BY.ARTISANS, a new distillery celebrating creativity and collaboration, is opening soon in West End
In every bottle of spirits, there’s a story. We’re not talking about the stories the act of drinking said spirit often leads to, but rather everything that led up to the distillate being made in the first place. BY.ARTISANS, a brand-new spirit maker that’s opening in West End at the end of the month, is looking to be equal parts storyteller and distillery by celebrating the heritage, artistry and communities that help bring its products to life.
“We set our sights on trying to create a brand that wasn’t your typical spirits distillery and break the preconceptions of what a distillery is,” says Alexander Lotersztain, BY.ARTISANS co-owner and founder of multi-disciplinary design studio Derlot. “We wanted to create a lifestyle brand. While the main driver is the spirits, it will grow in all sorts of directions – from fashion to other lifestyle opportunities – dictated by the type of collaborators we work with.”
Alex, alongside fellow co-owners Ginn Lai, Hisatake Kamori and Alex Bell, will be opening BY.ARTISANS’ flagship venue on Thursday November 28 in the Jane Street space previously occupied by Brisbane Distillery. Alex is leading the interior-design effort, which aims to flip the script on the conventional distillery look.
“Our main drive is to create a venue that doesn’t look like a distillery,” explains Alex. “We want to create a place that feels like a spa or a place where guests can seek refuge and relax – a place that works nicely during the day but also transforms into a very intimate space at night.”
The team is looking to achieve this by crafting distinct zones for visitors to explore, with the venue not only featuring a distillery space, but also a cafe and bar, a retail portion, an events space, and a blending table. Alex will be melding a palette of light textures and stainless steel with biophilic design principles, filling the space with greenery and natural materials as a nod to the botanicals used in the distillery. He’ll also be furnishing the space with a range of striking pieces – expect to see Derlot’s Pipeline lounges and eco-Bolet pendant lights, Cassina Roly Poly chairs by Faye Toogood, vintage Philippe Starck linear pendants from Flos, and other bespoke elements crafted for the venue.
Chief distiller Alex Bell has constructed a one-of-a-kind still for BY.ARTISANS’ spirit-making endeavours. The venue will launch with its signature gin at the fore – an elixir boasting a smooth complexity and a bouquet of botanical notes.
“We are trying to create a gin that talks about Brisbane, talks about freshness and talks about our subtropical climate but, more importantly, talks about Australian natives,” says Alex. “There are a lot of native Australian botanicals in this gin, like eucalypt, lemon myrtle and wattleseed. I think it will surprise a few people.”
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Alex is also taking an aesthetically conscious approach to the design of the gin bottle. The pristine white-silicone vessel has been designed to embody a canvas, one that invites and encourages artistic expression and collaboration. Speaking of collaboration, the team plans to expand the BY.ARTISANS range with all sorts of limited-edition spirits – from whisky and vermouth to cane and agave spirits – all made in collaboration with a different artist, designer or creative. “Our tagline is ‘We Explore Stories’, so every bottle will have its own story to tell,” explains Alex.
BY.ARTISANS will also be experimenting with botanicals and the by-products of its in-house processes to create an innovative range of products beyond booze. These items will include soaps, essential oils, candles and tie-dyed garments – all available to purchase from the venue’s retail section. “We’re looking to innovate in everything we do, but also be as sustainable as possible – producing a whole heap of things in a more circular manner,” says Alex.
Once open, the BY.ARTISANS on-site cafe and bar will serve coffee by Industry Beans, before transitioning in the evenings to dispense a six-strong list of signature cocktails designed specifically to highlight BY.ARTISANS spirits. On the food side of things, Alex informs us that the nosh won’t be complicated, but will be of high quality – think elegant grazing platters that complement the cocktails. Next year, BY.ARTISANS will offer a host of activities for private parties and team-building outings, including workshops for botanical blending, candle making, soap making and terrarium building.
BY.ARTISANS will be opening to the public on Thursday November 28. Be sure to follow the team on socials for updates, or stay tuned for an up-close look inside later this month.