Bringing creative ideas to life and hitting sustainability goals with it is a combination that no one can challenge in the alcohol industry today. The need of the era is a product that satisfies the cravings of the alcohol enthusiasts and helps in making Earth a more habitable planet by reducing the overall carbon footprint. Walking on this thought, a seafood restaurant has created a gin that uses guest-consumed oyster shells in its production process!
The London-based seafood restaurant chain Wright Brothers has surprised the alcohol market with the creation of its Half Shell Gin. The idea was to find a better use of the great number of oyster shells that the restaurants discarded at the end of each day. After putting in a year of hard work, Half Shell gin was proudly released at the restaurant venues in 2019.
The spirit was created in collaboration with The Ginstitute in West London. The production process requires cold-macerating Carlingford oyster shells in a neutral spirit and distilling it. A percentage of this distillation is added to a gin to create Half Shell. Ingredients like kelp seaweed, juniper and Amalfi lemon are added to the process to balance the taste of oyster shells. The final product offers a savoury character, high mineral notes and a pink pepper finish.
Half Shell gin was designed to complement the restaurant’s seafood cuisine and pairs extremely well with a cold platter of oysters and fish dishes. The gin bodes well in cocktails as well, especially in a classic gin-based Martini. Since its release, the restaurant venues have been attracting a crowd that enjoys the best of both gin and oysters on a regular basis, making Half Shell a success amongst its target consumer-base.
The gin is bottled at 42% ABV and a 500 ml bottle is priced at £28. It is available for sale at all Wright Brothers restaurants in the UK.
I would like to sip the gin while relaxing on a Goa beach. What are your thoughts on it? Tell us in the comments below!
