THE WILD, WILD EAST
Land of pine sider, gin, rum and an umqombhoti based brandy
Upcycling
throwaway peels
world class sider and spirits
Deep in the heart of Frontier country, a modern day pioneering spirit is taking hold. Way back in 1865, one Charles Purdon noticed a row of floating pineapple tops on the window sill at his local barber, a chance occurrence that would eventually become the South African pineapple industry. 150 years down that Eastern Cape track and a group of good friends are intrigued by a similar opportunity; one also involving surplus pineapple products, lots of sunshine and ground breaking changes in the local community.
The Spirit
of the Eastern Cape
As unpretentious as the farmers and their campfires who have dotted these hillsides for generations, each of our products has a local story to tell and a global audience waiting to hear it.
Premium
pine products
for the people
What do you get when you cross 4th generation Lower Albany farmers with the Dean of Science at Rhodes University? Uncomplicated, unpretentious, world class chemistry reflecting some of this world’s most exquisite landscapes.
Local
Our distillery sits on a working pineapple farm, deep in Frontier Country bush, where the main threat to crops remain Kudu, Nyala and Ngulube (wild boar). Our partners have tendered this soil for generations, our production team are hand picked from the most adventurous of the local Chemistry department and our sales force know the valley and its stories inside out.
Sustainable
We use throwaway pineapple peels; pressed, fermented and distilled using a newly installed solar farm, which will eventually power the whole farm. We also use upcycled glass as the basis for our packaging with big plans to convert pineapple top waste into vegan leather. In this way Frontiersman will focus on the protection of the Eastern Cape’s natural beauty above commercial profit.
Premium
Alchemy, artistry, science and recreation. Using only the best yeast available, Professor Tony Booth heads up a distillery team intent on crafting ultra premium gin and rum from locally sourced pine. Distilled in small batches, some of it old port barrel matured and then blended, these are products that would be at home in any premium lounge or bar worldwide. Telling their own story of course.