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2B Hemp Gin: Styrian gin experience

Two visionaries, Armin Breinl (doctor, drink creator, musician) and Wolfgang Thomann (gin maker), have created a completely new gin experience with real hemp powder: 2B HEMP GIN (inspired by AEIJST). On 17th November 2018, the two invited guests to the first tasting of 2B HEMP GIN in the AEIJST GIN distillery in St. Nikolai in the Sausal Valley.

Made from organic juniper berries, this innovative gin has an impressive, mild and fruity taste and a typical hemp note. Due to its unique aroma, it not only tastes good neat, but also creates a ‘wow’ effect in cocktails – as proven in the long drink Styrian Pale Gin AEIJST refined with 2B HEMP.

For thousands of years, hemp has been grown as a valuable plant, be it for rope, fabric, paper or as an active ingredient in ointments and tinctures. Hemp has always been highly valued for its medicinal properties, yet recently has been demonised as an addictive drug and has suffered under its ensuing prohibition, originating in the USA. These days hemp is regaining importance and is being used more as a luxury food as well as in medicine as a therapeutic agent.

The Lifestyle Trading company, run by Armin Breinl, is an innovative beverage producer, which is already known amongst trade professionals for its sugar-free ‘func- tional fruit drinks’. The drinks have a high fruit content (more than 50 per cent) and additional natural, vital substances and have an energising, relaxing and regenerative effect.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for 2B HEMP GIN.

Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.

Giovanni Dri and His Grappa - Children of the Mountains

"As the best of the vintners in his region, Giovanni Dri is someone I hold in high regard for his Ramandolo - fruity and honest, full in character and racy." This praise from Luigi Veronelli for the sweet wine Ramandolo from the indigeneous grape variety of Verduzzo can also be applied to the grappa variety. The grapes thrive at the foothills of the wine-growing area in the extensive DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli area in the province of Udine. The vineyards are located on steep southern slopes, protected by the 1,700 meter-high Monte Bernadia.
From a small plot of land with virtually impassable vineyards and an old cellar, Giovanni Dri has since 1968 developed one of the most acclaimed estates in Friaul. He is an ambitious, headstrong entrepreneur - and a passionate dreamer. "I believe in the strength of vineyards with their simple and honest fruit, because they bring the sensation of those things under the heavens which are allowing me to dream." His products are also like this - simply expressive.
"I don't want any complicated technology - I am led by tradition. My wife inspires and supports me, while my children are the joy of the future." That is reflected in the simple architecture which allows enough space for the slow maturing of the products. Due to this, it is only after three years that the Grappa Ramandolo comes onto the market: unique and very individual, fresh and fruity (distillation takes place just a short time after harvesting, which guarantees its purity), with typical aromas of almonds and other nuts, and an almost austere, heavy sweetness, however very refined and concentrated. One simply has to like it and likes it more with every sip. The jury at the World-Spirits Award also liked it - and awarded it with a gold medal.

Prenzel - An enjoyable and ingenious diversity

In 1989, Robert Wuest, from a family of distillers in Alsace, visited Hugh and Chris Steadman at their cherry orchard on the edge of the city of Blenheim - and came up with a brilliant idea. Soon after, the first fruit distillery in New Zealand was founded: The Alsace New Zealand Distilling Company. There is no long-standing tradition of fruit brandies here and as such there was no market for the products, despite the fantastic cultivation conditions. The company focuses on the use of alternative products for the bakery and food industry and as such, a golden pretzel was chosen as the logo, the emblem displayed by every bakery in Alsace. "Pretzel" then became "Prenzel" with the "n" standing for New Zealand.

The product range has been consistently extended to include foodstuffs such as vinaigrette, mustard, spicy sauces, vinegar and food oils. At present, only 40% of the company's sales come from alcoholic drinks, of which 10% is from pure distillates including small quantities of traditional fruit brandies, more than 20 liqueurs and brandy, gin and vodka.

The company's sales strategy is unconventional: there are no classic advertisements and instead, sales are based on word-of-mouth in the form of presentations at private households. Over the years, a network of franchise companies has developed which will be extended to the European network in future. Hidden costs play a big part in the introduction of new products: as such, consumers are invited to compare the Prenzel products with those of the market leaders. Only if 80% of them prefer the Prenzel products are the recipes pushed ahead and finalised.

The company was awarded a silver at the World-Spirits Award for its liqueur based on the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety.