Our Story
We believe everyone deserves to know where their drinks come from and how they are made. We started Lord Byron Distillery in Byron Bay so we could distil artisanal spirits for the discerning consumer from ingredients sourced from our own family farm and other local growers. Produced with the dedication, care and passion of a bygone era, combining sustainability with provenance – we deliver a premium experience for us all to share and enjoy.
The earliest record of the Restall family in Byron Shire dates back to 1897 when Jack Restall was the local butcher in Billinudgel. Although this fact wasn’t discovered by Brian and Helen Restall until recently, it explains why they have always had a deep sense of affinity with the area and to traditional trade and craftmanship. The farm they purchased has been a family owned business for generations and Brian and Helen continue this tradition with their own family, ensuring the integrity and provenance of their hand-crafted artisanal drinks.
They have set about returning the farm to a more productive and sustainable venture. The vision is for a farming enterprise that sells its produce to a micro-distillery, proving that small scale farming can be done sustainably and profitably. Examples of delivering on this vision, can be seen in decision like only using renewable electricity for the farm and Lord Byron Distillery as well as ensuring the micro distillery is a zero discharge site. Value adding to the co-products of the micro-distillery creates valuable liquid fertilisers and a cattle feed additive. These products, that in other micro distilleries are discharged and wasted, are used by the Restall family to help their own farm, as well as other local farmers and gardeners to reduce the amount of mining and fossil fuel derived products they current use.
For several years, Brian was the CEO of Cape Byron Power, a local Northern Rivers’ 100% renewable electricity generator located adjacent to the local farmer owned sugar mills at Condong and Broadwater. It was within this role, Brian came to realise that almost all of the food-grade molasses, created by the local sugar mills, was used for cattle feed. Given the sub-tropical environment of the Northern Rivers region, Brian and Helen felt that there was clearly a higher and better use for a small part of this local molasses.
Brian and Helen have travelled extensively and worked around the world. Brian loves dark spirits and Helen is passionate about light spirits. Together they strive to create a small-batch, handcrafted range of spirits that aims to deliver a superior tasting experience. They are members of the Australian Distilling Association and have been trained and mentored by Bill Lark’s team in Tasmania – Bill, being the first person in 153 years to get a micro-distilling license, and is affectionately known as the “Godfather” of the craft distilling market in Australia.