Vodka start-up Idle Hour’s recipe for success

Australian startup Idle Hour Vodka is challenging the market stranglehold of traditional vodkas by creating a flavoured rye version.Founder Ewen Pettit says mass-market vodka brands “celebrate neutrality” but Idle Hour takes a different approach, “fully leaning into the flavour”. Inside FMCG interviewed Pettit on how the Covid-19 crisis led to the formation of Idle Hour Vodka, what makes rye vodka different – and the company’s plans for the year ahead.Inside FMCG: How did last year’s Covid-19 lockdown lead you to starting Idle Hour Vodka?Ewen Pettit: We had been working on Idle Hour before the pandemic but when things worsened and the lockdown forced people to spend more and more time at home, there was an increased interest in local and handmade spirits and cocktails at home – we accelerated our launch to be part of that trend. While Covid-19 has been detrimental to so many small businesses, we have capitalised on it and created some positivity.Inside FMCG: What sets Idle Hour Vodka apart from other vodka brands?EP: The DNA of Idle Hour is to do vodka differently in every conceivable way. We distill just once to keep the character of the grain in the bottle. We want drinkers to appreciate the flavour and texture of the liquid rather than mixing with a soft drink to mask it – Idle Hour adds to a drink.At a brand level, we also wanted to push back on the conventions of the vodka category. We don’t want to make Idle Hour about status or ostentatious scenes – it’s a premium vodka for everyone and anytime. We don’t talk about the process or purity, we don’t have a hundred-year-history to speak of, we just have a different perspective on how vodka should be. We call it perfectly uncomplicated. That comes to life in our design, our sense of humour and what’s inside the bottle.Inside FMCG: How would you describe the vodka landscape in Australia?EP: While gin, whiskey and tequila get all the attention, vodka has been slowly planning its comeback and it feels like we’re on the brink of a formidable resurgence. Along with a few other interesting vodka brands, we’ve been fighting the good fight here in Australia and we’re so excited to lead this renaissance.Ewen Pettit says using rye was the “key to creating a compelling new vodka”.Inside FMCG: How is vodka a comeback and what makes rye vodka so different to traditional vodkas?EP: Vodka can be made from just about anything – wheat, corn and potatoes are the typical base. However, for decades the norm in vodka has been to distill the life out of it to the point of neutrality. The actual definition of vodka is a distilled liquor, clear and colourless and without definite aroma or taste. Our vision is to challenge those outdated ideas.In the age of less but better, drinkers are slowing down and appreciating their spirits so we’ve used rye as our feature grain. It is flavour-forward – creamy, spicy and smooth. It creates a vodka with character and a taste that elevates a simple vodka soda or cocktail.Traditionally for the end drinker, “vodka is vodka is vodka”, which has been a hurdle for the category while spiced rums, sweet gins and smokey whiskeys have stolen the limelight and the attention of bartenders and drinkers alike. We’ve applied the learning from those other trending spirits to our vodka to challenge that notion. We’ve developed a strong distinctive flavour profile in a highly flexible spirit.Vodka’s comeback is not inevitable. Expect to see old and new brands reimagining what a vodka is and prepare for a slew of new flavoursome vodka cocktails from bartenders that have been re-energised by what’s possible when you put these completing vodka flavours at the centre of a drink. There was never a wheat or corn version of Idle Hour. We were steadfast in rye being the feature grain. It was the key to creating a compelling new vodka to force the reappraisal of what a good vodka was – spicy but smooth, sweet and creamy. The individual elements of the grain could work hard in a vodka. The process of finding our recipe was not hard work. In fact, it was tremendously fun! There were multiple versions in the development phase but when we tasted the final recipe, we knew we had a great drop on our hands.Idle Hour vodka founder has no plans of slowing down in expanding the business in Australia.Inside FMCG: Your founding team has worked at some great brands like Red Bull and Balter Brewing. What were some of the biggest lessons/insights they gathered from their time there that you were able to implement in running Idle Hour?EP: We’ve got a treasure trove of experience and insights from elsewhere in the consumer packaged goods and beverage industries. One important lesson all three founders have learned across our careers has been around the power of authenticity. We believed there was a better way to do vodka and went and created it. Inside FMCG: What are your plans for Idle Hour in 2021?EP: This year has been great to us so far and we’re delighted with the positive reception we’ve received but we have much more planned for the rest of the year. We will continue to expand footprint across our home state of Queensland and we are planning to roll out across Australia mid year. There’s been a huge interest from the on- and off-premise trade nationally so it’s a natural next step for us. Additionally, we will launch the first of our Native Series in May. This has been a labour of love for us – introducing native Australian flavours to our filtered vodka. They taste amazing and perfectly balance the rye with subtle flavours from the bush.