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Top Shelf Essence

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Are you home brewing and searching for top shelf essence in Australia? At Brewers Choice Home Brew Supplies, we stock one of the broadest selections of Top shelf essence in the country.

Top Shelf essence is a concentrated flavouring that turns plain neutral spirit (think duty-paid vodka or a filtered home-brewed base) into a finished, ready-to-drink spirit. One small bottle typically flavours between 1.125L and 2.25L of finished drink, depending on the style you’re making.

Chasing a smooth aged whisky? A crisp dry gin, a smoky bourbon, or a sweet liqueur after dinner? You’ll find a flavour to match. Order online for fast Australia-wide dispatch, or drop into our Bayswater store for hands-on advice.

Explore Our Top Shelf Essence Range

We carry the full spectrum of styles from the Top Shelf brand, so you can recreate just about any spirit category you’d find on a quality back bar. 

Whisky & Bourbon Essences

For drinkers who love a rich, oaky pour after work, our whisky and bourbon essences run the gamut from smooth Scotch-style blends to robust American bourbons and smoky single malts. Pair with oak chips or staves for added depth and aged character.

Vodka & Gin Essences

Clean, crisp, brilliantly versatile. The gin essences capture the botanical complexity of a London Dry, while the vodka essences are made for mixers and cocktails. They also make a cracking base for experimenting with native Australian botanicals like lemon myrtle and wattle seed.

Rum Essences 

From light Caribbean styles through to dark, molasses-rich Jamaican-inspired rums and overproof tropical blends, our rum essences suit sipping, cocktails or the classic rum and coke at a summer BBQ.

Liqueur & Schnapps Essences 

Think creamy Irish-style liqueurs, coffee liqueurs, peppermint schnapps and fruit-forward favourites. Perfect for after-dinner pours, gifts, or a homemade touch in desserts.

Tequila, Brandy & Specialty Essences

Round out the bar with agave-style tequilas, smooth brandies and the odd specialty blend you won’t spot at your local bottle-o.

Pair With Oak Chips, Staves and Barrels

For whisky, bourbon and rum styles especially, ageing your finished spirit on oak chunks, chips or in a small oak barrel adds real depth, colour and complexity. We stock a full range of oak ageing products to take your drink from “pretty good” to “is that really homemade?” 

Why Buy Top Shelf Essence From Brewers Choice?

  • Extensive Top shelf essence range covering whisky, bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, liqueurs and more
  • Part of a catalogue of 1,800+ brewing and distilling products
  • Online orders dispatched within 1 to 2 business days
  • Click & collect available from our Bayswater, VIC store
  • 7 Google review rating, plus 100% positive eBay feedback
  • Competitive pricing online and in-store
  • Loyalty rewards: earn points on every purchase
  • Newsletter subscribers get first dibs on new flavours and offers
  • Public Liability insured and ABN-registered Australian business
  • Honest, no-nonsense advice from a brewer with 13+ years on the tools

Visit Our Bayswater Store or Shop Online

You can browse the full Top shelf essence range online and have it shipped Australia-wide, or visit us in person at Factory 5, 810 Mountain Highway, Bayswater, VIC.

Trading Hours:

Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 4:30pm

Saturday: 9:30am to 12:30pm

Sunday: Closed

Phone: (03)8799 2934 | Mobile: 0481 152 322

Email: sales@brewerschoice.net.au

Frequently Asked Questions

How much spirit does one bottle of Top shelf essence flavour?

Most Top Shelf essences flavour somewhere between 1.125L and 2.25L of finished spirit, depending on the style. Always follow the instructions printed on the individual bottle.
Yes. Flavouring a duty-paid neutral spirit with an essence is perfectly legal. What requires an excise licence from the ATO is the act of distilling alcohol itself.
A clean, high-purity, low-flavour neutral spirit gives the best results. Many home crafters also carbon-filter their base before adding the essence for an even smoother finish.
Yes. We dispatch orders Australia-wide within 1 to 2 business days, and click & collect is available from our Bayswater store.
Either works. Many home distillers use a filtered, carbon-treated base spirit they’ve produced themselves, while others start with duty-paid vodka or a commercially available neutral spirit. The cleaner and more neutral your base, the better the essence flavour will come through, which is why running your spirit through activated carbon before adding the essence is always worth the extra step.
Significantly. While the essence alone produces a drinkable result straight away, resting your finished spirit on oak chips, staves or in a small barrel adds real colour, depth and complexity that takes it to another level. Even a short contact time of a few weeks makes a noticeable difference. We stock a full range of oak ageing products to pair with your chosen essence.
Yes. The Top Shelf range includes creamy Irish-style liqueurs, coffee liqueurs, peppermint schnapps and a variety of fruit-forward options which are all well suited to after-dinner pours, homemade gifts or adding a personal touch to desserts and cocktails.
Absolutely. The gin essences provide a solid botanical base, and blending in native ingredients like lemon myrtle or wattle seed is a popular way to personalise the flavour and create something genuinely unique. It’s one of the more creative directions home crafters take once they’ve got the basics dialled in. Our team is happy to share ideas on ratios and techniques if you’d like a starting point. Ready to stop paying bottle-shop prices? Browse our Top shelf essence range above, add your favourites to the cart, and start crafting drinks worth pouring.
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TRADING HOURS
  • Monday – Friday
    9:30am – 4:30pm
  • Saturday
    9.30am – 12.30pm
  • Sunday – Closed
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