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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.

Jim Beam Distillery – Bourbon straight on

Knob Creek is named after a rivulet in Kentucky, the home of President Abraham Lincoln. His steadfast attitude seems to serve as an example for this straightforward bourbon. The square ‘chemist’s bottle’ suits these traditional values perfectly, as does the striking label which is reminiscent of the old tradition of wrapping bottles in newspaper. To this day, a mixture of experience and craftsmanship is the recipe for success for the bourbon from Knob Creek.

The bourbon was at the peak of its success in 1919, when the nationwide prohibition of the sale, manufacture and transport of alcohol began – lasting until 1933. Following this, a new start was impossible for many distilleries; others couldn’t finance the customary long maturing process of the bourbon. This situation motivated Booker Noe to revive the traditional bourbon style from the time before the prohibition: rich in aroma, with discreet sweetness due to year-long maturation in strongly ‘toasted’ wooden barrels from American white oak. In 1950, he joined the family business – his mother was the daughter of Jim Beam, which meant bourbon was already in his blood – and completed his training as Master Distiller. With the small series of premium bourbon he launched, the term ‘batch’ (small) was established and revolutionised the industry. His son, Fred Noe, continues with this clear strategy: “I learnt the business from scratch, listened to my father and learnt on the job. I know what it means to make perfect bourbon. Each bottle is a reflection of my family.” Since 1992, the Knob Creek brand has represented these values with the perfect combination of tradition and top quality.

A golden trio was successful at the World Spirits Award: Knob Creek Rye Whiskey Small Batch, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon and Knob Creek Straight Bourbon.

Eifel-Destillerie: Herbal specialities from Eifel

In 1925, Peter-Josef Hubert Schütz and his sons set up a Korn distillery, run by a standing high-pressure steam boiler which was heated with coal. This was replaced by an oil-heated steam boiler in 1969 and the current high-speed steam generator was installed in 1989, with lower energy consumption and less heating time needed for the required steam pressure. Since 1998, Peter-Josef Schütz has been running the company and continuing its success. His philosophy is to “create enthralling products for our customers with natural ingredients and top-level art of distilling”.

Since the foundation of the company, spirits have been produced from the distilled alcohol, initially from Korn (grain) and double-Korn, double-juniper and ‘Schütz Boonekamp’. ‘Eifelgeist’, the speciality of the company made from 42 select herbs, was registered as a protected trademark in 1949. Herbal spirits then became the focus of the product range of high-quality liqueurs and brandies. Using Eifel in the name underlines the appreciation of the region it calls home. A valuable contributor to product diversity is the distillery’s ‘herb chamber’. Here, over 100 medicinal herbs, blossoms, seeds, barks and roots from all around the world are stored in wooden containers.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Raspberry Liqueur, Eifelgold and Eifelgeist, and silver to Bitto. Werner Gin (a product made of vermouth from Weinmanufaktur Ellermann-Spiegel in Kleinfischlingen) also received gold.