The Art of Distillation: A Weekend Makers Workshop

The Alembics Lab brings an extended, two-day Art of Distillation workshop to Whangarei this July.

Designed for beginners, this workshop is a fantastic introduction to distillation and aromatics. It covers the basic processes for distilling hydrosol, essential oils, and spirits—including gin. During our interactive demonstrations, you will gain hands-on distilling experience and learn through touch, taste, and smell.

Our weekend programme is both an introduction to distillation and a makers-workshop, as we first learn the techniques, and then delve into uses for our products. Choose your favourite day or join us for the weekend and immerse yourself in the art and science of distillation.

Detailed workshop schedule:

Saturday 26th July
DAY ONE: Hydro, steam and combo distillations, making hydrogels and botanical drinks.
The day includes:
– Getting started distilling: setting up your still, cleaning, sanitizing and post-distillation.
– Hydro distilling. A practical, hands-on distillation of hydrosol in a traditional copper alembic still. Includes plant selection and harvesting, how to pack your still, when to stop and yields.
– How to make a hydrogel serum.
– Steam distilling. A practical, hands-on steam distillation of a seasonal essential oil in a copper column alembic still. Includes plant selection and preparation, packing the column, yields, collection, separation, bottling and storage.
– Combo distillations (hydro and steam) in a copper caskhood still.
– End the day with a ABV botanical martini (made using our distilled hydrosol as the spirit).

Sunday 27th July
DAY TWO: Alcohol for drinks, tincture and perfumery. Gin-making, eau de vie and aromatised drinks.
The day includes:
– Gin-making: How to structure gin blends: Includes a flavour explainer of our hero botanicals, recipes and ratios.
– We make a bespoke gin using classic gin botanicals with a local, regional twist. (Vapour-distillation using a 3L copper appliance still).
– Distilling alcohol: How to prepare alcohol from wine (to use as a base for herbal tincture or fruit liqueurs). A practical, hands-on distillation of eau de vie using a 3L copper alquitar. This is an introduction to the process of making alcohol—useful for beginners, herbalists and perfumers
– Creating aromatic spirits using maceration and blending techniques.
– End the day with a cocktail with the gin and liqueur we’ve made in today’s workshop,

All botanicals and resources are provided at the beginning of each day. You can watch Jill collect and prepare some of the natural ingredients we’ll be using in our workshop in the included video.

Sample bottles of everything prepared during the Masterclass will also be available to take home!

Lunch: The venue is easy walking distance from the cafés and shops in central Whangarei.