Up Close with Sidmouth Gin and Ebb Tides as they win awards and launch new products

By Philippa Davies

7th Oct 2021 | Local News

These are exciting times for Sidmouth Gin and the Ebb Tides seaweed company, both run from Sidmouth Gin's Church Street premises. Both companies have won Great Taste awards from the Guild of Fine Food, and Ebb Tides has also just launched a new range of cosmetic products.

Sidmouth Gin picked up the maximum three stars for its Christmas Cheer Gin and Crab Apple Liqueur, and Ebb Tides also won three stars for its Sea Salad mix of seaweed flakes for sprinkling on food to add extra flavour.

The awards are described by Sidmouth Gin's founder and director John Hammond as 'the Oscars of the food and drink industry'.

On the same day that Sidmouth Nub News went to visit John in The Dairy Shop to talk about the awards, he revealed that Ebb Tides had just launched the seaweed cosmetic products via its website. (Ebb Tides is a separate company, founded by Tony Coulson in 2016, but Sidmouth Gin took over 80 per cent of it in January. Ebb Tides supplies the seaweed for Sidmouth Gin's sea-flavoured variety.)

Why seaweed is good for the skin

John, who is part of a campaign raising awareness of harmful chemicals in cosmetics, explained that the seaweed products are completely natural and very good for the skin. Seaweed contains collagen, a protein used in many rejuvenating skin creams, but usually sourced as a by-product of the beef industry.

The facial wash consists simply of serrated wrack seaweed harvested sustainably from the waters off Sidmouth, dried and placed in organic cotton bags.

He said: "You put the bag into a hand basin with hot water, leave it to soak, give it a squeeze and it releases a gel that's full of nutrients and minerals. You wash your face in the water and leave the bag to dry, and after you've used it two or three times you just order some more seaweed from us.

"When you think about what seaweed does, naturally, when the tide goes out it sits on the beach and dries out completely, when the tide comes back in it comes to life again, so it's just having those sort of properties."

The seaweed is harvested by Ellie Hattrell, director of Ebb Tides, who goes out in waders to take it off the rocks while still wet. It's used to make the facial wash, a seaweed body scrub and a bath soak, alongside the food products – a range of sprinkles and flavourings.

What next for the two companies?

The new product development doesn't stop here. John revealed that they're developing a vegan caviar based on seaweed.

He said: "It's got a lovely savoury taste. We've had a few people try it and they've raved about it."

Sidmouth Gin and Ebb Tides products are available from The Dairy Shop, Church Street, Sidmouth, or online via the Sidmouth Gin and Ebb Tides websites.