The ‘Distil’ part of SEIN is deeply connected to some of our heritage. The craft of making Schnaps is a cornerstone of agricultural life in the Alpe-Adria region, encompassing parts of Austria, northern Italy, and Slovenia. This is not the syrupy, artificially flavoured “schnapps” you might find elsewhere; this is eau de vie—the water of life.

An Expression of Place

At its heart, traditional Schnaps is a resourceful and respectful way to preserve the harvest. It’s an agricultural art form born from the desire to waste nothing. The surplus from the orchard—the pears, plums (Zwetschke), and apricots—is carefully fermented and then distilled in copper pot (alembic) stills.

The goal is not to create a neutral alcohol to be flavoured later. The goal is to capture the very soul of the fruit. A true Schnaps is crystal clear and carries the pure, unadulterated aroma and flavour of the fruit from which it was made. There are no additives, no sugars added after distillation. It is a pure expression of a specific time and place.

The Path Forward

While our current focus at SEIN is on the earlier stages of our full-circle model—Sense, Grow, and Ferment—the art of distillation represents a future aspiration. It completes the cycle of using what we grow.

However, we are acutely aware of our responsibilities. In Australia, distillation of alcohol requires an excise licence from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). We are currently exploring the legal pathways to establish a fully licensed micro-distillery that honours this tradition.

We are at the beginning of this journey. We invite anyone with expertise in Australian excise law or an interest in being part of a future community distillery project to connect with us. Our vision is to one day share this piece of our heritage, created with local Australian fruit, with our community.