Belstead Gin – A Churchyard Story in a Bottle

Sometimes the best ideas begin with the simplest conversations.

The story of Belstead Gin started in December last year during a wedding shoot at St Mary’s Church, Belstead. I was planning a wedding photoshoot at the church when I struck up a conversation with the Priest in Charge, Rev Natalie West (North Samford Benefice & Archdeaconry Mission Enabler). What began as light conversation soon turned into a shared enthusiasm for gin – and an idea that would grow into something much bigger.

St Mary’s Church was in need of restoration work, particularly for its lighting and general upkeep, supported through its Fabric Fund. Rather than taking a traditional fundraising route, we began discussing whether it would be possible to create something unique – a product that could both celebrate the church and help fund its future.

That’s where Belstead Gin was born.

A Gin Inspired by the Churchyard

Rather than producing a standard London Dry gin, we wanted Belstead Gin to be truly rooted in its surroundings. The churchyard itself became our starting point for inspiration.

At the time, the grounds were rich with apples and mulberries, and Natalie was keen for these to play a central role in the recipe. These fruits became the heart of the gin’s flavour profile.

The final botanical combination contains seven botanicals:

• Mulberries

• Apples

• Juniper

• Ginger

• Cassia bark

• Rosemary

• Orris root

The gin opens with ripe mulberry and apple sweetness, followed by gentle juniper and warming spice from ginger and cassia bark. The finish is lifted with aromatic rosemary and the earthy juniper.

– A literal taste of the churchyard itself.

Designing a Bottle with Meaning

All design work for Belstead Gin was created by us. From the beginning, it was important that the bottle told the same story as the liquid inside.

The church itself had to be the centrepiece. A photograph of St Mary’s Church was used on the front of the label, anchoring the gin visually to its home.

Another important feature of the design is the inclusion of three medieval brass figures:
John Goldingham and his wives, Jane Louthe and Thomasine of Benningham Hall. These memorial brasses are among the church’s most distinctive features and form part of its historic identity.

The figures appear through the bottle when viewed from certain angles, creating a subtle magnification effect through the spirit. This layered design allows the bottle to reveal different details depending on how it is held and viewed – much like the church itself reveals its character over time.

The result is a bottle that doesn’t just hold gin, but carries the story of the place it represents.

Traditional Methods, Unexpected Results

Belstead Gin is produced using traditional distillation methods in a pot still. However, one of the most distinctive aspects of the gin came about unintentionally.

To intensify the apple character, the spirit was macerated in dried apples for several days after distillation. At the time, there was no intention to create a coloured spirit – the goal was purely flavour enhancement.

During filtration and bottling, it became clear that the dried apples had imparted a natural golden-yellow hue to the liquid. What began as a flavour decision unexpectedly shaped the visual identity of the gin as well.

Test samples were given and we all agreed that the colour worked beautifully with the bottle design and complemented the rustic, heritage feel of the church. It also amplified the perception of sweetness from the fruit profile.

What started as an unplanned result became one of the gin’s most recognisable features – proof that sometimes the best outcomes come from letting the process guide you.

A Gin with Purpose

Belstead Gin is more than just a bespoke spirit. Every bottle sold contributes directly to the Fabric Fund at St Mary’s Church, helping to fund restoration work.

Already, proceeds from the gin have been used to repair and replace the church’s lighting, improving both its usability and long-term preservation. It has also become something of a local talking point around Ipswich – a product that blends history, community and craft into a single bottle.

From Conversation to Creation

The journey of Belstead Gin shows how something meaningful can grow from an informal conversation. A shared love of gin led to a product that now supports a historic building and brings people together over something tangible and enjoyable.

At Nowé Spirits, this is exactly the kind of project we love to be involved in: creating spirits that tell real stories and serve real purposes, not just filling shelves.

Belstead Gin stands as a reminder that collaboration, creativity and a willingness to try something different can produce something truly special.