Republic of Fremantle

There are distilleries, and then there’s Republic of Fremantle: a sleek distillery, bar and kitchen in Fremantle’s happening west end that not only makes top-shelf gin and vodka but serves it to guests in a space that’s modern, beautiful, and, most important of all, fun. Plenty of thought (and money) has been devoted to every aspect of Republic. Care has been taken with the look of the room – dark timber, terrazzo concrete, glossy, blue-tinged subway tiling – but also with the way the product is made. Here they go to the trouble of distilling their own base spirit, the neutral spirit that’s flavoured with botanicals (aka fragrant bits of plants, like juniper berries) to make the gin. It’s an extra step that many craft distilleries don’t take. In short, cutting corners isn’t part of the vocabulary at Republic of Fremantle – and better drinks for you are the result.

If you don’t come home with a bottle of house spirit, can you truly say you’ve been to Republic of Fremantle? Takeaway bottles are a fine way to make the pleasure of your visit last that little longer. For those that really enjoyed the distillery team’s handiwork and ready to take that next step in gin appreciation, consider booking in for a distillery tour or Gin School, a two-and-a-half-hour introduction to the finer points of distillation (bonus: you get to take home a bottle of your very own, custom-distilled gin).