Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin

Created by James Rackham, founder of artisanal spirits company, Emporia Brands, liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Distillers and resident of Mayfield, East Sussex. The dramatic label depicts the story of St. Dunstan & The Devil an epic event which the story goes happened in the 10th Century in Mayfield Village. Our hops were discovered as a local wild hop growing in hedge rows and is now cultivated in just one acre of a thirty acre hop farm in Salehurst. Sussex hop now an approved variety gives an amazing citrus as well as a hop character to our fabulous Sussex gin.

The label of Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin depicts local ecclesiastical legend ‘St. Dunstan & the Devil.’ St Dunstan was a religious figure, advisor of kings and a metal worker. The devil, well, was the horned guy from the Bible. Dunstan, renowned for his spreading of the gospel in the south of England, attracted the ire of the devil as the devil had hoped to start a demonic B&B in Mayfield but the absence of corrupted souls was quite a significant sticking point.

So, one day, the Devil disguised himself as a beautiful young woman and visited Dunstan in his forge. As a girl, he used all his charms in an attempt to seduce him; but Dunstan did not even look up from his blacksmithing. Eventually, the Devil's prancing around the room revealed his hooves beneath the billowing skirts. St. Dunstan calmly took a large pair of red-hot tongs from the blazing fire and clamped them hard on the Devil's nose, vanquishing him. This tale may be allegorical, of what we’re not sure. Perhaps it’s an allusion to this single farm gin; dragged by its nostrils to St Dunstan’s copper pot!