Popular Youtube channel Sorted Food moves into gin liqueur production

Sorted Food, a Youtube cooking channel that has amassed more than 2.5 million subscribers, has ventured into the world of drinks for the first time, partnering with the Sloemotion distillery in Yorkshire on a new gin liqueur. 

The channel, which reviewed some of Sloemotion’s sloe gins last September has teamed up with the Malton based distillery, founded by Joff Curtoys in 2002, on a new Strawberry gin liqueur with vanilla and black pepper.

The collaboration follows  a visit to the distillery by Sorted Food’s presenter and chef Ben Ebbrell, in which the two men found common ground discussing food wastage in the supply chain, while surveying local hedgerows that supply many of the botanicals used for the gin base.

Ebbrell, a noted gin enthusiast, was drawn to Sloemotion’s shared values of sustainability (its highly insulated stills, for example require up to 80% less energy for heating than traditional copper stills) and the idea to collaborate was born.

“Beyond just wanting to work with great people – and meeting the team at Sloemotion we instantly clicked – it’s important that everything Sorted does adheres to what we believe,” he told db. “This gin was a chance to make an impact on food waste further up the food chain too.”

Food waste is an issue close to Sorted – its Sidekick app is a subscription which provides users with a shopping list and recipes to use up each of the fresh ingredients.

In 2020-21, food distribution charity FareShare reported that it received 3,679 tonnes of surplus fresh fruit, eight times as much as the year before due to the cancellation of events (including Wimbledon in 2020, noted for its strawberry consumption) and the closure of restaurants.

The 21% ABV gin liqueur is made using surplus strawberries grown in Yorkshire by third-generation farmer Annabel Makin-Jones, with vanilla and black pepper bringing out the sweetness and flavour. Botanicals for the gin base include juniper and coriander, as well as locally-foraged ingredients such as crab apple,  rosehips, elderflower, nettle leaf & wildflower meadow hay and the spent stones from sloes used for gin, which the team say adds lend complexity to the base gin.

In addition to minimising waste, the team keeps production local by using bottles made in Leeds.

The liqueur can be used in sours or in a Champagne cocktail (though English sparkling is suggested), but Ebbrell suggests that it’s “best not to overcomplicate things. Simply over ice is awesome…I personally love it with an elderflower tonic.”

Asked whether this new enterprise might offer a taste of things to come, Ebbrell told db that “it’s been exciting to see the reaction to this gin and hopefully our food/drink journey won’t end there. If people want more…I’m sure we can have our arm twisted!”

A 50cl bottle of the liqueur is available from Sloemotion priced at £20.

Earlier this year, Sorted reviewed premium, low-alcohol kombuchas.