Then in Victorian times an English explorer decided it would look nice in his garden. … Read more. Last year the trust partnered with Puddingstone Distillery and they developed a recipe for a world-first gin that uses Himalayan balsam petals as one of its botanicals. Explore May 30, 2020 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. A magical colour changing gin infusion! Back in early 2016 when we were seeking permission to photograph our Campfire Gin bottle in an outdoor location, we came across Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email. Aug 9, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. Chemical control Users must be aware of the risks involved when using chemicals to control any plant especially as it tends to grows near water. Control of Himalayan Balsam should ideally happen when the plants have grown to a good height, but have not yet flowered. Our local conservation work and partnership projects restore habitats for wildlife and inspire people about the natural world. Explore The removal of the plant is especially important in areas like Panshanger Park, one of the sites we personally took balsam from. Drink weeds -Himalayan balsam. Himalayan balsam » Himalayan Balsam, eating invasive plants -The Lunchbreak forager ... 2018 Gin safari, wild cocktail events & a bonus recipe. This is usually around June. Response from KateBen21, Owner at Puddingstone Distillery. We think it is a great idea! Sarah is the founder and author of Craft Invaders. There is also a gin with Japanese knotweed as an ingredient. Flowers of the invasive Himalayan Balsam plant were picked from sites the HMWT manage, and were infused in Campfire Gin Special Edition No.1, proceeds from which went to the charity. Variations – 125ml/Half a cup of edible flowers such as Himalayan balsam, elderflower or dandelion can be added to the mix for colour and added flavour. If, like me, you love a pink gin, you might want to check out our amazing colour changing Himalayan Balsam Gin. Reflecting their ethos of not only connecting people with the outdoor environment but working to conserve it, the team at Puddingstone Distillery have collaborated with the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust creating the worlds first gin to incorporate a non-native, invasive plant species (Himalayan Balsam,) into it’s botanical line up. Investing in the environment by working with us can be great for your business, as well as the people and wildlife in your local area. Helpful. The resulting gin has a complex mix of juniper, citrus, honey, floral and savoury notes. 2. May 20, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. A magical colour changing gin infusion! Himalayan balsam is a non-native invasive plant that smothers our riverbanks and damages delicate river ecosystems. You can read more about it here. Date of experience: February 2020. How to make elderflower syrup and a chocolate elderflower cocktail. Raspberry and mint gin will keep for about a year stored in a cool dark place. Himalayan balsam gin. A magical colour changing gin infusion! May 21, 2018 . Aug 1, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. It is sometimes seen in gardens, either uninvited or grown deliberately, but care must be taken to ensure that it does not escape into the wild. The distillery donates £2 from every special edition bottle sold to the trust. Hertfordshire is home to a number of globally rare chalk rivers and Himalayan balsam is a … More information Posts Tagged ‘Himalayan balsam’ NEW Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1. Puddingstone Pudding Gin, referred to as PUD PUD, was the first seasonal gin created by the distillery, and was launched in November 2017. Clearing the Himalayan balsam provides space for native species to grow again and hopefully will be pollinated by the bees that before were unknowing allies to the invader. It is here that the River Mimram, one of only 180 chalk streams in the world, flows. £2 from every bottle sold goes to the Trust. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust are holding 2 balsam bashes on 3 and 24 July at Tewinbury and Rye Meads respectively. The Distillery is located near to the Trust's Tring Reservoirs Nature Reserve and Ben and Kate were keen to support the ongoing conservation work of the Trust through their new business. Explore One of their seasonal gins even helps the environment as it uses Himalayan balsam flowers as one of the ingredients. We have a new limited edition gin that will be doing its bit to fundraise for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust as well as help combat the scourge of Himalayan Balsam from the river banks around our distillery. Explore Owners Ben and Kate also offer evening tours and gin/food events. As with many recipes once shared they are developed, award-winning chief and friend Leona Williams (of St Werburghs city farm cafe) adds a thumb sized piece of ginger along with edible flowers which work amazingly well. Gin Safari with Andy Hamilton. Riverside Gin will raise £5 for the Trust with every bottle sold. Jul 24, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. However it may be easier to leave them until the end of June, start of July, when the plants have flowered, as they will be easier to spot. August 23, 2017 . Ben and I will be there as it’s the Himalayan balsam flower that we need to make our ‘ pink for a purpose’ Campfire Special Edition No 1 Gin. A magical colour changing gin infusion! The distinct colour comes from the inclusion of Himalayan balsam, an invasive plant cleared by the Trust to protect the health of Hertfordshire’s rivers and rare chalk streams. So more flowers = more gin = more money to the Trust. In a valley in the Himalayan mountain range lived a plant, it had learned to compete with the other plants and survived very well in such harsh conditions. May 26, 2017 . Himalayan balsam is a tall growing annual, 2-3m (6-10ft) in height. Another new limited edition flavour launched in November 2019 is our Riverside Gin, produced in collaboration with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and inspired by Himalayan Balsam, which is the scourge of our local waterways, but that provided the inspiration for this refreshingly flavoured gin that balances a creamy note offered by the Himalayan Balsam seed heads with a fresh Water Mint flavour. A magical colour changing gin infusion! This is where we step in. May 26, 2019 - When I created this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. Share. £2.00 from the sale of every bottle goes back to HMWT. Himalayan balsam has a pink, orchid-like flower which we remove, air dry and infuse into our base gin. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is the leading conservation charity in Hertfordshire. Consent to use specific herbicides near UK waterways must be sought from the Environment Agency. Himalayan balsam monoculture on the river Camel, Cornwall, UK. Our Campfire Gin Special Edition No 1 summer gin is a pink gin for a purpose and the result of a unique collaboration between Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and ourselves. If we have wetted your appetite for delicious foraged concoctions we suggest you check out our Magical Himalayan Balsam Gin that changes colour when the tonic is added, or our savoury Wild Horseradish and Ground Ivy Infused Vodka which is perfect for Bloody Marys. In January 2017, the Trust met Ben and Kate Marston; founders of newly-opened Puddingstone Distillery. Appearance . A double victory - it helps remove a nasty weed and the gin tastes good! A magical colour changing gin infusion! Himalayan balsam tolerates low light levels and also shades out other vegetation, so gradually impoverishing habitats by killing off other plants. Sarah - Craft Invaders. Himalayan balsam gin (c) Jonah Maddox. 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