Humber Street Distillery Co.
Polly Checkland Harding
With over 100 different varieties of gin, including its own brand, this gin-obsessed cocktail bar in the heart of Hull’s Fruit Market area is the only bar in Yorkshire with a distillery on site.
Humber Street Distillery Co. was founded in 2017 and was a Finalist in the Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards the following year. Fronted by a row of glass doors, with leather seating, dark-wood bar panelling and exposed-brick walls, the interior has a saloon vibe, with low lighting and wood panelling; the perfect atmosphere in which to enjoy a drink (or several). Happily, the drinks list here is extensive: the bar stocks at least 100 different varieties of gin at any one time, alongside unusual spirits, local and international craft beers and cocktails.
In fact, the menu itself illustrates just how gin obsessed the team behind the Humber Street Distillery Co. really is – as well as being a genuinely interesting guide to the spirit. There’s a section devoted to New Western gins, explaining that this is an umbrella term for a variety with low juniper and a wider range of botanicals, often created by smaller distilleries. Sloe gins and aged gins also feature, the latter of which are rested in barrels to add extra flavour dimensions, an idea that dates back to the 18th century.
There’s even a Fruit Market theme, with a list of gins chosen for their fruit-filled botanicals; a nod to the history of the vibrant cultural quarter where it’s based (the Humber Street Gallery sits opposite, as well as Form Shop & Studio, casual bistro Butler Whites and community café Thieving Harry’s). The area’s former fruit market roots are also reflected in the tasting notes of the bar’s own artisanal gin, distilled in small batches and featuring 11 carefully selected botanicals for a long citrus finish. Created in collaboration with acclaimed distiller Jamie Baxter, who opened London’s first new distillery in 200 years, Hull Dry Gin is created using a slow distillation process, the maximum copper contact resulting in a smooth and aromatic spirit. A quality effort, much like the bar itself.
