Another new limited edition flavour launched in November 2019 is our Riverside Gin, produced in collaboration with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and inspired by Himalayan Balsam, which is the scourge of our local waterways, but that provided the inspiration for this refreshingly flavoured gin that balances a creamy note offered by the Himalayan Balsam seed heads with a fresh Water Mint flavour. The new gin will incorporate the flowers of the Himalayan balsam plant. A magical colour changing gin infusion! August 23, 2017 . Consent to use specific herbicides near UK waterways must be sought from the Environment Agency. May 26, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. So more flowers = more gin = more money to the Trust. Then in Victorian times an English explorer decided it would look nice in his garden. Response from KateBen21, Owner at Puddingstone Distillery. Himalayan balsam gin (c) Jonah Maddox. Explore May 21, 2018 . Our local conservation work and partnership projects restore habitats for wildlife and inspire people about the natural world. Gin Safari with Andy Hamilton. As with many recipes once shared they are developed, award-winning chief and friend Leona Williams (of St Werburghs city farm cafe) adds a thumb sized piece of ginger along with edible flowers which work amazingly well. Explore Sarah is the founder and author of Craft Invaders. Helpful. Explore Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust are holding 2 balsam bashes on 3 and 24 July at Tewinbury and Rye Meads respectively. Himalayan balsam is a tall growing annual, 2-3m (6-10ft) in height. 2. Aug 9, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. However it may be easier to leave them until the end of June, start of July, when the plants have flowered, as they will be easier to spot. Himalayan balsam has a pink, orchid-like flower which we remove, air dry and infuse into our base gin. This is usually around June. We think it is a great idea! Himalayan balsam gin. How to make elderflower syrup and a chocolate elderflower cocktail. Appearance . Date of experience: February 2020. If, like me, you love a pink gin, you might want to check out our amazing colour changing Himalayan Balsam Gin. Sarah - Craft Invaders. In January 2017, the Trust met Ben and Kate Marston; founders of newly-opened Puddingstone Distillery. Ben and I will be there as it’s the Himalayan balsam flower that we need to make our ‘ pink for a purpose’ Campfire Special Edition No 1 Gin. Owners Ben and Kate also offer evening tours and gin/food events. The resulting gin has a complex mix of juniper, citrus, honey, floral and savoury notes. Jul 24, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. Aug 15, 2018 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. Himalayan balsam » Himalayan Balsam, eating invasive plants -The Lunchbreak forager ... 2018 Gin safari, wild cocktail events & a bonus recipe. Explore Chemical control Users must be aware of the risks involved when using chemicals to control any plant especially as it tends to grows near water. … Read more. Share. Drink weeds -Himalayan balsam. We have a new limited edition gin that will be doing its bit to fundraise for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust as well as help combat the scourge of Himalayan Balsam from the river banks around our distillery. May 26, 2017 . Himalayan balsam monoculture on the river Camel, Cornwall, UK. Back in early 2016 when we were seeking permission to photograph our Campfire Gin bottle in an outdoor location, we came across Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Investing in the environment by working with us can be great for your business, as well as the people and wildlife in your local area. The distinct colour comes from the inclusion of Himalayan balsam, an invasive plant cleared by the Trust to protect the health of Hertfordshire’s rivers and rare chalk streams. Himalayan balsam is a non-native invasive plant that smothers our riverbanks and damages delicate river ecosystems. A magical colour changing gin infusion! A magical colour changing gin infusion! The removal of the plant is especially important in areas like Panshanger Park, one of the sites we personally took balsam from. Puddingstone Pudding Gin, referred to as PUD PUD, was the first seasonal gin created by the distillery, and was launched in November 2017. Flowers of the invasive Himalayan Balsam plant were picked from sites the HMWT manage, and were infused in Campfire Gin Special Edition No.1, proceeds from which went to the charity. In a valley in the Himalayan mountain range lived a plant, it had learned to compete with the other plants and survived very well in such harsh conditions. Last year the trust partnered with Puddingstone Distillery and they developed a recipe for a world-first gin that uses Himalayan balsam petals as one of its botanicals. Share. £2.00 from the sale of every bottle goes back to HMWT. One of their seasonal gins even helps the environment as it uses Himalayan balsam flowers as one of the ingredients. Control of Himalayan Balsam should ideally happen when the plants have grown to a good height, but have not yet flowered. Raspberry and mint gin will keep for about a year stored in a cool dark place. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email. There is also a gin with Japanese knotweed as an ingredient. It is here that the River Mimram, one of only 180 chalk streams in the world, flows. A magical colour changing gin infusion! Clearing the Himalayan balsam provides space for native species to grow again and hopefully will be pollinated by the bees that before were unknowing allies to the invader. Reflecting their ethos of not only connecting people with the outdoor environment but working to conserve it, the team at Puddingstone Distillery have collaborated with the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust creating the worlds first gin to incorporate a non-native, invasive plant species (Himalayan Balsam,) into it’s botanical line up. £2 from every bottle sold goes to the Trust. A magical colour changing gin infusion! If we have wetted your appetite for delicious foraged concoctions we suggest you check out our Magical Himalayan Balsam Gin that changes colour when the tonic is added, or our savoury Wild Horseradish and Ground Ivy Infused Vodka which is perfect for Bloody Marys. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is the leading conservation charity in Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire is home to a number of globally rare chalk rivers and Himalayan balsam is a … A double victory - it helps remove a nasty weed and the gin tastes good! May 30, 2020 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. This is where we step in. It is sometimes seen in gardens, either uninvited or grown deliberately, but care must be taken to ensure that it does not escape into the wild. A magical colour changing gin infusion! Our Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1 summer gin is a pink gin for a purpose and the result of a unique collaboration between Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and ourselves. Variations – 125ml/Half a cup of edible flowers such as Himalayan balsam, elderflower or dandelion can be added to the mix for colour and added flavour. You can read more about it here. Riverside Gin will raise £5 for the Trust with every bottle sold. Posts Tagged ‘Himalayan balsam’ NEW Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1. The distillery donates £2 from every special edition bottle sold to the trust. The Distillery is located near to the Trust's Tring Reservoirs Nature Reserve and Ben and Kate were keen to support the ongoing conservation work of the Trust through their new business. Himalayan balsam tolerates low light levels and also shades out other vegetation, so gradually impoverishing habitats by killing off other plants. Aug 1, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. More information A magical colour changing gin infusion! May 20, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. The Distillery donates £2 from every Special Edition No 1 so more flowers = more money to Trust... But himalayan balsam gin not yet flowered UK waterways must be sought from the Agency. Park, one of their seasonal gins even helps the environment Agency plant... 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