“I fell in love with the intricacies of tequila. It’s more like wine than vodka. Each harvest has a different flavor."
In one of the realest examples of an athlete surveying the new talent and saying, oowee, I’m out, Stephanie Gilmore took one look at Caity Simmers and Molly Pickle’s foaming and frenzied madness last year and quit the 2025 tour.
That retirement was quickly shelved, although not in the pleasurable sense common to gays and divorced men, when she was given a wildcard into the Burleigh Heads contest a few months later. Gilmore confounded the critics by beating the reigning champ Simmers, although soft righthand points are the eight-time champ’s domain and not so much freckles from Oceanside.
But still.
Gilmore, who is thirty-seven, has created much enjoyable history. She became the first surfer to win a world title in their rookie year and scooped up eight titles, one more than Layne Beachley, the previous record-holder, with one of ‘em coming in a historic, and long, day at Trestles in 2022.
Well, and therefore, it comes as no surprise that Stephanie Gilmore is following fellow Gold Coasters FISHER, Mick, Joel, Bede, Josh and co into the booze game with the imminent release of her own tequila brand, Cinca.
“Dreamed up in Australia. Distilled in Mexico,” is the tag.
So far, so little, although Gilmore has teased her 700k fans with a post about the new drank.
View this post on Instagram
Six years ago, you’ll remember, Taylor Steele pivoted into the Mexican liquor game with Solento.
“I fell in love with the intricacies of tequila. It’s more like wine than vodka. Each harvest has a different flavor. It’s a beautiful thing,” he said.
If you had to build a tequila from scratch, how would you do it? What flavours etc? How would you make diff from the titans like Don Julio, Patron?
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
Anyone here in the liquor biz? Like whitedudewithdreads pointed out, is there any space left in store shelves for more craft spirits? Though the trend was cutting down ABV into lighter drinks for daytime boozing.
I used to be a while back. A lot of what I’m reading in the circles is that you’re bang on with low-alcohol options. People want function and have realised how nasty boozing is for the body and wallet. The problem with the spirits is that they’re putting them at a price point which competes with their alcoholic counterparts so punters will turn their nose up at $40 bottle of basically botanical distilled cordial. I was really surprised that the bunch of the gurfers had ploughed their money into tequila. It is, however, the Gold Coast. Statistically people are generally drinking less and less, and the younger crew are getting back into party drugs and doofs rather than drinking over the bar.
Some people are completely nailing zero beers. It’s weird cos you’ll delete and very much enjoy four frosty (zero alcohol) tins and then jump in the car and drive. There’s a part of you that’s like “this isn’t right” but it is. I pretty much only drink zero’s now. $10 six pack of Asahi zeros – cheap! When they’re frosty cold, can hardly tell the difference. Even pours the same. It’s rad. I think mentally, you get a little dopamine buzz due to the familiarity but then you can completely function the day (or minute) after.
There’s a reason people smash XXXX gold – middies won’t know you round – either that or the cunts cant count as they’re a perfect 1.0 on the std drinks scale.
*fun fact: the username comes from a cocktail of Bundy rum and full-cream milk. blergh!
Cazcabell coffee liqueur since Patron no longer available
Buy shares it will sell by the bucket full , hipster Chick’s from Byron Bay on their logs with no legropes cross stepping into a handjive pin drop will affirm their pathetic influencer driven lifestyles by consuming it
No thanks, I’ll stick with Kirkland
haha yes! that gives me a nice flashback. classic.
Tequila, even less Australian than Foster’s Beer! Brilliant!….
This harvest also seems to taste like rubbing alcohol
An 8 time world champion in a sport such as high performance as this should be away and gone. Scrambling around for a few extra bucks is belittling.
Pronounced Tequiler down under
A tequila thats smooth…..
A tequila thats stylish….
A tequila that grows hair on your chest, cheeks and arms
The tequila Queen
She has the Top Turn Tequila
Derek I’m sad you mentioned Patron and Don Julio as the founder of the former made a shampoo that tasted better than his tequila and the latter is average at best. Now maybe it is different down under but the US is over saturated with shitty, below average and sweet tequilas in unique bottles designed to attract the eye of the consumer. If you’re not drinking Don Fulano you’re likely a tequila poseur.
Tequila Mockingbird.
Maliboo Redley
If I’ve said this once, I’ve said this a thousand times. There aren’t enough famous and semi famous white people starting their own tequila or mezcal brands.
Nailed it and here I thought we were done with the tequila for the tragically hip masses phase of this century…
Casamigos was the beginning of the tequila apocalypse.
Not exactly! Casamigos along with others brought Agave awareness, and firmed it up as the top drink of choice in the states to a younger generation (Ranch Water).
It’s simply a vessel to get more people considering it apposed to generic and tasteless rocket-fuel that has dominated for years and offered little in return, besides turning a plain glass of juice or soda water alcoholic. I’ll take it! Thanks Clooney and Gerber! Did your job.
Cinca tu colega! Odelay!
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
They don’t drink good tequila and only do it missionary style…
i like the logo.
Tequila tastes like paint thinner, in my opinion.
Unfit for human consumption.
just like your book? amirite
My book has nothing to do with tequila, but thanks for the publicity!
My book, surfEXPLORE: Discovering New Surfing Locations Worldwide is available for pre-order on Amazon and scheduled for release in September, 2025!
Hopefully you feature Doheny in the book as it is an untapped gem!
Way to blow the place up, Picard.
I know I broke the code by mentioning this lightly surfed break. I mean there is room for another 500 soft tops out there. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
ewww you drank paint thinner?
For the love of Christ, some of us have hangovers don’t you know.
Xox
In my experience good tequila rarely causes a hangover. It is the margarita mix, peyote and/or shrooms that leads to the hangover
I have this amazing talent of turning any good booze into a hangover by drinking way too much of it.
I do that roughly once per year and then go back to limited imbidding as I hate giving up a day or two to a hangover.
The pitch you’ll hear from every liquor rep:
“Grown and distilled on a family owned and operated agave farm and distillery that has been in existence since before the Spanish Conquest. From their family to the bottle, every batch is made with love and family. Family family family. Did I mention family?”
brilliant.
La familia!
Gil Familia
I’m waiting for the comparison to Casamigos and other sweet tequilas for the tragic masses
George Clooney 👊🏼
Ol’ Gill doesn’t mind the occasional 1800 Anejo
An Aussie…flogging alcohol…who would’ve thunk it