Scientist turns gin maker

Former university lecturer Kevin Flower will be unveiling the special edition gin at the Food Festival on October 19 and 20.

Kevin, 53, who taught chemistry at the University of Manchester, has developed an eco-friendly distillery in the garage at his home in Conwy.

Three years ago alongside university pals Andy Whiting and Euan Noble, he began to develop a unique brand of gin based on decades of combined scientific expertise with their company PHure Liquors.

They use a solar energy distillery.

“The recent addition of solar power has been really important, enabling us to generate more electricity than we need during the distillation process. In this way, we make a small contribution to reducing our carbon footprint.

“You only have to look at what’s going on in the news and the impact human activities are having on the environment to realise every little helps. Everything we make now uses green energy generated by ourselves.”

“We also distil at a lower temperature and lower pressure than other commercial producers,” he said.

“By reducing the pressure, you reduce the temperature at which the liquid boils which is the reason why water boils at 71 degrees on the top of Everest.

"The pressure we distil at is equivalent to about 46,000 feet up.

“As custodians of the planet we have a duty of care. If you can reuse and recycle everything then we create as little rubbish as possible.”