FEN & FIELD STORY
Fen & Field was created from a deep passion for crafting exceptional spirits. The rich heritage of mashing, fermenting, and distilling grains to produce gin, vodka, and whisky spans over 400 years. Throughout that time, the core ingredients for success have remained unchanged: grain, water, yeast, and dedication.
The founders of Fen & Field see their brand as far more than just a gin label; it is a continuation of an enduring tradition. A tradition that transforms golden Canterbury wheat and pure water, drawn from a deep limestone bore, into an extraordinary gin.
At Fen & Field, they love what they do. While their operation may be small, no corners are cut in delivering the finest quality. From their small distillery in the Waikato, every 200-bottle batch is handcrafted in a process that takes weeks to perfect. Each step is a testament to the skill of the brewer and distiller. Here, quality is not only ensured by meticulous attention to process but also by sensory analysis and the artistic judgement of the maker.
Fen & Field celebrate the spirit of gin, and they would be delighted for you to join them on this exceptional journey.
FEN & FIELD VALUES
Authenticity
Fen & Field pride themselves on being genuine and transparent in how they craft their gin. Their processes reflect the true character of Fen & Field, ensuring every bottle is honestly made.
Craftsmanship
They are wholeheartedly dedicated to the art of brewing and distilling. At Fen & Field, they mill, mash, and ferment grain to produce gin of the highest quality. While there may be easier ways, they choose the road less travelled, where mastery and effort define their journey—and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Creativity
Fen & Field find fresh, innovative ways to honour the time-honoured practices of brewing and distilling. Their gin remains rooted in tradition while embracing a uniqueness that fosters a new appreciation for the craft.
Simplicity
Fen & Field gin is beautifully uncomplicated. Their processes are hands-on, their ingredients familiar and straightforward. There are no secret recipes or 30 different flavours—just the finest gin, made with dedication by those who truly love their craft.
THE PROCESS
Milling
Wheat and oats from New Zealand’s South Island are carefully milled into a fine grist using their German stone mill.
Mashing
Water, drawn from a deep limestone bore, is heated and adjusted to ensure the perfect pH and nutrient balance. The heated water is then pumped into the mash tun and blended with the grain. The temperature is precisely controlled to activate the natural enzymes in the grain, breaking down starch into fermentable sugars. The resulting sweet liquid is called wort.
Fermentation
The hot wort is cooled and transferred into a fermenter along with a specific Belgian yeast strain. This yeast ferments cleanly, preserving the grain’s flavour. Over 3–4 days, the yeast consumes all the sugars in the wort, creating a moderately alcoholic liquid (8–9% ABV) known as distiller’s beer or wash.
Distillation
The wash is distilled three times to create gin. The first distillation, the stripping run, removes the alcohol from the wash. The second, the spirit run, produces a high-purity alcohol, giving the gin its rich depth of flavour. The third distillation, the gin run, infuses the premium spirit with botanicals such as citrus, juniper, coriander, angelica, and liquorice, resulting in an exceptionally strong gin at approximately 75% ABV.
Tempering & Bottling
At 75% ABV, the gin is far too strong for typical use. Filtered water is added to temper the spirit to its bottling strength of 43% ABV. The finished gin is then filtered and bottled, ready for you to savour.