To quench our summer thirst, the Spirits Kiosk team ventured out of our stuffy London office in search for the best Spritz recipe out there. And we didn’t get far on our pursuit before finding ourselves in the heart of Battersea and in the Doghouse…

Spirits Kiosk Visits The Doghouse Distillery

Born and bred in Battersea, founders Braden and Katherine Saunders established the Doghouse Distillery in 2016, and with Jack Mannering at the still, they are the only grain-to-bottle distillery in London, turning English Wheat into a multi-category range of Vodka, Gin, Whisky and Aperitivo.

A proud Aussie, Braden made his way to the UK back in 2015, after escaping a career in finance and setting his eyes on building a distillery…as you do!

It’s fair to say that Doghouse is unique - few distilleries have pictures of AC/DC (or Acca Dacca), Hendrix and Snoop on the walls or have an office decked out with jet-black Chesterfield sofas. Their office may be back in black, but step into the distillery and you’re met with a contrast of stainless steel and captivating copper from their custom-made Italian pot and column stills.

Nowhere else in Zone 1 will you find a distillery set up as unique as this one. With all its kit essential to the Doghouse process, Braden and Katherine decided to eschew the more common (and much easier) approach of distilling from neutral grain alcohol, and opting to build their own grain-to-bottle distillery instead.

Sure, it wasn’t easy. Yes, they had to cut the roof off the distillery to get the rectifiers in and no…it wasn’t cheap…but this transparent approach to distilling allows complete and granular (excuse the pun) control of the entire process and ensuring the best quality from each run.

Distilling in the Doghouse

As the only distillery in London with a fractioning column (and when you see the size of it, you understand why) Doghouse can make their own super-clean, super-smooth base spirit at 96%. They also manage to retain some of the natural congeners, phenols and esters that lends Doghouse Vodka a unique flavour in the market.

English wheat is milled and mashed to wort, then fermented on-site to a clear wash ready for the still. Once through the copper-pot still for the ‘stripping run’ (taking a 10% ABV beer wash up to 75% ABV), it’s then either run through the vodka column still (for their whisky) or run through the pot-still again for the spirit run.

Whilst other distilleries might start with neutral grain spirit, distil once, and filter again and again until the spirit is completely neutral - the difference in taste is clear. The Doghouse team are not the only distinctive characters in the distillery and the brands they produce are as unique and unconventional as they are.

Our Favourite Doghouse Brands

The Doghouse Distillery have crafted some exceptional and characterful vodkas under the Baller brand - with the Chilli Bacon Vodka being the one and only vodka our Head of Digital reaches for. A Bloody Mary? A Spicy Margarita - Rob’s done them all.

Their Renegade Gin is insanely sessionable, deliciously herbaceous and piney with a smooth, lingering finish. It’s a new age version of an old age spirit and alongside all the usual ‘ginny’ suspects, what makes Renegade stand out form the crowd, is the use of green, leafy botanicals such as bay leaf, sage and winter savoury cardamon. Fun fact, the Renegade label was designed by tattoo artist Alo Loco, so this is definitely one for the creative Negroni drinker…

New to the range is the Debt Collector Moonshine Unaged, an un-aged ‘white dog’ American-style whisky (brilliant in a Whisky Sour or Daiquiri by the way) and the Debt Collector Cask Aged, which is cask-aged on-site for 1 year in American Oak. Equally unique, the un-aged moonshine is the only one available commercially in the UK – the fearless branching out into the whisky category shows that the Doghouse team are not afraid to innovate and ruffle a few feathers, whilst the liquids themselves evidence their dedication to their craft.

Unrepentant and rebellious through-and-through the Doghouse train shows no sign of slowing, and we look forward to more releases in the coming months from this London brand built on the vibes of good times, passion, and innovation.

The Star of the show: Doppelänger Aperitivo

Halfway between Aperol and Campari, Doppelgänger is London’s answer to aperitivo hour - and it makes for a banging spritz.

When trying Doppelgänger Aperitivo for the first time, you can expect inviting citrus and hint of aromatic roots on the nose, while to taste the bitter-sweet palate exudes sweet citrus and hibiscus before a finish underpinned by earthy, herbaceous flavour.

If you’re just getting started in the world of Aperitifs and you’re ready to move on from the classic Aperol Spritz - Doppelgänger Aperitivo is an accessible and delicious place to start. Our visit to the Doghouse Distillery had us thinking about all the different ways you can tailor the Spritz cocktail to taste, even when the base spirit stays the same throughout…

Spritz Style No.1 - The Classic Spritz

⏵ 50ml Doppelgänger Aperitivo

⏵ 100ml Fiol Extra Dry Prosecco

⏵ Top with soda water

⏵ Garnish with pink grapefruit

We opted for Fiol Extra Dry Prosecco for this one - this stylish Prosecco has a lemon colour with a bouquet reminiscent of wisteria flowers, acacia and ripe crab apple. Despite the name, this fresh and lively Prosecco actually has slightly sweeter notes on the palate - blending beautifully with the Doppelgänger for a refined, versatile Spritz.

Spritz Style No.2 - A Spritz for the Sweet Tooth

⏵ 50ml Doppelgänger Aperitivo

⏵ 100ml Pere Ventura Cuveé Classic Cava

⏵ 15ml Elderflower Cordial

⏵ Top with soda water

⏵ 1 Strawberry cut into quarters

⏵ Mint spring for garnish

Swapping Prosecco for Cava, Pere Ventura Cuveé Classic comes from Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (just outside Barcelona), adding a touch of Flamenco flair to your cocktail. This rich Brut Cava has a complex nose of green apple, white peach and toasted brioche - a perfect pairing to enhance the floral notes of the elderflower cordial.

Spritz Style No.3 - Pretty in Pink, Doppelgänger’s Signature Spritz

⏵ 50ml Doppelgänger Aperitivo

⏵ Top with pink grapefruit soda

⏵ Garnish with pink grapefruit

Passing on the Sparkling Wine element is a great way to keep the ABV of your drink at a chilled, respectable level. With Doppelgänger Aperitivo only at 20% ABV - you can still enjoy an effervescent serve without sacrificing that sought-after bittersweetness. Match your soda to your garnish and you’ve got yourself a bright, bold and citrussy cocktail to see you through golden hour.

So if your thirsty for some summer deals and you’re now totally convinced that Doppelgänger deserves a spot on your spirit shelf or cocktail cabinet - we’ve got a little treat for you…

Use code: SPRITZKIOSK for 20% off the pair when you buy Doppelgänger Aperitivo with one of our featured sparkling wines: Pere Ventura Cuveé Classic or FIOL Extra Dry Prosecco.

Offer ends 31.07.2024 - so be quick!

A huge thank you to Braden, Katherine, Morag and the whole Doghouse team for such an insightful visit - Let there be Rock, good weather and Doppelgänger Spritz! :)