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Ex-Wall Street Trader Opens Gin Distillery In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Wall Street trader, who lost his job nearly two years ago when the economy tanked, is trying something a little different these days to make some money.

Brad Estabrooke, of Brooklyn, decided to open up a gin distillery 18 months ago with a little help from his friends and family.

Bottle Of Breuckelen Gin
Photo: brkgin.com

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He brought a 16-foot still made of copper and stainless steel from Germany and now does everything from mashing the wheat, to distilling it and bottling the final product.

It takes about six days for Estabrooke to make a batch from scratch and he claims his gin is better than the other stuff you can buy in a liquor store because it retains a bit of the wheat flavor.

He says the wheat complements the traditional gin flavor which is juniper and then he also adds in some rosemary, lemon, ginger and grapefruit.

"It's made from New York ingredients and it's creative," Estabrooke told 1010 WINS reporter Carol D'Auria. "Each gin has its own botanical recipe and its own flavors in it."

Estabrooke officially opened the Breuckelen Distilling Company (the first gin distillery in New York City since prohibition) on August 1 and many are already showing some interest.

He has already sold three cases and more orders are coming in.  If you're looking for a taste stop by the distillery at 77 19th Street between Third Avenue and the Gowanus Canal.

For those non-gin fans, the Kings County Distillery also opened over the weekend. The 35 Meadow Street site offers whiskey, bourbon and moonshine.

(TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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