Brookie's Gin: How Two Blokes in a Rainforest Created Byron Bay's Signature Spirit

Let's be honest, the world isn't exactly short on gin. New brands pop up every week, each with a slick bottle and a clever story. So, when you find one that genuinely stops you in your tracks, you pay attention.

For me, that gin is Brookie's. It’s a spirit that doesn’t just taste good; it tastes like a place. Specifically, it tastes like the lush, subtropical rainforest of the Byron Bay hinterland, and that’s no accident.

The Story Behind Brookie's Byron Gin

It all starts with the Brook family, particularly Pam and Martin Brook, who bought a degraded dairy farm over 30 years ago with a vision. They weren't just farmers; they were regenerators. They planted over 45,000 native rainforest trees, slowly bringing the land back to life. Fast forward a few decades, and their son, Eddie, along with legendary Scottish distiller Jim McEwan – a man with 50 years of experience in the whisky world – had a lightbulb moment: what if they could distill the flavours of their very own regenerated rainforest?

Native Davidson Plums growing on the Cape Byron Distillery property.

Enter: The Cape Byron Distillery.

That's the magic behind Brookie's Byron Gin. It’s not just flavoured with botanicals; it’s a literal taste of the landscape. They use 25 botanicals, an impressive 18 of which are foraged locally from their own rainforest. We're talking native raspberries, river mint, and even Dorrigo pepperleaf, picked right from their backyard. This isn't a marketing gimmick; it's the core of their identity.

The result is a gin that is incredibly bright and complex. You get the classic juniper hit you expect, but then it opens up with these wonderful citrus and pepper notes, finishing with a unique floral character you can't quite put your finger on. It’s brilliant in a G&T with a slice of grapefruit, but it’s so well-balanced you can happily sip it on the rocks.

Sloe Gin 'legs

A Sloe Gin pour

Eddy explaining how the original still George worked.

Native Botanicals

What the Brook family has done is more than just create another craft spirit.

They've bottled the soul of their life's work. They took a piece of land, healed it, and then found a way to share its essence with the world. Every time you pour a glass of Brookie's, you're getting more than a drink; you're getting a taste of that passion, that history, and that magnificent Byron hinterland. And that's a story worth savouring.

Insiders Tip: You can find Brookie's Gin at just about any reputable bottle shop. But nothing beats turning up at the Cape Byron distillery door and tasting the range for yourself. If you're lucky, Eddie might even be there himself and take you through the range and the distilling process.