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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.

LA SU Gin: Exotic holiday feeling in a glass

Alexander Kayser and Christopher Schuh are true gin lovers and founders of the brand LA SU Gin – a registered brand of Expo Outline Messebau und Event GmbH in Altenstadt, with Alexander Kayser as the managing partner.

After exploring many trains of thought, it was clear to both of them that it had to be exotic. LA SU Gin is a premium handcrafted gin with a hint of fruity mango. Distilled in small batches, traditionally and without additives, it is made in one of the oldest distilleries in Europe. The mango gives it a special freshness and balances the tart notes of the spices perfectly. Next to the mango, LA SU evokes a sense of travel. Enjoy a holiday feeling and discover new taste sensations. The elaborate bottle design reflects a love of detail and certainly leaves an impression.

At the World Spirits Award, bronze was achieved by LA SU *MGO* Natural Mango.

Destileria La Caravedo – Traditional products from Peru

The Destileria La Caravedo, founded by Juan Facundo Caravedo Roque in 1684, is said to be the oldest distillery in America. Located in the heart of the Andes, it is about three and a half hours away from Peru’s capital, Lima. These days, there is a high-tech distillery there, which combines technology, design and environmental awareness. The use of water and energy is reduced. Gravity is used for all steps of production, electric pumps are not used. The plants in the roof garden absorb carbon dioxide from the fermentation process and create oxygen. All this provides a sustainable background for a special product: Pisco Portón.

Traditional methods are paramount and much of the work has to be done by hand until a bottle is filled with the clear spirit. First come the grapes from the regional grape varieties Quebranta, Albilla and Torontel. The juice from the first pressing is fermented, but not completely, in order to retain some natural dextrose. After distillation in copper stills there follows a maturing period of up to twelve months until bottling, strictly controlled by the experienced master distiller, Johnny Schuler. With his signature on the numbered bottles he guarantees the purity and top quality of the Pisco Portón.

Pisco is a perfect partner for cocktails and mixed drinks. The name, by the way, comes from the harbour town in Peru from which the national drink was first exported. In the language of the Quechua Indians the word ‘pisco’ means ‘small bird’. The use of the term is regulated by law, from the grape varieties to distillation (without addition of water or flavours) and storage (no maturing in wood). The three main categories of Pisco are Puro (from one grape variety), Acholado (a blend) and Mosto Verde. In this highest quality, just like with Pisco Portón, only partly fermented juice is used.

Classified as a Recommended Distillery 2015, there was gold for Pisco Portón Mosto Verde Italia and silver for Pisco Portón Mosto Verde Quebranta and Pisco Mosto Verde Acholado.

Elch Edelbrände: Brandies, whisky and beers from Franconia

Georg Kugler (born in 1977) used to stand in wonder in front of his godfather’s still as a child and wanted every single step explained to him in detail. In 2002, he fulfilled his dream: he took over his godfather’s renowned restaurant, including the distillery rights, and he added a brewery. In 2013, the now father-of-three replaced the original distillery from the 1960s with a highly modern system with one of the largest stills in the country (1,000 l).

This passionate distiller has experimented with different fermentation temperatures, distilling methods and different yeasts, and developed his own line of straight brandies that are clearly defined in taste. As one of the first fine brandy sommeliers (2012) and beer sommeliers (2013), he is fascinated by the nuances of flavours, and he also combines the worlds of brewing and distilling. And so, you can find brandies maturing in wooden casks besides Williams pear, quince and cherry brandies in historic rock caverns. A few years ago, Georg Kugler began to work more intensively with whisky. He has been producing the smoky Single Malt Whisky since 2017, for which the malt is kiln-dried for the first time over German peat. The storage in sherry, bourbon and acacia wood barrels provides the Elch whisky with its special aroma.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Fass 41, gold for Fass 1, Fass 24, Torf vom Dorf, and silver for Akazienfass Nr. 15.