You could say Dr. Anne Brock drinks for a living.
But just dont say it in earshot.
Dr. Brock is the master distiller for Bombay Sapphire, overseeing gin production in the English village of Laverstoke.
We talked to her about her background in chemistry, her gin club, and her favorite cocktail trick.
When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor and secured a place at medical school.
I then became a bartender, working in hotels across the UK and traveling in between jobs.
After a few years I decided to return to university, this time to study chemistry.
Having finished that degree and a subsequent Ph.D. ## Take us through a recent workday.
Although I do get to travel, I can usually be found at our distillery in Hampshire.
What apps, gadgets, or tools cant you live without?
My Kindle and Google Maps.
Whats your workspace setup like?
My office is a small room at the top of the gatehouse entrance to the distillery.
Whats your best gin-related hack?
My favorite gin hack is making fruit flavored gins.
All you need is a bottle of London Dry gin such as Bombay Sapphire and some fresh fruit.
you’re able to then enjoy a unique gin & tonic with a creative fruit twist.
Most summer fruits work well, especially strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb & blackcurrants.
Take us through an interesting, unusual, or finicky process you have in place at work.
My team must account for every single mL of alcohol that arrives at the distillery.
This data is reported to HMRC.
It can get quite involvedfinicky is a great way to describe the process.
What do you wish more people understood about the work of a distiller?
The role of a distiller is incredibly diverse.
However, there is a lot of exacting physical work and a need for close attention to detail.
Distilling involves high pressures, high temperatures and large volumes of highly flammable liquid.
They keep the stills running night and day producing every single drop of Bombay Sapphire in the world.
How do you keep track of what you have to do?
I write lots of lists, either on OneNote or just using a pen and Post-its.
If a task is not on a list, it will not get done.
How do you recharge or take a break?
During the week I do regular yoga sessions and go for short runs.
Every year I give a shot to have a travel adventure and lose myself in a different culture.
The further from home I feel, the more quickly I switch off and have a proper break.
The further from home I feel, the more quickly I switch off and have a proper break.
Whats your favorite side project?
I run an onsite extra-curricular gin club at the distillery.
Its good to keep track of other products that are out there.
The world of gin is rapidly expanding and changing, and I like to double-check I am keeping up.
What are you currently reading, or what do you recommend?
Whats the best advice youve ever received?
My father had several pieces of advice that he would repeat whilst I was growing up.
One that has stayed with me is a person who has never made a mistake has never made anything.
Whats a problem youre still trying to solve?
Im trying to work out how we further reduce water usage onsite.
Have someone you want to see featured, or questions you think we should ask?
