Article written by Tameson Linsen WWOOF Australia for Grass Roots Magazine #287 Feb-Mar 2025
Paul Reeves was the fourth generation of his family to be a Publican. He and his wife’s Gayle’s ‘Tree Change’ consisted of moving out of owning pubs and other hospitality businesses to 88 acres of land in the Yarra Valley to establish a Gin Distillery and operational cafe that is starting a new multi-generational tradition. Their daughter is the creative mind in the onsite cellar door café with Gayle lending her expert experience, son is the Distiller, and the grandchildren are the motivation.
Producing 6 types of gin, 3 of which are seasonal with ingredients sourced from their property. Mary Monica Gin is best known as contemporary and flavour forward, a natural result of using mainly fresh rather than dry ingredients. Stag Lane Distillery utilises home grown botanicals such as Juniper Berries, Limes (Tahitian and Finger), Lavender, Yuzu, Pepper Berries and Lemon Scented Gum.
Yuzu
Juniper is an incredibly slow growing plant. The juniper bushes that were planted in 2019 are now only hip high (in 2024). While full of berries (or cones) , it is actually the female plant that provide the berry (or seed cone) with the flavour that you would recognise from traditional Gins, these berries will sit on the Juniper bush for up to 3 years in varying stages of ripeness (when they turn purple or dark blue). Fresh juniper gives a more intense flavour when used in distillation compared to the dry berries. Picking and distilling within 24 hours maintains the oils (for flavour profile) with up to four times the quantity of botanicals added than the ‘norm’ to enhance the flavours through the distillation.
Paul & Gayles son started his career as a whisky lover and carries through the concept that spirits need the flavour profiles and complexities that enable them to be consumed undiluted. If the gin tastes great straight it will be excellent with a mixer added.
Currently the Stag Lane Distillery is focussing on striking and propagating Juniper Bushes as a current goal is to utilise the fresh juniper for a specialised gin and to eventually have more than enough juniper berries for future generations.
After adding lots of lime to the soil, in 2019 they planted 300 French Oak trees (inoculated with Perigord Black Truffles spores) and 50 Italian Pine trees (inoculated with Bianchetto white truffle spores). It is early days, but neighbours have started harvesting truffles and it won’t be long before this diverse project produces some results.
The Café uses as much seasonal home grown produce (otherwise local produce) as possible, currently utilising artichokes and tomatoes as well as the fruits from the extensive citrus orchard, Gravenstein apples, sweet chestnuts, and hazelnuts from their young but expanding edible forest. Currently they are venturing into Companion Planting, accepting that the bugs also need to eat and teaching the Grandchildren the value of looking after the land. The farm is also home to meat sheep and 3 poddy calves who believe themselves to be puppies (watch out for their lick!)
Purchasing a blank canvas property in 2018 that had been mainly used for grazing, featuring only a line of lemon scented gums has certainly given Paul, Gayle and the family a lot to do. Giving back to the soil, planting and creating habitat along the creek and now building their forever home – the To Do List just keeps growing, but as Paul says, you can’t fret about your To Do List, your family can pop it in your coffin for you when you die. Besides, the WWOOFers are helping him move through it, even though the list is not getting any shorter!
For more information on Mary Monica Gin and Stag Lane Farm & Distillery go to https://wwoof.com.au/members/staglanefarm/
