Small-batch gin or spirits distillery
Make a distinctive local gin or spirit on a small still and sell it through shops, bars, events and online.
- £25k-100k
- Part-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
1,969 UK companies in this field, 13% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 11050 “Manufacture of beer”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
Producing gin or other spirits in small batches on a still in a unit, barn or outbuilding. Many start with one signature product and add flavours or seasonal editions later.
Your first three steps
- Take a distilling course and try test recipes, perhaps by hiring time on a distillery's still
- Cost your still, bottles, labels and premises, and ask HMRC about approval and duty before you buy anything
- Develop your brand and sample bottles, then ask local shops and bars whether they would stock it
Who pays
Independent shops, bars and restaurants, gift buyers, visitors to tours or tastings, and online customers.
How it makes money
Bottle sales at a margin over ingredients, bottles, labels and duty. Tours, tastings, gift sets and distillery experiences can add extra income.
Skills that help
- Recipe development and tasting
- Careful, safe production
- Branding and packaging design
- Selling to the trade and online
Watch out for
- HMRC approval is needed for distilling, and there are rules on still size, premises and security, so check early
- Alcohol duty is payable on spirits, so plan cash flow around it
- Check premises licence rules for tastings, tours or on-site sales, and register for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme if selling wholesale
- Fire and explosion risks with ethanol, so check fire safety and building regulations
- Planning permission or change of use for your site
- Labelling, strength and bottle size rules, and trade mark checks on your name
- Public liability, product liability and stock insurance
- Heavy equipment and stock costs, so consider hiring still time while testing demand
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: small-batch gin or spirits distillery
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a gin distillery in the UK?
Startup costs are estimated at typically around £25,000 to £100,000, depending on your still, premises, stock, packaging and branding. Alcohol duty is payable on spirits, so plan your cash flow around it.
What approvals and rules should I check before distilling?
Check HMRC approval for distilling, including rules on still size, premises and security. Also check premises licence rules for tastings or tours, the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme for wholesale, fire and building regulations, planning, and labelling rules.
How much can a small gin distillery earn?
Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your sales channels, batch sizes and pricing, with at least 20 hours a week. Heavy equipment and stock costs mean you should check public liability, product liability and stock insurance.
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Photo: Richard442 on Pixabay