Ballarat's long history of distilling – both illicit and licit – stretches back to the city's gold rush era.
Sovereign Hill's Sly Grog gin is a homage to the gutsy goldfields women who financially supported their families by selling illicit alcohol on the diggings.
In the 1860s, the city became home to Victoria's first legal distillery, which produced gin and whisky until the mid-1930s.
After a long wait between drinks, Ballarat's distilling scene reignited with the launch of Kilderkin Distillery in 2016.
Today, the region boasts five distilleries, including the newly-opened Itinerant Spirits and Grainery Lane.
Read on to start planning your distillery door adventures....
Itinerant Spirits
200 Lydiard St Nth, Ballarat
What they make: Gin, vodka and whiskey using locally-grown grains, botanicals and natural volcanic spring water
Housed within the heritage-listed Ballarat Goods Shed, Itinerant Spirits is decked out with a 3000-litre vodka and whiskey-producing German Kothe still, a 650-litre gin still and a 24,000-litre on-grain brewhouse.
Top off the night with pizza, pasta, cheese and charcuterie boards or sharing plates from Nolans and Boom Time Dumplings under the same roof.
For an in-depth experience: Itinerant Spirits Explorer Masterclass
Grainery Lane
35 Armstrong St Nth, Ballarat
What they make: Gin and vodka using local grains, herbs, berries and botanicals
Eight gins and two vodkas are made on site at new Ballarat cocktail bar Grainery Lane, with a 400-litre copper a feature of the Gatsby-style space.
Many of the sharing plates on the south-east Asian/Latin American menu are infused with Grainery Lane spirits – think gin-infused oysters and vodka beetroot.
For an in-depth experience: Grainery Lane host a regular Gin Tasting and Blending Masterclass as well as special events such as G&Tea.
Kilderkin Distillery
14A Hill St, Mount Pleasant
What they make: Gin, whisky and liqueur
Kilderkin Distillery combines traditional distilling methods with contemporary approaches.
Its award-winning Larrikin Gin is produced by forcing distillation vapours through baskets containing a range of botanicals, resulting in a smooth, light and well-balanced spirit.
With a diverse range of blends available to sample at the distillery, you can also find Kilderkin's custom blends around Ballarat, including Sovereign Hill's Sly Grog and gold-flecked Gilded Grog.
For an in-depth experience: Kilderkin run regular Distil Your Own Gin workshops, gourmet toastie pop-ups by MasterChef alumni Tim Bone and hands-on special events such as Cocktail Making and Gin-inspired Candle Making.
Red Duck Distillery
11A Michaels Dr, Alfredton
What they make: Gin and vodka
It's a two-for-one deal at Ballarat's Red Duck Distillery, which also has a craft brewery under the same roof.
This artisan spirits maker's premium line-up includes Signature Dry Gin, Shiraz Gin, Secret Hop Garden Gin, Queen of the Desert Gin, Wonderland Gin, and Lilli Pilli and Finger Lime Vodka.
You can also meet the Red Duck team and taste their range of beers and gins at the Ballarat Farmers' Market on the second and fourth Saturday of the month at Lake Wendouree.
Mrs Baker's Still House
What they make: Gin and liqueur
606 Elmhurst-Glenpatrick Rd, Elmhurst
Tucked away in a tiny Pyrenees hamlet is the female-led microdistillery Mrs Baker's Still House.
Many of the botanicals used in the gins and liqueur are grown in owner Jane Baker’s garden, with the base neutral spirit distilled from wine produced on the property and a 100% solar-powered distillation process.
For an in-depth experience: Mrs Baker's host regular gin blending workshops and special events throughout the region, including The Shared Table Heritage Tram Tipsy Tea Party, Botanical Watercolour Paint and Sip and the Gin Discovery Series at the Flywheel. They also make appearances at the Beaufort and Talbot Farmers' Markets with a seasonally-curated selection of craft drinks.
Main image: Itinerant Spirits
