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Onder de Boompjes – Genever from south Holland

The history of this distillery dates back to the year 1658. At that time, the Steffelaar family began to produce Genever and Korenwijn in Schiedam. In around 1700, herring fishing was finally replaced by the malt spirits industry. Numerous workers from Brabant and Germany flocked to the town in south Holland close to Rotterdam. In 1883, 3,500 inhabitants were dependent on this industry and the town was home to the biggest plants in the world. During this boom period for the Dutch gin, there were numerous mills in and around the town and no fewer than 400 distilleries. ‘Onder de Boompjes’ is continuing this tradition today and only uses the best natural ingredients for its genever, vodka and liqueurs.

The product range includes the young, mild genever ‘Boompjes Premium’ (10% malt wine, distilled 4 times, 35% vol.) and the traditional old genever ‘Bompjes Old Dutch’ (20% malt wine, stored for 3 years, 38% vol.) for which the recipe took a whole year to produce. The range also includes the Oseven vodka, a premium traditionally produced vodka with no additives (3 days of filtration, 40% vol.), the Sylvius gin based on a very old recipe and Generum, a blend of old genever and rum. When it comes to the recipe: the company website includes a few cocktail tips for mixing the spirits as a change to enjoying them straight.

At the World Spirits Award, the ‘classic trio’ of vodka, Genever oude and Genever jonge proved medal-worthy and won three golds.

Brennerei Bernhard Leitner: Top products from Tyrol

Bernhard Leitner’s roughly 200 fruit trees are ideally situated on the southern slopes of the Sannatal Valley above Landeck, in the Tyrolean mountain village of Grins, at approximately 1,050 m above sea level. The award for Grins – Pians – Stanz as a connoisseur’s region for damson growing is recognition of the perfect climate in this region for fruit. The production of fruit brandies has a long tradition here. In recent years, increased attention has also been paid to improving the quality of the brandies.

At the Bernhard Leitner company, the then typical local ‘farmer schnapps’ has also always been distilled. Since 1998, small batches of fine brandies have been produced with an 80-litre column distillery from several local fruit varieties. From the onset it has been the aim of this small-scale amateur distiller (fruit-growing and fruit-processing are his side businesses) to match himself with the biggest names on the distilling scene. Continual further training and quality intensification were rewarded – since then, Mr Leitner has continued his streak of success.

Small yet refined, his product range is impressive with its excellent quality which always measures up to that of the famous professional distillers. Apples, pears and damsons, complemented with berries and wild fruits, dominate in Leitner’s range of approximately 20 brandies. The ingredients come from Tyrol, from his own small orchard and some individual fruit trees. Two months of storage follow the distillation; after this, the distillates are reduced to a palatable alcoholic content. Bottling takes place at the earliest after one to two years of storage.

The World Class Distillery 2022 OBB (Distillery of the Year – Bronze 2022) was awarded double gold for Rowanberry and Blackberry (World Spirits Award 2022), gold for Red Williams Pear and Spänling (plum), as well as silver for Raspberry.

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.