows on their way to work while faint piano music floats through the air inside. The smell of freshly brewed coffee catches my attention as I walk in, so I pour myself a cup and join half a dozen other students. We are seated beneath ornate chandeliers, beside a bar whose shelves are stocked with a selection of the best whisky Tasmania has to offer. We have a long day ahead of us but will return to the Orient Bar later in the afternoon.

We are here for the Introduction to Distilling course, the first time such a course has been run by the Tasmanian Whisky Academy. Although small in number, we are a diverse group from many walks of life. From both Tasmania and interstate, some like Wes and Damien are interested in starting their own craft distilleries. Wes is from Sydney and Damien wants to start Flinders Island’s first distillery; he has big plans to turn Flinders into Tasmania’s very own Islay. Martin joins us from Brand Tasmania, a government funded organisation which aims to promote Tasmania on the world stage as a location for quality products and services. Others like myself, are just interested in learning more about our favourite brown spirit, whisky.