How can you combine social media with one of Scotland’s oldest traditions, distilling? Edinburgh Gin has the answer. Edinburgh Gin is celebrating the Edinburgh International Science Festival (1-16 April) with ‘Distilling Live’, a live gin distilling with recipes crowdsourced from three social media platforms.
The world’s first and Europe’s biggest science festival invites audiences to Get Connected this year as it explores what it means to live in the Information Age. This digital connection and the festival’s programme strand, ‘Sociable Science’ provided inspiration for Edinburgh Gin to devise an innovative distilling event connecting science with social media.
In what is believed to be a first in gin-making, ‘Distilling Live’ will see Edinburgh Gin create three new, small batch gins using the recipes crowdsourced from each social media platform.
The campaign to crowdsource the botanicals used in the recipes starts on Monday 13th March. Gin-lovers will be able to vote for their favourite botanicals via Edinburgh Gin’s social media accounts. Voting will start on Edinburgh Gin’s Facebook page and last for 7 days before moving onto Edinburgh Gin’s Twitter account for the next 7 days and then finally Edinburgh Gin’s Instagram account for another 7 days.
On Saturday 8th April at Edinburgh Gin’s Biscuit Factory distillery in Leith, ticket holders will see, first-hand, Head Distiller at Edinburgh Gin, David Wilkinson create three new crowdsourced gins during this live distilling, streamed on social media.
During the event, David Wilkinson will give a comprehensive overview of the science of distillation and host a tutored tasting of Edinburgh’s Gin range, before giving the live audience the chance to sample the specially created gins once the distillation process is complete. The event will be live streamed through Edinburgh Gin’s Facebook page.
David Wilkinson, Head Distiller at Edinburgh Gin said:
“The distillery team is excited to see what the final recipes will be and what people’s preferences are, depending on which social media platform they like to use. The live audience at the Biscuit Factory will be able to try all three gins and decide which one is their favourite, after a live distilling of each gin.
We’ll be streaming the event on Facebook too, giving people around the world, a chance to learn more about the science behind distilling and feel a connection to the event at the Edinburgh International Science Festival.”
Neil Boyd, Commercial Director for Ian Macleod Distillers, owners of Edinburgh Gin, said:
“Edinburgh is well known as a centre of excellence when it comes to science and innovation. We are delighted to be working with Edinburgh International Science Festival, forming a unique part of the festival programme with ‘Distilling Live.’
It makes perfect sense to showcase the science behind gin distilling and what better way to engage with our audience than asking them to suggest the botanicals used in a live distilling.”
Eilidh Dunnet, Senior Events Developer at Edinburgh International Science Festival said:
“The 2017 Science Festival is all about making connections and exploring the ways that technology can help us innovate and ultimately improve our lives. We believe that a festival is not just a place where concepts are discussed but is also a place where collaborations happen and new ideas are created.
We are delighted that the Edinburgh Gin team are putting this philosophy into practice in the most delicious way possible with the first ever crowd sourced gin.”