What’s Steinhäger? Is Steinhäger a gin? Historical past and extra.

May 25, 2022

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Steinhäger is a protected Geographical Indication beneath European Union legislation. That implies that spirits which bear the title have to be observe a particular algorithm and be produced within the designated space. To take care of the designation, a technical file have to be maintained that particularly calls out what makes that spirit distinct and completely different.

What’s Steinhäger?

Firstly, whereas it’s just like gin— it’s technically talking its personal factor. Legally it’s categorised as a Juniper-flavored spirit drink. That is particularly complicated because the class’s most distinguished model, Schlichte, has put the phrases “Steinhaegar Dry Gin” on its bottles in English-speaking markets.

Steinhäger have to be “clear,” with a “gentle to robust” aroma and taste of “juniper.” No different components, together with colours or sweeteners, could also be added.

Secondly, it should use Juniperus communis. The flavour should come completely from distillation. In different phrases you can’t have a compound Steinhäger.

Dried juniper berries are crushed, combined with heat water, yeasts after which fermented for about two weeks. Afterwards, the juniper mash is distilled. A small quantity of unfermented juniper could also be added right here and distilled. The ensuing distillate mustn’t have greater than 15% ABV at this step.

For the subsequent distillation, the juniper distillate is mixed with grain distillate, and probably extra unfermented juniper berries. It as soon as was required that the grain base be produced from regionally grown wheat and rye; nevertheless, that’s now not mandated by legislation.

After mixing and dilution, Steinhäger should have a minimal ABV of 38%. It then have to be bottled in darkish glass/stoneware bottles.

The place

The historical past of Steinhäger

Much like gin, Steinhäger has its origins in Renaissance medicinal tradition. The manufacturing of a spirit drink in Steinhägen produced from juniper may be traced again to at the very least the fifteenth century¹.

Much like different components of Europe, German apothecaries typically labored their cures round what was rising within the area. Juniper rising wild would have been simple to seek out and fairly cheap. Due to its ubiquity in Europe, it’s no marvel that it turned a part of so many distinctive medicinal cultures.

Presently, Ravensberg Land was beneath Prussian rule. When the Nice Elector visited, he was offered with a pitcher of Steinhäger. This marks a transition in its standing. Whereas initially developed as a house treatment, on this story, it’s extra doubtless it was offered to the Elector as a leisure drink.

Regardless of it’s early roots, Steinhäger didn’t commercialize till a lot later. It’s not till the late nineteenth century that we see tens of distilleries within the area producing the spirit. Additional, they had been additionally starting to be exported. Steinhägers received a number of medals at World’s Festivals in the course of the 1800s and early 1900s.

As shortly because it rose to prominence, it declined. By 2000 solely two distilleries producing it remained.

Konig’s Steinhager was a well-awarded instance from the flip of the century. Early advertising described it as a Steinhager, although by the 1910’s, importers started describing it as “Westphalian Gin” for English talking audiences.

Is Steinhäger a gin?

Apparently, the notion that it’s an entire separate issues from gin appears to have advanced in quite current historical past. It was typically described as a “Geneva” and spirits referred to as Steinhäger additionally received medals as a gin².

Whereas trendy understanding of “gin” differentiates clearly between a number of varieties, together with genever, gin, and others— for a very long time all spirits with juniper had been lumped beneath the heading gin.

Whereas the addition of juniper berries to a spirit about to be redistilled sounds very gin like; the bizarre base— which incorporates fermented juniper makes it distinctive and fairly completely different. It’s maybe extra acceptable to hyperlink Steinhäger with different fermented juniper drinks like Borovicka than it’s to name it a gin. Regardless that to simplify issues, main manufacturers like Schlichte have communicated it as if a gin, particularly in English talking markets.

Trendy examples

Cocktails with Steinhager

From Harry Schraemli’s Manuel du Bar (1965). Of each e-book I’ve seen, it has one of the crucial complete remedy’s of the class over the past century