World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Bienenhof Pausch: Uncompromisingly fanatic enjoyment freaks

Beekeeper Helga Pausch and fine brandy sommelier Albrecht Pausch are a likeable and skilled pair. Since 1996 their bee farm has followed ecological guidelines, with about 230 bee colonies, a distillery, a winery and a vinegar factory. 150 quince trees, 500 wild fruit trees, some old wild cherry trees and a young plantation with 800 fruit trees complete the ensemble. Fruit brandies and rare fine brandies from special honeys are produced in the distillery.

The basis for the distillates are various types of honey or ecologically cultivated fruit. Fine aromatic honeys are used for honey wines and liqueurs without any additives. The Pausches are also purists when it comes to their fine brandies and spirits – no added sugar, no flavourings, only 100% pure distillate. In the fermenting cellar with temperature-controlled fermentation tanks, they don’t use sulphuric acid in the fermentation of the fruit mash, which strictly follows guidelines from Bioland, the largest organic food association in Germany.

“We have dedicated ourselves to fine nuances, rather than the bold and robust. We offer fine spirits with delicate fruity components.” They are made using a traditional double distilling procedure and the finished spirits mature in a vaulted cellar until they are reduced to drinking strength. Some are also offered unfiltered, which means more typical aromas, tastes, and complexities.

The Master Class Distillery 2021 was awarded double gold for Vogelbeerbrand (rowanberry) obtained through maceration and distillation (World Spirits Award 2021), gold for Edelbrand Sauerkirsche (sour cherry), Edelbrand Wahlsche Schnapsbirne (pear), Edelbrand Löhrpflaume (plum) and Brombeerbrand (blackberry) obtained through maceration and distillation. It was awarded silver for Himbeerbrand (raspberry) obtained through maceration and distillation, Schwarze Johannisbeere (black currant), Edelbrand Rote Williams (pear) and Shyravalli Honigbrand (honey brandy matured in a barrel).

Juniper Tree Trading: The Spy Gin

This London Dry Gin was born out of a special passion for gin, combined with the raw beauty of the Swabian Alb and carefully selected botanicals such as coriander, cardamom, orange and lemon peel, cloves, ginger, and others. A long time was spent deciding on a name, labels, logo, bottle, content and much more, as owner Peter Frey remembers:

“My master distiller has over 20 years’ experience in making gin and has achieved absolute harmony when it comes to maceration and the interaction of the botanicals. Following distillation and the reduction of alcohol to drinking strength, the gin is bottled, with only 250 bottles per batch, labelled by hand and wrapped in black tissue paper to give The Spy an air of secrecy. The corks are also handmade and each is branded with the logo using a lever press and branding iron – it shows the spy of Aalen with his beard and pipe, who watches over the inhabitants of the town from the town hall on the market square – and this is how the tale goes.”

As the imperial cities were in conflict with the Emperor, his army was already camped outside the town. The frightened people of Aalen sent the cleverest man to the enemy camp to determine the strength of the troops. The spy was caught and brought before the Emperor. When asked what he was doing there, the spy answered, “Do not be startled, Lord, I just wanted to see how many guns and such you all have. You see, I’m the spy from Aalen.” The Emperor laughed at his candour and pretend simplemindedness and piled gifts on him, letting the inhabitants know that it was his pleasure to live in peace alongside such clever and brave people and forgiving the town fathers.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for The Spy 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.

Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).