Most of you are aware that the world famous Beefeater Gin is distilled right here in mighty Kennington, but have you ever wondered why? Well we’re about to tell you.
As Gin became newly acceptable and ‘on trend’ in the 1860’s (much like the 2010’s) a pharmacist named James Burrough bought an old school distillery in Chelsea and decided to add ‘London’ and ‘Beefeater’ to it’s name as a break from the past and as an homage to it’s origin. By 1908 the factory in Chelsea was proving too cramped and they packed up and moved near the Royal Douton factories in Black Prince Road. The move was strategic, as Doulton made many of the kilns in which the ‘mother’s ruin’ was brewed.
By the mid 1950’s the premesis was again proving too old and cramped and Beefeater decided to move to an old pickle factory in Montford Place, where it remains to this day (this is not how we get the phrase ‘getting pickled’, but wouldn’t that be fun). This is when Beefeater really took off and became a global brand. At the time the site was much larger as Beefeater also bottled it’s gin on site. In 1988 the Burrough family sold out to a brewing chain who quickly moved the bottling facility to Scotland. This left a lot of excess land, which was sold to Tesco (and then to Berkeley Homes but lets not open that can of worms again). The company is now owned by French giant Pernod Ricard.
A number of years ago we visited the distillery, before the visitor centre and shop were introduced in 2016. It is a fascinating place. Apparently it employs ‘about 5 people’ which might explain the desolate atmosphere around the place. However, The £15 charge for touring the place might also explain the desolate atmosphere around the place. On the upside, the shop offers a range of unusual gins that you won’t find in places elsewhere in London. Shame more Kennington pubs don’t fly the Beefeater banner proudly!
are there any photos in the shop of 1950s as i lived in a prefab opposite the factory
I believe the grand Georgian houses nearby on Kennington Lane were restored some years ago by the Beefeater factory, for use as offices. So we should be grateful for that. They’re rather fine.
The tour includes a free G&T, and other “tastings”, but I agree it seems a bit pricey. To entice me inside, at the end I’d expect a free bottle in front of me. (Far preferable to a pre-frontal lobotomy.)
I wonder how the gin juice is transported to the bottling plant in Scotland. I don’t remember seeing any trucks leaving. Perhaps there’s a pipeline. Or is much of their gin also distilled in Scotland too? Might make sense to do this.