It was founded by co-owners Alex Carr, who goes by Doof, and Sam Rudolph, whose nickname is Noodles, who wanted to create quality craft beer and spirits that are exciting, adventurous, and approachable.
Recently, Noodledoof introduced a new spirit to its lineup: Koroit Gin. Collaborating with local Aboriginal co-operative, Worn Gundidj, Koroit Gin owes its unique flavour profile to native botanicals such as correa alba, lemon myrtle, and mountain pepper.
In 2022, Noodledoof’s Koroit Gin was awarded gold medals by both the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and Tasting Australia.
We spoke with Carr about what makes this gin so special.
Give us the elevator pitch, what is Noodledoof Koroit Gin?
Koroitj (Tower Hill), is a dormant volcano that’s a short drive from our distillery and serves as inspiration for our gin. We distill our Koroit Gin using native botanicals such as correa alba (hand-picked from inside the volcanic crater), mountain pepper from the Otway Ranges and lemon myrtle. We then blend our botanical mix with juniper, coriander, oranges and fresh lemon.
Who are you and what are you all about?
Noodledoof is a craft brewery and distillery located in Koroit, Victoria. We’ve been working directly with Worn Gundidj, the Aborginal co-operative in Warrnambool, since the start of our distilled spirits journey. They’ve provided great insight into what botanicals are growing around us that we can use in both our spirits and beers. We opened in November 2019, but we weren’t prepared for the issues we’d face in the months ahead, and the following year proved to be a difficult time full of challenges and opportunities. We relied on the strong community connections we’d already made, and one of those was with Worn Gundidj, who’s kept us motivated to showcase local ingredients from the great part of the country we live in.
What excites you about this project?
We love working with Worn Gundidj. They have an amazing knowledge of bush foods and always have something exciting for us to try. We look forward to expanding our partnership in the future, utilising locally grown bush foods to create amazing products that showcase what grows natively in our region.
What are the perfect conditions to enjoy Noodledoof Koroit Gin?
The perfect way to enjoy Noodledoof Koroit Gin is with an ice-cold Gin and Tonic on Killarney Beach, right after a dip in the refreshing ocean on a hot summer’s day. Best accompanied by fish and chips.
Is it here for a good time or a long time?
It’s here for a good and long time. Being the first gin that we’ve made it has a special place in our hearts: we love it. We recently picked up gold medals at the Tasting Australia Spirit Awards and the Australian Distilled Spirit Awards, which to us means it’s one of the best modern Australian gins in the country.
Where can I buy it?
It’s available directly on our website and at a select number of bottleshops around Victoria, and a couple further abroad. See our website for our list of stockists or ask your local bottle shop to get some in for you.
Noodledoof Koroit Gin, 500ml, $78, noodledoof.com