Bosman gets into the spirit of crafting a good drink
INLSA
37621.06.2012Senior training lecturer and founder of Distillique Gert Bosman, shares his views about the store he runs at Centurion, Johannesburg.Picture: Itumeleng English
CAILEIGH RAMSAY and BRENDAN ROANE
brendan.roane@inl.co.za
HE NOW experiments with concoctions like chilli and chocolate vodka, and even biltong flavours, but a local craft distiller began his career by illegally making booze at university.
Gert Bosman is the owner of Distillique, a distillery supply and training business in Hennops Park, Centurion that he started three years ago.
Distilling is the process of turning alcoholic liquids into ones with a higher alcohol content and different flavours, for example distilling wine into brandy.
Bosman claims the combination of boredom with retirement and a passion for distilling alcohol persuaded him to investigate the possibility of distilling from home.
04721.06.2012Senior training lecturer and founder of Distillique Gert Bosman, shares his views about the store he runs at Centurion, Johannesburg.Picture: Itumeleng English
INLSA
“Apart from my wife, my two passions in life are distilling and creating opportunities,” Bosman says.
He says his friends began asking him how to distil different kinds of alcohol and, in particular, mampoer.
He was repeatedly told this process was illegal, until he obtained legal advice. After some investigation, it was found that it was possible for him to acquire a permit that would allow him to distil alcohol at home. However, the process still proved to be a complicated one, Bosman describing it as “awkward”.
The difficulty of this process prompted him to write an 11-page instructional booklet on it, which he distributed to friends.
Eventually, he posted this booklet online as an e-book with the hope of selling it which, to his surprise, he did. Bosman followed this with a DIY guide to distilling and instructions on how to build a still. He later began offering courses on distilling alcohol.
The expansion of his business necessitated moving his business from his study to his garage and even his daughter’s ballet studio, before settling at a shop in Centurion.
An art: Gert Bosman, founder of Distillique in Centurion, shows off a copper still.
Picture: Itumeleng English
INLSA
Bosman offers courses from his shop, in addition to online courses, as well as selling distillery supplies.
He says he enjoys “spirits with spirit” and experimenting with different flavours.
Bosman prides himself on the opportunities his business has created for both himself and others, and believes creating opportunity to be an essential process in SA
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He says he loves what he does: “Distilling is part science and it is part art and you can only become good at art by experimenting.”
