Brickmakers Distilling Co., Port Elizabeth

History

Company was established in 2016.

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Operating from a historic warehouse on Brickmakers Road in Port Elizabeth Eugene Coertzen, a third-generation master distiller, produces two hand-crafted rums from locally-sourced molasses. Eugene grew up in Zastron in the Free State and always loved making things with his hands. When he was a child his grandpa taught him how to make wine from the grapes he grew in his backyard. When he was 20 he asked for his grandpa’s still as a birthday present, although back then he was more focused on his career as a concert pianist. The first thing he ever distilled were grapes – your typical witblits. He then moved on to making mampoer from pineapples, peaches and plums. All the while he asked his grandpa for advice, and learnt more about sugars and distillation. Then he moved to PE and got a job at the Spur. Finding the gin craze in full swing, Eugene realised there was a chance to make a living from his passion so he enrolled for a short course in Chemical Engineering. 'You know what they say: if you love what you do, you’re not really working.' Eugene's Rhino Rum is made from molasses, which gives it rich caramel undertones, the Spiced Rhino is great simply on the rocks.

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