Bakehouse Distillery, in the sleepy seaside village of Dover on Tasmania’s east coast, is changing the rules for spirits.
A small distillery, housed in an old bakehouse dating back a hundred years, is producing bottles of magic with a taste that’s as wild and untamed as the island. Welcome to Bakehouse Distillery, where history, craftsmanship, and a healthy amount of sass combine in Evoke, an herbal spirit with a rich story.
The Bakehouse Reimagined
The distillery’s site was built in the late 1800s in Lyllequonny Country. It began as a cosy bungalow before it became a bakery, complete with wood-fired stoves and a proofing room, which filled the neighbourhood with the scent of fresh dough. In the 1960s, industrial food production forced it out of business. The building was abandoned for decades and quietly collected cobwebs. It wasn’t until 2008 that Martin Wohlgemuth, with hammer and dream, arrived.
Wohlgemuth says, “Restoring the house was a labor-of-love–and an intensive course in patience.” The journey was not easy. Between the red tape of the local council and the effort to breathe new life into the abandoned structure, it wasn’t a stroll in the park. In the old proving chamber, however, began a journey into distillation. Bakehouse Distillery is now based in a newly-built facility at the same location, proving even old bakehouses are capable of rising again.
Tasmanian Native Bounty
Wohlgemuth wanted to put sassafras in the spotlight when he decided to bottle Tasmania’s essence. “Gin contains juniper, but I thought, why not make sassafras the star? He explains.
Wohlgemuth became fascinated with sassafras in his teens when he discovered the aroma of the leaves while making billy over a campfire. He explains that he heard later stories of old-timers who brewed ales using oils from the bark of the tree, as well as tales about Aboriginals’ use of the plant. “Ofcourse, there’s the history of sassafras used in American root beer – it’s a fascinating link that connects many cultures and traditions.”
He took Bill Lark’s advice and used sugar cane grown in Australia to make his Evoke alcohol. He also added cherry juice, native pepper and citrus from his garden. The result? The result?
Wohlgemuth describes it as “subtle but memorable. It’s like a Tasmanian forest at dawn.” Evoke, whether served neat or as a cocktail, is a love note to the island.
Wohlgemuth says that sassafras leaves are not only a unique ingredient, but also delicate. He harvests only three leaves per jar and grows sassafras alongside pepper bushes native to the area. “It is not easy but it’s worth it.”
Tasmania in Every Sip
Bakehouse Distillery celebrates Tasmania, a place of small-scale production and bold creativity. Wohlgemuth insists on maintaining this balance.
“In the world of mass-markets, we have an opportunity to offer something else, so long as we stay true to our place and resist pressure to grow just for profit.”
Email or phone bookings are available for a tour and tasting of the first-ever sassafras-inspired spirit.
