Bath Ales has the spirit for success

West Country brewer Bath Ales has just unveiled an exciting new addition to its Sulis Collection – Gem Aqua Vitae.

A limited edition English Single Malt Spirit, the new product offers something truly unique as the producer continues to push boundaries and challenge customers’ expectations.

Gem Aqua Vitae is made using the finest floor malted barley using expert brewing techniques. At 42% VOL it is the strongest product that Bath Ales has ever sold.

Distilled in collaboration with The English Spirit Distillery, the spirit is made using wort – the product of the ‘mashing’ process that starts every brew.

After extracting the wort, Bath Ales then sent it to The English Spirit Distillery where it has been expertly distilled in copper pots under the watchful eye of master whisky makers.

Distilled five times, the end result is a delicious malty liquid with great depth of flavour.

Roger Jones, executive chairman at Bath Ales, said: “We launched the Sulis Collection – our range of premium whisky beers – at Christmas time last year and they were very well received. This year we wanted to take things one step further and create our first ever spirit.

“We’re very proud of the finished result as we feel this is something very special indeed. With the launch of Beerd brewery last year – our experimental craft beer brewery – and now this, we’re leading the field in innovation and aim to keep surprising and delighting our customers.”

A great aperitif or night cap, Gem Aqua Vitae  is smooth and light with flavours of clove, liquorice and vanilla, an aroma of honeysuckle and silk-coated finish

The spirit is a limited edition with just over 100 bottles for sale. It is sold in 50cl bottles retailing at £39, available in the Bath Ales brewery shop.

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Ok… so you geeks out there may be thinking the same as me… How come that liquid has colour? Is it aged in a cask? Has it got E150a? So I asked! The answer I’ve had is interesting, and in fact is pretty what much a small debate on Twitter had concluded:

The Gem Wort is distilled a number of times…6-8 times and on the final ‘Finish’ it is passed over English Oak Chips and Demerara Caramel (with the sugar extracted) is added with pure (distilled) mineral water to achieve the chosen abv and the desired colour spectrum within the brief for our main brand leader Gem – exceptional best bitter.

Absolutely no flavour profile change from the addition of the caramel and it remains a genuine malt spirit.