Grandad Jacks Craft Distillery is an award winning distillery focusing on local products, based in Miami on the Gold Coast.
The father and son duo started what is now a world recognised distillery in 2018 with a vision for an old workshop and a story to tell…
“We built the distillery for one reason and that was to tell the story of my grandfather, Luke’s great grandfathers life. We are storytellers that just happen to make world class spirits”, says co-founder David Ridden.
On the 26th of August 2018 Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery opened the doors, just 8 months after taking possession of the building in January. Making Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery the fastest distillery to ever open in Australia.
Upon opening Luke Ridden was just 21 years old making him the youngest ever commercial distiller in the country.
The following year when Luke became the youngest commercial distiller ever to win Gold and silver medals in the Australia distilled spirits awards and the Australian gin awards. To add to the quiver of awards, Luke become the youngest commercial distiller to win a medal in the London spirits competition later that year. All this and there was only the two people, David and Luke, working in the business fulltime.
More awards have followed including winning a platinum medal at the US sip awards for their 65 Miles gin and another double gold for our barbershop coffee liqueur.
Fast forward three years and Grandad Jacks has now opened a Brisbane distillery; which was transformed from empty building to craft distillery in just six months, beating their previous record.
Granddad Jack’s is featured in Tourism Australia and Tourism Queensland advertising as a must see destination for tourists coming to Australia and Queensland; along with a solid following on social media.
Director, David Ridden sharing on the financial growth of the business says “We have grown the business from a $0 base to what it is today and now employee fourteen people across two locations with that growing to nineteen by the end of the year. We export to New Zealand and Norway with hopes of exporting to the US and Canada by mid 2022. All this has happened in just three years with no outside investment”.
The plan within the next 5 years is to have Granddad Jack’s Craft distillery experiences located around the world with the core range of spirits being made where it all started on the Gold Coast; and exported to each location.
For more on Grandad Jacks Craft Distillery visit their website www.granddadjacks.com