A LEOMINSTER company is hoping to change the county’s drinking habits when its first bottles of potato vodka roll off the production line later this week.

Tyrrells have been planning the move into alcoholic drinks since founder Will Chase came back from a visit to the US two years ago with a bottle of vodka he had made on a distillery course.

The vodka proved popular among workers at Tyrrells Court and Mr Chase realised that, in the organic potatoes not good enough to turn into crisps, he already had the perfect raw ingredient.

Rosemaund, the ADAS experimental research farm at Preston Wynne, was bought and a £1 million still was installed, alongside four fermentation tanks with a combined capacity of 31,000 litres of mash.

Vodka production at Tyrrells will see 10 workers at Rosemaund are expected to produce around 3,500 bottles a week.

“It is actually quite emotional at the moment because I never really got to enjoy the launch of the chips,” said Mr Chase.

“Twelve years ago I was a bankrupt farmer but I got back on my feet again.” Last month crisp company Tyrrells was sold for a figure believed to be around £30 million.

Private equity firm Langholm Capital confirmed the completion of a management buyout of the business, in which Mr Chase retained a significant stake.

“The takeover was my way of letting Tyrrells grow,” said Mr Chase.

“It has taken some of the pressure off. I’ve never liked sitting in board meetings and I now have the time to do this.

“I suppose part of it is about wanting to see if I can do it again.

“This is the first English-made potato vodka and, although it is a science to get vodka right, we are sure the quality will speak for itself.

“The fact that the potato flavour is naturally there in the background instead of being added afterwards sets us apart from the rest.” The company hopes to have the first £33 bottles ready for sale direct from Rosemaund by the end of next week.

“We are looking to keep it exclusive, and aim for the top food halls and shops,” added Mr Chase.

“We want to educate people in vodka, we don’t want them drinking it with coke.” If the venture proves successful, Mr Chase is planning to extend the range with an organic apple vodka and even gin.

He also has ideas to turn part of the distillery into a visitor centre, and says its impact in terms of vehicle numbers would be minimal.

“The site isn’t changing that much, and ADAS have 50 to 60 cars coming up here some days as it is,” he added.

“I think this is a beautiful place to promote Herefordshire.”