10 Questions With: Pete Lumber, Founder of The Spirit of Bristol Gin.

Pete Lumber’s journey into gin started the way many good Bristol stories do - in the back of a taxi after a few drinks. When he and some friends passed a pub up for sale, someone joked they could see him running it. A week later, he’d bought the lease.

Twenty years on, that slightly tipsy moment has turned into a full-blown hospitality and distilling career. From transforming a struggling West Berkshire pub into a Michelin- and AA-listed gastro destination, to creating an award-winning gin stocked in Harrods, Pete has spent two decades turning passion into craft. Now he’s here in the place that the mag calls home - South Bristol - with The Spirit of Bristol, a range of gins inspired by the city’s neighbourhoods.

We caught up with Pete to talk his latest release, favourite Bedminster hangouts and why maybe you should always follow the ideas your friends have, a few drinks deep, in the back of a taxi…

1. What’s your origin story, Pete? How did you come to be where you are today?

It all started with a love of food and drink and a slightly drunken taxi ride home.

I was in a cab with friends when we passed a pub up for sale. They said, “We can see you running that.” A week later, I bought the lease. That was my first pub and the beginning of a 20-year hospitality career.

I went from not being able to pull a pint to running the multi-award-winning Newbury Pub in West Berkshire, transforming it from one of the area’s worst into one of its best. We earned listings in the Michelin and AA Guides and won Best Gastro Pub in Berkshire. Building that business sparked something bigger: distilling.

I founded Lumber’s Bartholomew Gin, which went on to win over 80 national and international awards and be stocked in Harrods. When Covid hit, I pivoted to producing and donating tens of thousands of bottles of hand sanitiser to local communities and frontline services - even appearing on Ross Kemp’s Volunteer Army.

After losing the business post-pandemic, I started again - creating The Spirit of Bristol. Coming home to South Bristol felt natural. Now, I’m bottling the city I love.

2. If Bedminster were a famous figure, who would it be?

For me, it would have to be George Ferguson. He’s the heart of North Street. Modest as he is, his influence on the area is huge. People like George help shape Bemmie into what it is today.

You’ll notice the Tobacco Factory features on the Bemmie Dry label. That felt more fitting than putting George on his bike on the bottle! But in many ways, George represents Bemmie.

3. If this is Bedminster in a bottle, which Bristol neighbourhood is next?

Well… that would be telling, wouldn’t it?!

Let’s just say we’re connecting Bristol one sip at a time.

4. How did you translate Bedminster’s street art scene into flavour notes?

Bemmie is classic, but it’s also vibrant. The street art reflects that energy and colour - and I wanted the gin to do the same.

Bemmie Dry is a classic London Dry in style, but it’s bold and expressive - vibrant citrus, layered spice and a beautifully balanced dryness. The botanicals are sourced from around the world, much like the incredible mix of cuisines you’ll find across Bedminster.

My hope is that wherever you drink it - even surrounded by street art somewhere else in the world - it transports you straight back to Bemmie.

5. Your top three spots in Bedminster?

First of all, every independent business in Bedminster deserves credit. You make this place what it is.

But if I have to choose three (in no particular order):

Cor - The food takes you on a journey. Every dish feels considered, authentic and beautifully executed. The service is impeccable and the wine list spot on.

KASK - What these guys don’t know about wine isn’t worth knowing. They champion small producers with real stories behind them. As someone who knows wine well, I have huge respect for their attention to detail.

Spirited - This one’s special to me. The first ever bottle of The Spirit of Bristol was sold there. If you look closely at the Bemmie Dry label, you’ll spot the tribute. The cocktails are superb and Katy’s whisky knowledge is seriously impressive.

6. What’s the process of creating a gin - from idea to bottle?

Being a distiller is like being a chef. It’s not just about creating something great for customers, it has to excite you too.

When I created Bemmie Dry, the first ingredient was pride. I’m a proud Bristolian and South Bristol is a huge part of my story.

Then I immerse myself in the place. The story isn’t something you add later - the story is the gin. You’re creating an experience. You want people to reminisce, to feel something, to connect.

For Bedminster, it had to be a classic London Dry - because Bemmie is classic. A London Dry has three core pillars: dry, citrus and spice. Every master distiller works within that framework, but like a chef, your interpretation makes it unique. If we all made the same gin, life would be boring.

Then comes branding. The Spirit of Bristol is exactly that, a brand within a brand. Clifton, Hotwells, Harbourside, now Bemmie - each one distinct, yet connected. We’re building a collection that celebrates the city, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

Everything has to be on point. I don’t do second best!

7. If you could only make one gin-based cocktail for the rest of your days?

Easy. A Negroni.

It’s a story in a glass. Bitter, bold, perfectly balanced. I love my Negronis like I love Marmite - if you know, you know.

8. What drink first got you into distilling?

A simple Gin & Tonic.

But really it goes deeper than that. My love of wine over two decades in hospitality shaped me. Visiting vineyards around the world, hearing the stories behind the bottles - that storytelling experience inspired how I approach gin. It’s not just liquid; it’s narrative, memory, craft.

That’s what I try to bottle.

9. How long did it take to perfect the recipe?

The core recipe took about a month. The fine-tuning - adjusting balance, refining the finish - took another month or two. And that’s in spare time, because I run everything myself.