What a whirlwind year it’s been! 2024 marked a series of incredible milestones for Hang 10 Distillery, and we’re so grateful to have shared them with our amazing community. Here’s a recap of the highlights:
A Slow Start with Big Plans (January–February)
We began the year recharged after trips to France and Japan, returning to finalise our bar's interiors and set up the furniture. February saw exciting progress as we installed our name above the bar, completed food courses, and even poured our first beers during test runs with friends.
Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Approvals (March–April)
March brought testing with new groups, our first superyacht cocktail class, and a rather stressful final Occupancy Certificate inspection. After a few tweaks, we finally received our approvals! April was packed with menu development, stocking the bar, and soft-launch events. Despite a family loss, we pushed through, completing our official approvals and hosting a successful pre-opening.
Opening to the Public (May)
The moment we’d been working toward arrived in early May: our official public launch on May 3rd! The overwhelming turnout proved challenging but exhilarating. We introduced distillery tours, launched bottled Negronis, and began prepping for the Sydney Spirits Festival.
Winter Warmers and Recharging (June–July)
A new winter cocktail menu and participation in the Good Food and Wine Show marked a busy June. By July, we took a much-needed (short) break to celebrate our wedding anniversary and regain energy for the months ahead. July was a bit slower for us but gave us time to slowly grow.
Growth and New Beginnings (August–September)
Marine transitioned to full-time at Hang 10 at the end of August as we focused on growing operations. September brought music and Sunday openings, along with our first outdoor space, paint-and-sip event, and canning of our beers. We also celebrated silver medals at the Australian Gin Awards and Sydney Royal!
Festivities and Firsts (October, November, December)
We embraced the festive spirit in October with Halloween events and ramped up production. We also decided to open on Thursday evenings from November rather than Sundays for various reasons. November and December focused on whisky: the pre-launch, tastings, and our first official release of "The Goofy Barrel." We wrapped the year with an epic Christmas party, perfect to send off the end of the year in the best way.
Thank You for an Unforgettable 2024
This year has been one of a big learning curve, challenges, some wins and countless memories. Thank you to everyone who visited, supported, and believed in us. Thank you to our team for making Hang 10 Distillery even more special this year. Here’s to an even bigger and better 2025! See you back from Friday 3rd January 2025!