Low Temp Chillers Are Just The Tonic For Gin Distillery

The Client –

Oxley Gin Distillery, Hampshire


The Challenge –

Upscale In Production


The Solution –

Complete Temperature Control System

Launched in 2009, Bacardi owned Oxley Gin is widely recognised as pioneering the cold vacuum distillation technique.

Historically, production at their distillery in Hampshire, was done by hand, one litre at a time. Due to increased product demand, Bacardi tasked a consultant to oversee the upscaling of their production facility.

Aqua were called in during the initial design phase and took on responsibility for the complete design of the temperature control distillery cooling system required.

The cold vacuum distillation process is also referred to as a sub-zero process. Essentially, botanicals are cooled to -5°C with ethanol. The distillation process pulls a vacuum to distil the gin from an initial tank. Due to it being under vacuum, to condense the gin back to liquid, Aqua supplied a specialist condenser serviced by a-30°C glycol system. It is then re-heated to over 0°C and moved to the next stage in the process which is blending.

The full solution included:

  • -30 low temperature glycol chiller
  • Secondary stage heat exchanger – condenser
  • Temperature control solution to maintain parameters

The distillery now has a fully automated process, uniquely designed and able to process 100 litres of primary source gin (ethanol) at a time.