2017

Haselünne, August 31, 2017 – "The corn schnapps distillery is our identity and our origin and we are proud to finally be able to distil our own products again." With these words, Oliver Schwegmann, chairman of the executive board of the Berentzen Group, opened the new Berentzen Hof-Distillery in Haselünne, this evening (Thursday) in front of 100 invited guests. The Berentzen Group will use the distillery to produce premium-segment crafted spirits in the future, he said.

Together with Haselünne's Mayor, Werner Schräer, Schwegmann and executive board colleague Ralf Brühöfner filled the first barrel of the new premium Doppelkorn Korn2Korn at the inauguration. "As a drink, schnapps has every right in the world to be a premium product. In contrast to most other clear spirits, schnapps is subject to a kind of "purity law" which stipulates that only certain ingredients may be used to make it. As "ambassadors" of this beverage, we want to help make it popular again, both in Germany and further afield," Schwegmann said. Over the last year there has been a recognisable development in the hotel-restaurant industry to corn schnapps becoming established as a trendy drink, he said.

The new Korn2Korn was a genuine handcrafted product, Schwegmann continued. Only specially-selected organically-grown grain and the soft water from the company's own St Ansgari spring were used to make it. The Korn2Korn was carefully handcrafted from these ingredients at the new micro-distillery by experienced master distiller Andreas Büdenbender and each bottle was hand-signed, Schwegmann said. "People want to experience, smell and taste something special," he said. Our Korn2Korn stands out from the mass of generally-available spirits through its malty, bread-like aromas, he continued. Schwegmann is convinced that "With this new distillery, we intend to be among those making a crucial contribution to the current trend to crafted spirits.”

The new distillery is dear to the hearts of the employees of the Berentzen Group. When the difficult but commercially justified decision was made to dismantle the old large distillery in Haselünne in 2008, it left a deep wound. "The emotional value of the new distillery is thus at least as high as its commercial value," Schwegmann said.

The new distillery, which has now been opened after a two-year design and construction phase, forms the heart of the Berentzen Hof (Farmyard) at the Group's head offices. Every year, over 30,000 visitors come to the Berentzen Hof, which includes a distillery museum, several conference rooms, a shop and gastronomy offerings. "The distillery is an additional enrichment. At the Berentzen Hof the guests can learn all about us interactively, experience the schnapps distillery 'live' and see up close how schnapps is made," Schwegmann explained. "For us, the spirit business is not just a commercial undertaking, it is a passion and represents the origins of the Berentzen Group," Schwegmann concluded.