Ahascragh Distillery, Ireland’s first energised zero-emissions distillery has officially opened the doors of its state of the art distillery, with tours of the distillery and its produce now available to visitors! Find out more here...
Built within a restored nineteenth century mill, guests will tour this state-of-the-art distillery, exploring whiskey and gin production from grain to glass and the history of an old mill.
A key differentiator for Ahascragh Distillery is the company’s goal to be zero-emissions. The eco-distillery is powered by renewable energy – wind, solar and coming soon, hydro, using very high temperature heat pump technology and an energy efficient storage system. As no fossil fuels or gas will be used to drive the production process, there will be no carbon emissions from the energy supply side of the distillery. This is a first for the industry. As a result, the spirit to flow from Ahascragh Distillery can be classified as zero emissions, minimising the impact to the local environment.
With an overall investment of €10 million, this project has created over 20 direct jobs in the rural village of Ahascragh and surrounding areas. The company will also support a further 60-70 indirect jobs through local supply chains.
Ahascragh Distillery was granted €500,000 capital support by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to complete construction of the eco-distillery and visitor experience. The company engaged FDT Consulting Engineers and Project Managers Ltd and decarbonisation specialist Astatine to deliver substantial reductions in the utility demands of the distillery using an energy efficient storage system and optimal heat recovery within the process.
Key features of Galway's Zero Emissions Distillery:
Unlike other distilleries in Ireland, the heat delivered to the distillery will not require the combustion of any fossil fuels, and will utilise green electricity.
Heat will be provided to the distillery through heat pumps which means that there will be no flue related emissions, or impacts on the local environment.
The heat pump design, heat recovery and thermal storage means that the energy inputs to the distillery are a third than that of traditional technology.
The building itself has been protected with much of the original machinery and wooden beams being restored and reused.
Ahascragh Distillery Tours
Built within a restored nineteenth century mill in the village of Ahascragh, Ballinsloe, Co. Galway, fully guided tours of the state-of-the-art distillery include a journey through the history of the old mill and an exploration of whiskey and gin production. Visitors will be immersed in the art of distillation, where age old tradition, meets modern innovation, finishing with a tasting of the company’s award-winning sourced expressions, Clan Colla Irish Whiskey, UAIS Irish Whiskey and on-site distilled Xin Gin. Ahascragh Distillery is an authentic destination for whiskey and gin enthusiasts and anyone interested in history, tradition and craftmanship.
The tours include:
- A guided tour of the state-of-the-art distillery. A journey through the history of the old mill, the craft of whiskey and gin distillation and the future of Ahascragh Distillery.
- A tasting of the award-winning whiskeys and gin, Clan Colla Irish Whiskey, UAIS Irish Whiskey and Xin Gin.
- An Ahascragh Distillery glass for visitors to take home
- A visit to The Old Mill Shop & Café
Gareth McAllister, Founder of Ahascragh Distillery said; "The opening of Ahascragh Distillery as Ireland’s first energised zero-emissions distillery, marks a step forward for the whiskey industry and a commitment to a greener future. The distillery will attract whiskey and gin enthusiasts but people will also be very interested in our zero-emissions technology. This is new and innovative technology for the industry and really sets Ahascragh Distillery apart."
Michelle McAllister added; "Over the past two years, we have watched the building come back to life. We have restored the stonework, salvaged the mill equipment and protected the buildings charm. It has been a labour of love, not only for Gareth and I, but for our entire team and the community. The visitor experience will celebrate the history and future of the building. We are excited to showcase the distillery, the village and our award-winning whiskeys and gin to the world!"
Crowdfunding
Ahascragh Distillery recently launched a Seedrs fundraising campaign which allows the public to own shares in the eco-distillery from as little as €12.50. Following a very successful crowd fundraise in 2021 which saw the company raise €1.7 million, Ahascragh Distillery are inviting more people to join the journey and help them realise the vision for a world class Visitor Events Centre. The Seedrs campaign has garnered a lot of interest, already welcoming 88 investors and raising 88% of the target. The public can now invest for a limited time, with shares starting at €125, and part shares from €12.50.
"We want to continue to grow this family and we are going a step further, offering the wider community the opportunity to own shares in Ireland’s first fully energised zero-emissions distillery and be a part of our journey to making whiskey history." Gareth added.
Ahascragh Distillery officially opens its doors to the public on Monday 3rd July with tours from €15. Book now on www.ahascraghdistillery.com, or for private tours and corporate events; email info@ahascraghdistillery.com or call 0909 688935.
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