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Schwarzwaldbrennerei Markus Kalmbach: Ode to the Black Forest

This small, fine distillery is located in Baiersbronn, the largest forest municipality in Germany. The family business was founded by Fritz Kalmbach in 1963 and is now run in its third generation by Markus Kalmbach. The full-time banker runs the distillery at weekends, which has long since become a sideline. The family is now the sixth generation to live in the farmhouse built back in 1880. Tasting takes place in the tasting room in the former stables with a view of the distillery. Groups of ten or more can combine the tour with a taste of the local cuisine. In fine weather, there is a panoramic terrace from which you can enjoy the view of the Sankenbach Valley. The products are also available chilled in fresh spring water at the schnapps fountain on the edge of the village, which is open all year round. It is located in an idyllic spot under fir trees, with a bench and an inviting view of Baiersbronn.

They favour tradition with zeitgeist and class over mass production. Quality not quantity is the motto which they live by. Decades of experience with the ever-developing art of distilling infuse the diverse products made from fruit, herbs and grain. They range from Black Forest kirsch to herbal and bloodroot schnapps to gin and whisky. Aside from the malt mash from rye, wheat, spelt and emmer, the distillery’s own soft spring water and the fir wood from its own forest for the distillation process, time is perhaps the greatest ingredient in the whisky. It matures over years in the various wooden barrels in the vaulted cellar of the former farmhouse. In 2023, the grain brandy made from emmer, spelt and einkorn was awarded gold by the Association of Small Distillers and Fruit Distillers at the regional award ceremony.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Kornbrand Emmer-Dinkel-Einkorn.

Ehrenwert GmbH: One recipe – two families

One recipe – two families. Each family has its own carefully guarded secret recipe, and with the Lücke family this remained in the hands of grandfather Heinz and later his son Dieter for many decades. Long enough, thought sons Thomas and Christian. In any case, it is the ‘Felsenfeuer’ herb liqueur that once made the Lücke Distillery one of the most important in Münsterland. After the war they continued the success story which first began in the 18th century, with this herb liqueur, using the recipe that Heinz Lücke worked out. In the 1950s everyone was talking about it, but in the 1960s the era of the distillery and the herb liqueur ended. But not for good – 60 years later it celebrated its resurrection with the ‘Freudenfeuer’.

Whilst searching for a distillery, Thomas and Christian kept to family tradition, as their grandmother was a Sasse, and the Sasses’ fine distillery in Schöppingen is still well known today. Following a traditional recipe from 1947 the new liqueur is distilled in small batches and is bottled by hand after a ten-day rest period. Ready to enjoy: neat and ice cold like in the time of our grandfathers, or smoother, on ice with lightly pressed orange zest, or as a basis for a long drink with tonic water or ginger ale. To old times and new friends!

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Freudenfeuer.