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Ruapehu Distillery Featured in Ruapehu Bulletin | Taste Easter Ohakune | Carrot Gin NZ

Ruapehu Distillery was proud to be featured in the Ruapehu Bulletin over Easter, as part of the vibrant Taste festival in Ohakune.Easter in Ohakune is always a busy one, but Taste brings something extra. It’s where local food, drinks, and people come together.  A weekend that showcases exactly what makes this place tick.  Up at Kings the Beer Fest was in full swing, and the Junction Market was a hive of activity in the morning that featured about 20 stall holders and their local good...

On Air: Tales from the Top Shelf

Ruapehu Distillery was recently featured on Tales from the Top Shelf, hosted by Suzie Carrig on Coast Access Radio 104.7FM, sharing the story behind one of New Zealand’s most unique craft spirits; Straight Up Carrot Gin.  It was a good, honest conversation about the journey behind Ruapehu Distillery.  From the early idea, to building the distillery in Ohakune, through to creating Straight Up Carrot Gin.Based in Ohakune, beneath Mt Ruapehu, our distillery is built on local ingred...

Coming Up Carrots at Ruapehu Distillery

At the foot of Mount Ruapehu, Ruapehu Distillery is redefining what New Zealand gin can be. Set in the heart of the Central Plateau, this emerging craft distillery is turning heads with a spirit that’s as distinctive as its location; Straight Up Carrot Gin.In a region famous for its carrot-growing heritage, Ruapehu Distillery has transformed a local icon into a premium craft gin that delivers both originality and depth of flavour. Straight Up Carrot Gin is juniper-forward, layered with bright ...

From Carrot Paddocks to Straight Up Carrot Gin

Anyone who has driven through Ohakune has probably seen the giant carrot standing proudly beside the road at Carrot Park. It’s a quirky landmark, but it represents something very real about the town’s history.Why carrots grow so well in OhakuneFor decades the fertile volcanic soils around Ohakune produced some of the best carrots in New Zealand. Fields across the Waimarino plains supplied markets throughout the North Island, helping earn the town its reputation as the country’s carrot capi...

What Happens Inside a Working Distillery in Ohakune?

Most people walk into a distillery thinking it’s just about tasting a few spirits. But behind the scenes there’s far more going on. Distilling is a mix of science, maths, raw ingredients, botanicals, careful measuring, and a fair bit of patience.It’s also full of stories. Every piece of equipment, every ingredient, and every batch has a journey behind it.At Ruapehu Distillery in Ohakune, those stories begin right here beneath Mt Ruapehu. It’s a pretty good place to make gin.Meet Nigella,...

Ruapehu Bulletin

Recently we invited a group of local Ohakune businesses in for a behind-the-scenes visit to say thank you and to share a taste of Straight Up Carrot Gin. The visit was covered in the Ruapehu Bulletin, and we’ve shared the article below....

Small Town. Big Build

Building a distillery in Ohakune, New Zealand wasn’t the romantic lifestyle dream people imagine. It was paperwork, concrete dust, compliance meetings, and learning the language of fire ratings, flow rates, and hazardous atmosphere plans required under New Zealand regulations.When you decide to build a compliant distillery in New Zealand, especially in a small mountain town beneath Mount Ruapehu, you don’t just buy a still and turn it on.You deal with fire regulations and hazardous atmospher...

Sly Grog Stories: Hidden Stories of Ohakune's Early Days

If you’re exploring things to do in Ohakune, you’ll find adventure everywhere; breathtaking mountain views, biking, hiking trails, including the famous Tongariro Crossing, skiing, boarding and a thriving local food, beverage, and spirits scene.But long before tourism and ski fields, Ohakune had a different kind of reputation.At the turn of the 20th century, this railway town became part of the wider King Country sly grog culture. A time when alcohol was officially restricted, ...

Ever wondered why we built Ruapehu Distillery in Ohakune?

Read the article published in Adventure Magazine. The Rise of Ruapehu Distillery ...

In the news

Read the articleLockdown Hobby leads to former teacher opening Ruapehu Distillery...