Grain brandy

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Kornbrand , also known as grain depending on the alcohol content , is an alcoholic drink made from grain and is one of the clear spirits among spirits .

A grain must have an alcohol content of at least 32 percent by volume . From an alcohol content of 37.5 percent by volume, the term Kornbrand may be used. Here the designation Doppelkorn has established itself on the market with 38 percent by volume.

Only the grains rye , wheat , barley , oats and buckwheat are permitted for production. Most corn brandies are based on rye or wheat; Oats and buckwheat hardly play a role. Barley is mainly used to obtain the malt required for the brewing process.

Historical

Korn has probably been produced in Germany since the 15th century . It has been in existence since 1507: a resolution by the city of Nordhausen dated this year shows that a tax was imposed on grain. In 1545 the first grain distilling ban was imposed. A decree of the magistrate of the city Nordhausen banned, grain or malt for the production of spirits to use. Historians assume that the brewers wanted to defend themselves against the grain brandy competition, which made the grain more expensive. However, almost 30 years later - in 1574 - the ban was relaxed again and finally lifted completely, so that at the end of the 16th century, grain distilling became an increasingly important economic factor. In the 17th century , grain production fell sharply due to the Thirty Years' War that began in 1618 and the associated shortage of grain and malt, but recovered quickly after its end.

In the middle of the 19th century , the market conditions for grain became more difficult because alcohol from potatoes could be distilled much more cheaply. Partly - also due to the emergence of grain spices, which could conceal foreign substances - grain was therefore adulterated with potato brandy . Nevertheless, the first purity law for the distilling of grain brandies already existed from 1789. The ordinance of the city of Nordhausen stipulated that at least two thirds of rye and a maximum of one third of barley had to be used. In the 19th century, the grain burner industry developed, especially in the Ruhr area . Among the best-known grain distillers was the father of the later Chancellor Otto von Bismarck , who had owned a family distillery since 1799. During the same period, the grain came under pressure again due to the establishment of the inexpensive potato distillery. In 1909 a nationwide purity law was issued. Due to the First World War , the production of the grain was initially reduced due to the increasing food shortage, which ultimately led to a ban on serving alcoholic beverages. Even though a few distilleries were able to maintain operations by supplying the army, the confiscation of copper, brass, gunmetal and bronze inventory in favor of the armaments industry in particular led to further closures. Firing was allowed again six years after the First World War, from 1924. The global economic crisis that began in 1929, but above all the ban on the production of grain imposed from 1936 during the Nazi era , initially prevented a renaissance of the grain distillery. It was not until the ban in the Federal Republic of Germany was lifted in 1954 that production and consumption levels increased and the beverage became more popular. In the 1960s, grain flavored with fruit juice , the most famous representative of which is apple grain , appeared on the market. In the decades that followed, the drink's popularity fell. In the recent past some noble variants have appeared on the market; In addition, the grain is benefiting from the renewed popularity of cocktails .

As of October 1, 1986, 205 of the 429 West German grain distilleries were located in the area of ​​the former Chamber of Agriculture Westphalia-Lippe

Manufacturing

The grain is ground into grist mills, and then with hot water gelatinized : The result is the so-called sour mash . Enzyme-rich malt is added to it in order to saccharify the corn starch . The resulting sweet mash is cooled and fermented with yeast , ethanol (drinking alcohol) is formed. Then the actual burning process takes place . The alcohol that escapes in the form of steam is subjected to multiple distillation in order to remove undesirable odors and flavors. The resulting high-percentage grain distillate (raw alcohol with approx. 85 % vol. ) Is diluted with water . To round off and harmonize your bouquet, high-quality grain brandies are stored over oak or typified , then reduced to drinking strength and bottled.

The stillage that occurs as a by-product during distillation is used as high-quality feed for cattle, pigs and sheep.

For the taste of the drink, the water used to reduce it is considered to be one of the decisive factors. Mostly spring water is used. For the so-called ice grain , melted glacier ice or ice age water from deep layers of the earth is used instead of spring water.

Grain production in Germany

Grain distillery in Nordhausen

The industrial grain production is concentrated in several regions in Germany: Bad Oldesloe in Schleswig-Holstein ( Oldesloer Korn ), Nordhausen in northern Thuringia, Haselünne in Emsland in Lower Saxony and Oelde in Westphalia. In Nordhausen, the daughter of Red Riding Hood Mumm champagne cellars Real Nordhäuser Spirits GmbH , the grain fires the brand Real Nordhäuser ago. The Berentzen , Heydt and Rosche distilleries are located in Haselünne and sell products of the same name on the market. The headquarters of Schwarze & Schlichte , which have been producing grain since 1664, are located in Oelde . Another well-known manufacturer is Hardenberg-Wilthen AG ( Hardenberger ) in the south of Lower Saxony.

One of the smaller distilleries is the fine distillery Sasse in Schöppingen, first mentioned in 1707 . In addition, the J. Hullmann grain distillery in Oldenburg , which has been in existence since 1807 and whose products Heydt sells, and the old Mackenstedter Hans Turner grain distillery in Groß-Mackenstedt near Bremen since 1750 . The Johann Heinrich Sallandt grain distillery in Burgsteinfurt / Westf. was founded in 1739. The Büchter grain distillery in Castrop-Rauxel has existed since 1880. The Schmittmann grain distillery in Düsseldorf has existed since 1818. The last Bergisch grain distillery is the Hoffer Alter company based in the Rösrath district of Hofferhof , which is also the oldest active company in Rösrath. The Bergisch spirits of the brands “Hoppenhaus” and “Bruchhaus” are also produced there. The Schlitzer Grain & Noble Fruit Distillery, founded in 1585, is located in Schlitz in East Hesse . The Schierhölter Korn distillery, founded in 1801, distills in Glandorf , Lower Saxony . At around the same time (1802), the Hamfeld steam grain distillery in the Schleswig-Holstein district of the Duchy of Lauenburg begins its traditional production, which is still managed today. The J. Böckenhoff grain distillery, founded in 1832, is located in Raesfeld in the Münsterland region .

use

Korn is usually drunk pure as a short drink. It is also popular as part of a men's table setting , where the grain is served with a beer . After all, grain is also drunk in combination with cola as cola grain . Grain is rarely used as the basis for cocktails; nevertheless these exist, for example the grain kir . There is also the option of replacing the latter with grain for cocktails based on vodka .

Market overview

Doornkaat "monument" in the north (East Friesland)

Korn's share of total market production of all types of spirits was 8.6% in 2016. The share of the total market supply of all types of spirits in the total market supply - together with other clear spirits - was 14.8%.

The total turnover with Korn in 2016 was around 115 million euros, that of Doppelkorn around 72.5 million euros.

Legal

The legal basis for naming grain and grain brandy can be found in the Ordinance on Certain Alcoholic Beverages (AGeV) . The corresponding regulations are in turn based largely on Regulation (EC) No. 110/2008 (Spirits Regulation) , the subject of which is primarily the definition, description, presentation and labeling of spirits.

According to § 9a Abs. 1 AGeV, four conditions must be met so that the end product can bear the sales name Korn or Kornbrand :

  1. The production, including that of the distillate, and the reduction to drinking strength with water must have taken place in Austria, in Austria or in the German-speaking Community of Belgium
  2. The distillate was produced exclusively by distilling fermented mash from the whole grain of wheat , barley , oats , rye or buckwheat with all its components or by re-distilling one of the aforementioned distillates
  3. No food additives have been added to the product
  4. The alcohol content of the finished spirit is
    • in the case of "grain" at least 32 percent by volume
    • in the case of "grain brandy" at least 37.5 percent by volume.

In accordance with Section 9a (2) AGeV, the additions “Münsterländer”, “Sendenhorster”, “Bergischer”, “Emsländer”, “Haselünner” and “Hasetaler” are also protected for grain and grain brandy. The former term "grain brandy" is no longer permitted in order to avoid confusion with a spirit made from wine (see brandy ).

Like all spirits, Korn was subject to spirits tax in Germany until December 31, 2017 .

literature

  • Helmut Arntz: Nordhäuser brandy . Society for the history of wine , Wiesbaden 1981 ( writings on wine history 59, ISSN  0302-0967 ).
  • J. Dehnicke: History of the German grain distillery . Published by the grain distilleries section of the alcohol industry business group. Mitteldeutsche Verlags-AG., Erfurt 1936.
  • Hermann Greve : Old Mackenstedter grain distillery. In: From tobacco growers and drunkards. On the history of beer, brandy and tobacco in Northern Germany. Kreismuseum, Syke 2000, pp. 73-77.
  • Rainer Gries: Products as media. Cultural history of product communication in the Federal Republic and the GDR . Leipziger Universitäts-Verlag, Leipzig 2003, ISBN 3-935693-96-6 .
  • Regina Hübner, Manfred Hübner: Drink, little brothers, drink. Illustrated cultural and social history of German drinking habits . Edition Leipzig, Leipzig 2004, ISBN 3-361-00575-2 .
  • Heinrich Kreipe: Grain and potato distillery . 3rd revised and expanded edition. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-8001-5810-8 ( Handbook of Beverage Technology ).
  • MediaReport Alcoholic beverages . SevenOne Media, Unterföhring 2005.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Ordinance on certain alcoholic beverages (AGeV) , gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed on January 19, 2018
  2. ^ A b c d Roland Graf: Seven facts about grain . In: mixology.eu . Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  3. ↑ a b c d Thomas Majhen: The Bar Primer: Drinks & Brands . epubli Verlag, Berlin (2015).
  4. ↑ In Ibbenbürener Volkszeitung of May 11, 1987: "Every 2nd grain distillery is in Westphalia" ; accessed on February 1, 2019
  5. ↑ Company history since 1860 on buechter-kornbrand.de, accessed on February 21, 2012.
  6. ^ E. Dreckmann liqueur factory
  7. ↑ The small distillery in Münsterland on kornbrennerei-boeckenhoff.de, accessed on April 26, 2019.
  8. ↑ Juliane Reichert: Korn - A spirit coming or in a coma? . In: mixology.eu . Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  9. ↑ Share of types of spirits in total market production in 2016. (PDF) In: Data from the alcohol industry 2017. Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers, 2017, accessed on January 21, 2018 . , P. 7
  10. ↑ Share of the types of spirits in the total market supply 2016. (PDF) In: Daten aus der Alcoholwirtschaft 2017. Bundesverband der Deutschen Spirituosen-Industrie und -importeure, 2017, accessed on January 21, 2018 . , P. 8
  11. ↑ Spirits hit parade in food retail 2015/2016 in Germany as a whole (turnover). (PDF) In: Data from the alcohol industry 2017. Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers, 2017, accessed on January 21, 2018 . , P. 28