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b.gin: Puristic gin from the Traisental valley

It all started at a birthday celebration where the gift was a 2-litre table distiller – and two childhood friends decided to create a gin: anything other than classic, but rather charming and devoted to their homeland. Many botanicals come from the region: freshly plucked rosemary, lemons from their own trees, rosehips picked at temperatures below zero, lavender and much more from the family gardens. A week after the first starter, the mini distillery was put into operation. At the time, the two of them were in a COVID lockdown, so they tinkered and sampled in the cellar of the house. They soon found a name to suit the cause: Bernhard & Bernhard = b.gin.

Things then moved quickly. The table distiller was swapped for an 80-litre still and b.gin was presented on 1 May 2021. Pure enjoyment for every occasion, carefully distilled, unfiltered, filled by hand, matured in a clay bottle: b.gin – the classic, b.fresh – the fruity one, b.arrel gin – the unique one. Since then, the product range has been extended with additional gins and tonics. There is a big focus on the finalisation: high-quality labels, tags, ties, seals, attaching the cocktail umbrella, sealing wax. Sales are from the farm, in the online shop and in wine shops. Their home base is the Steyrer vineyard in Kuffern. The vintner Bernhard is the troubleshooter, as well as the attachment professional and distilling master, while Bernhard Dockner is the finder of ideas, printing master, refinement professional and also distilling master. They have pooled their creativity and know-how to create gins that are really fun.

At the World Spirits Award, double gold (World-Spirits Award 2023 & Spirit of the Year 2023) was awarded to b.gin Traisental, gold to b.gin fresh and silver to b.arrel gin.

Sauerländer Edelbrennerei: From hobby to successful business

Fine brandies, spirits and liqueurs have been produced in Kallenhardt for the last 20 years. The product range has been rounded off by Thousand Mountains® Mc Raven Single Malt Whisky. What started out as a hobby has developed into a successful family business. Behind it all is epicurean and businessman, Ulrich Wolfkühler, and a trip to the southern German fruit distilleries towards the end of the 1990s. Some rather poor brandies led to the declaration “We can do better!” and the decision to build up a distillery with family friends, the Wolfkühler family and the Mülheims family, to create natural products without additives – by hand.

The adventure began by acquiring the distilling rights in the year 2000. Raw materials from the region were sourced and a well was built for extracting water of the best quality. They started with a 200-litre plant in a double garage, then, in April 2016, they transferred to a renovated old sawmill. The acquisition of a 1,200-litre pot still plant made the whisky dream come true. Since then, the future of the company has been shaped by a new 1,000-litre plant for fruit distillation and an extension for bottling, dispatch and bottle storage. An expansion of the visitors’ experience area is planned as well as a barrel storage area. Traditional artisanship is combined with innovation, passion, skill and patience. The team of three with the highest demands on quality and taste are a sign that the success story is just beginning.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Thousand Mountains Mc Raven Single Malt Whisky.