The journey of a founder often involves hard work beyond the spotlight, as Simon Wright, the mastermind behind Burnt Faith, a British brandy startup, discovered while cleaning up after the Notting Hill Carnival early Tuesday morning.

Burnt Faith showcased its innovative “brandy blossom” cocktails and pre-mixed can offerings at the vibrant three-day carnival, which saw over a million attendees during the bank holiday weekend. Engaging in the extensive cleanup efforts was a commitment Wright embraced, having previously sold his cider brand, Hawkes, to BrewDog in 2019.

“You think that after selling your company you can just manage from behind a desk, but then you find yourself at Notting Hill at 6:30 AM picking up trash,” Wright remarked.

The efforts paid off spectacularly. Over the carnival’s duration, more than 2,500 attendees sampled Burnt Faith’s offerings—potentially the first taste for many of these consumers not available in traditional retailers like Waitrose and Tesco.

“For carnival-goers who typically favor established brands like Hennessy or Courvoisier for their status, it’s essential for us to show that we’re a brand they can embrace. Our challenge lies in building a reputation and appeal as a British brand,” Wright explained.

Burnt Faith’s brandy is produced at a custom-built distillery in Walthamstow, East London, a former Pentecostal church, which inspired the branding. The term “Burnt” reflects the origin of brandy from the Dutch word brandewijn, meaning “burnt wine.”

The Walthamstow facility also houses a bar open to the public on Thursday through Sunday evenings, serving as a venue for buyer meetings and educational workshops for bartenders—key advocates for emerging spirit brands.

Wright believes that being a British brand is an advantage. He asserts that Burnt Faith stands as the only dedicated brandy distillery in the UK.

Unlike cognac producers constrained by rigorous regulations surrounding production techniques and aging, Burnt Faith explores various flavor profiles to entice non-traditional brandy consumers. Limited-edition batches have included a bourbon cask-aged version, labeled “Kentucky Smoke,” and another aged in charentais barrels for rich butterscotch and fruit notes.

“Cognac can only be labeled as such if it’s produced in Cognac with strict guidelines. This limitation hinders creativity. We have the freedom to craft our brandy using any grape variety and aging process, allowing us to cater to those seeking innovative spirits,” Wright asserted.

The potential for growth in this sector is significant; data from Euromonitor International reveals that the global brandy market was valued at $22 billion last year, making it the third largest spirit category after whisky and vodka.

Wright launched Burnt Faith in 2021 after spending two years with BrewDog following the sale of Hawkes. He expressed positive sentiments about his time at BrewDog, saying it provided financial security and ease before he sought new challenges in the brandy sector following various trips to Cognac in France.

With funding sourced from Hawkes’ sale, he attracted investors including Keith Greggor, a former BrewDog board member, and Matthew Freud, the founder of Freud Communications.

To date, Wright has secured approximately £2 million in investments and projects selling over 40,000 liters of brandy this year, forecasting revenue around £1 million. “We may be small now, but from small beginnings, great things emerge,” Wright said.

The success of the recent carnival was an encouraging sign for Wright, reaffirming that Burnt Faith is on a promising path. “Each time someone tasted our brandy and enjoyed it, having never heard of us before, was rewarding. To see them buy a bottle makes all our hard work truly worthwhile,” he concluded.