I recently became a finalist at the RegionalEDGE awards held in Inverness, and won a £15,000 grant to start up Dornoch Craft Vinegar!
This is huge news, meaning I can now buy the food production unit, vinegar generators, worktops, digital titrator, racking and storage, bottle filler, capper, labeller and many other bits and pieces I need to start my next stage of production.
Judges feedback included that I answered their questions really well and evidently know the business inside and out – testament to the work I have put in planning to make this project a huge success.
What now?
Chats are underway to get the site identified and set up for the production unit to be installed. Shopping carts are full of the equipment I’m after. The current test batch is coming in at 4.3% acidity and I’m delighted to say it tastes even better than I imagined!
I went to the distillery recently to get some pics of the wash production and poke my nose around a bit. Dornoch Distillery uses open top washbacks in a super tiny area, it was really cool to see and smell the fermentation!
I have several other grant applications lined up as some more feedback was that I needed to find some more funding fast to meet the demand coming in.
Once I have batches underway in the solera system I will be running a crowdfunder – watch this site!
I’m also going to be appearing in London next month!
Mr Lyan’s team reached out to ask if I would like to be part of their “Studio Lates” series, alongside Blackthorn Salt and Angela Clutton who wrote the brilliant Vinegar Pantry. Playfully titled “salt and vinegar”, we’re going to talk about how vinegar isn’t just acetic acid and salt isn’t just sodium and what makes our artisinal processes so special.
For context, Mr Lyans recent Taste Trips video on Highland Food got over 2.1million views on YouTube. I’m stoked that this vinegar nerd gets to share the story to such a keen foodie crowd!
You can watch the video below.
Tickets will be on sale soon!
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