The history of distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, and England is steeped in rich tradition. “The water of life” has its own folklore, both religious and rebellious. For centuries, distilleries provided illicit yet vital income for impoverished rural communities across the country, as well as an indulgent drink for the English aristocracy. The rich history of producing whiskey, gin, and more stretches from their humble origins as monastic “panaceas” to the revered practice everyone knows today. Read more about Birmingham’s distilling history at birmingham1.one.
The History of Distillation in the British Isles
Distillation, in its more rudimentary form, has been present in Great Britain and Ireland for centuries. However, this ancient practice is believed to date back millennia in civilized regions outside of Europe. It was through the transfer of distillation knowledge and the adaptation of ingredients and methods that the art of making spirits was born.
Early distillation methods were most likely used to create perfumes and aromatics, rather than to distill alcohol. The earliest records of alcohol distillation were discovered in Italy in the 13th century. As the practice of distilling spirits became more widespread in medieval Europe, it was primarily used for medicinal purposes by monks who produced strong alcohol in monasteries.
There is no clear, documented evidence of the exact origin of, for example, whiskey in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Some believe that an unrefined precursor to modern whiskey might have been discovered by farmers who distilled spirits from surplus grain. Another widely understood belief is that whiskey distillation was brought by missionary monks traveling between Ireland, Scotland, and mainland Europe.
The use of distilled spirits is believed to have remained primarily a monastic and medicinal practice until the 1500s. Between 1536 and 1541, King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and dispersed the monks among the populace, leading to the production of distilled alcohol, and whiskey in particular, being taken up in households and on farms.
On that note, here’s a little interesting etymology. The Latin name for distilled alcohol is aqua vitae, meaning “water of life.” It was translated into Gaelic as uisge beatha, pronounced “ooska beh.” Over time, the name shortened to uska and eventually transformed into the word “whiskey” that everyone knows today.
A Taxing History
Once the knowledge of distillation spread from the monks to the general public in the British Isles, the production of spirits, especially whiskey, became widespread, though it remained a craft for centuries. One could say that in those days, the distillation process was still in its infancy. The alcohol produced was not aged like modern whiskey. The result was a rough, strong, and controversial product.
In 1707, the Acts of Union came into force, and the Kingdoms of Scotland and England were united to create Great Britain. The government attempted to control whiskey production by introducing a series of taxes.
Following the introduction of taxes, the production of so-called poteen, an illegal equivalent of whiskey, began to flourish. Moreover, poteen was considered to be of higher quality than “legal whiskey.” Licensed distilleries, after all, operated under certain pressures. They had to consider not only profits but also tax payments. For example, in the early 1880s, there were only 40 legal distilleries in all of Ireland, while it’s believed that in the Donegal region alone, there were 800 illegal distillers producing whiskey.
Underground distilleries were often set up in remote, well-hidden locations. To conceal the smoke produced during the distillation process, the entire operation was moved to nighttime. And that’s where whiskey earned its nickname: moonshine.
Today, distillation processes have been researched down to the smallest details, allowing for the production of high-quality, delicious drinks for every taste. Naturally, Birmingham couldn’t stay out of the loop. Here, you’ll find Langley – Birmingham’s only distillery whose business is thriving, even if it’s not overly publicized.
The Langley Distillery
Meanwhile, this distillery produces a staggering 60 million bottles of alcohol annually, remaining one of Birmingham’s most discreet enterprises. Located among ordinary terraced houses just six miles from the city center, the Langley distillery has boosted its production by an astronomical 1500% in just 15 years.
Today, Langley produces more gin in a week than it once did in an entire year. And the main feature of this production, its “secret sauce,” so to speak, is that everything produced here is done by hand. Another unique aspect of the business is that it produces gin concentrate for more than 300 other brands.
This is arguably the largest independent gin distillery in the UK, and it also uses the largest still in Europe. Many of those 300+ brands that use Langley’s products don’t want it known that their gin is made in Birmingham. But there are those who are happy to reveal this secret, including well-known brands like Martin Miller’s and Whitley Neill.
They also make Palmer’s Gin and ship its flavors around the world, even to Canada, Nepal, and Ghana. Similarly, Langley Gin, which produces Langley’s No8 and Old Tom, uses gin from the Langley distillery itself and even gets its name from there, but is otherwise unrelated to the distillery.
The distillery uses a natural water source for its gin production. It was built in 1796 and passed to WH Palmer, a company owned by the Palmer family since 1805. In the 19th century, it was a brewery, becoming a distillery in 1920.
The recipe can use up to 16 different botanicals, though there are three main ones: juniper berries from Macedonia, coriander seeds from Bulgaria, and angelica root from Belgium. Other dried ingredients include orange and lemon peel, cinnamon, cassia bark, licorice root, and nutmeg. For those who prefer something more unusual, geranium and hot pepper are added.
Drunkenness: A Criminal Offense
The method of making gin has hardly changed in 150 years; in fact, Langley uses a still that dates back to 1863. Inside the distillery, it’s very warm, and there’s an intoxicatingly sweet aroma of citrus and juniper. Strict health and safety rules are in place due to alcohol vapors in the air – phones must be in airplane mode, as they could cause a spark and lead to a fire.
Despite the long history of distilleries in Birmingham, drunkenness was historically considered a criminal offense and the prerogative of undesirable individuals whose lack of self-control and moral virtues led them to debauchery and crime.
Thus, according to the Licensing Act of 1902 in Birmingham at the time, it was highly undesirable to be on the list of those convicted of public drunkenness. Any police officer who saw such a person entering a pub or club was obliged to inform the establishment owner that alcoholic beverages could not be sold to that individual. And just like that, the evening was ruined.
- https://theironroom.wordpress.com/2021/12/13/enough-to-drive-you-to-drink-the-birmingham-habitual-drunkards-list-1903–1906/
- https://www.theoxfordartisandistillery.com/blogs/blog/a-complete-history-of-whisky
- https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/see-inside-birminghams-secret-gin-13300414