Our Limoncello and Ginritta sold out within just three weeks of hitting the shelves!
Consequently, we’re back peeling several hundred lemons. Any volunteers?
These two creations began in Italy, where we spent a wonderful morning learning the traditional art of Limoncello from Aniello D’Ambrosio of Casa d’Amalfi.
Aniello generously shared his knowledge and formula with us. As a result, we returned home inspired to bring a little Italian sunshine to the Granite Belt.
The result? Our Australian Limoncello and its rather mischievous cousin, Ginritta—a delicious love affair between Conrad Gin and Limoncello.
Clearly, our customers approve. However, the lemon peelers are considerably less enthusiastic.
Perhaps it’s time to invest in a peeling machine!
In amongst the citrus chaos, I’ve received some rather exciting news.
The Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards have named me a 2026 Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.
From RAAF avionics electrician to Master Distiller, it’s certainly been an interesting journey.
More importantly, I feel incredibly honoured to stand alongside other veterans who have built businesses and created opportunities beyond their military service.
And that means our Pink Gin is back!
At Conrad, we believe real flavour should come from real ingredients. Therefore, you won’t find artificial strawberry flavouring or pink colouring in our gin.
First, we carefully cut 15 kg of fresh strawberries from Eastern Colour by hand.
Next, we soak the strawberries in our gin for 24–48 hours, allowing their natural flavours and colour to infuse.
Then comes the sticky part. We hand-squeeze the strawberries to capture every delicious drop.
Finally, we add fresh lime juice and allow the gin to rest until the flavours blend beautifully.
Only then do we bottle it.
Real strawberries. Real gin. A ridiculous amount of patience.
William and I are heading to South Australia for our daughter’s wedding!
Naturally, we’re looking forward to the laughter, happy tears and wonderful family memories. And because we’re distillers, we’ve also created a few special Conrad cocktails for the wedding guests.
Most importantly, we’ll be spending time spoiling our grandchildren.
After all, being Nona comes with certain privileges, and I intend to exercise every one of them.
Meanwhile, William has once again taken on the demanding roles of Chief Bag Carrier, Grandchild Spoiling Assistant and Director of Making His Princesses Feel Special.
He’s getting rather good at it.
As for me, I’ll swap my distilling boots for wedding shoes and try not to cry before the bride even walks down the aisle.
While we’re away, our wonderful team will keep the distillery humming and the tasting room welcoming.
If you’re planning to visit, please book ahead to help our team prepare for your arrival.
And finally, if anyone knows where to find a machine capable of peeling several hundred lemons, I’m all ears!
Cheers
P.S Yes the main image was AI generated – my photoshop skills are still under development.
Debra Spence is the Founder and Master Distiller of Conrad Distillery, an award-winning Australian distillery dedicated to sustainability, innovation and transforming rescued wines into premium spirits.
