The 'water of life': Whisky distilling takes off in Germany

Zeitz, Germany:  Whisky was first distilled in Ireland and Scotland, where the alcoholic tipple’s name means “water of life,” but distilleries are now cropping up in some unexpected places. [caption id=“attachment_2529360” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Daniel Rost, whisky distiller, among his barrels/ DPA[/caption] How about a shot of hooch from Germany, the home of schnapps? “There are now 150 distilleries in Germany,” says Silvia Steck, spokeswoman for the German distillers’ association, the Verband Deutscher Whiskybrenner. “A boom set in about three years ago.” Most German distilleries are run by individuals who simply love making (and testing) whisky. A few have spent tens of thousands of euros on their distilleries, leaving them in debt with friends and banks so they can fulfil their dream of making their own spirit. There are only a few private distilleries in Germany large enough to make whisky and send it to market. “Home-brand whiskies make up only about 3 per cent of German sales,” says Steck. One of Germany’s more interesting new distilleries is located in the eastern town of Zeitz. No one would know that behind the walls of an ordinary family home, malt is being fed into a working whisky distillery. Inside the garage is a Lomond still pot and three filter plates. “The last time a distillery like this existed was in Scotland 60 years ago. It requires a lot of care and attention,” says part-time distiller Daniel Rost proudly. The Lomond method may be a lot of work, but Rost is happy with the result. “I can use it to distil different types of whisky which are light and fruity but also heavy and oily.” Why did a German decide to build a distillery? “I fell in love with whisky while hiking through the Scottish Highlands,” says Rost. Together with a friend with whom he ran a pub in Zeitz, he decided to go into the whisky making business. After three years of convincing Germany’s authorities, he began distilling his first drop. Rost’s first “Baby Whisky” was kegged up in the spring. Rost is very proud of his distillery and loves showing it to visitors. The media can’t get enough of his venture and whenever he makes a public appearance, Rost likes to don a kilt. His background as a chemist has also been useful. Whisky is made in several stages. It begins by fermenting a mash of grain, usually malt or corn. It is then distilled and put into casks for maturing. Between 60 and 80 per cent of whisky’s taste is due to its being stored in casks for years at a time before bottling. Rost has about 30 casks of his own whisky maturing and he has no space for more. He stores the whisky in American oak casks as well as casks once used to hold rum, sherry and port. Whisky must be stored for at least three years in a cask before it can be bottled and legally called whisky. The first whisky from Zeitz is due to be drunk in 2017. In the meantime Rost is supporting the distillery by selling liquors and other products linked to whisky making. DPA Features