American Whiskey Producers in Germany

Picture: At the Bar Convent Berlin

Frank Coleman led a Group of 18 Spirits Producers from the United States 

Eighteen American spirits producers - most of them micro - distilleries and whiskey producers – came in October of this year to Germany to make their products (better) known here. Stops included Frankfurt, Duesseldorf and Berlin.

Picture: Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Brown-Forman and Woodford Reserve, Kentucky, at a Whiskey Tasting with Dinner at Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main

Picture: Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Brown-Forman and Woodford Reserve, Kentucky, Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser in Oestrich-Winkle, and Frank Coleman, Senior Vice-President, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, at Weingut August Eser on the Way from Frankfurt am Main to Duesseldorf

Picture:  Asbach Uralt Tasting in Ruedesheim with Asbach Uralt Managing Director Christopher Dellee and Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Brown-Forman and Woodford Reserve, Kentucky

The group was headed by Frank Coleman, the head of the Association "Distilled Spirits Council of the United States." The undisputed star of the group was Chris Morris, master distiller for Brown -Forman and Woodford Reserve in Kentucky. He is the seventh of his profession since the founding of Brown - Forman in 1870. The other producers were small and medium-sized manufacturers, such as the very likeable Don Garrison, of the Garrison Brothers Distillery from Texas, who want to get (more) into the German market. "In the last ten years, sales of American spirits, especially whiskey, recorded an increase of 84 % in Germany" Frank Coleman said.

Picture: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours and Public Relations, and Philip E. Prichard, Prichards' Distillery, Tennessee, in Berlin. The Whiskey Tour was organized by Annette Schiller and her Team.

Whiskey Shut Down

In Berlin, the reception and the press briefing at the U.S. Embassy with the Ambassador unfortunately had to be reorganized on short notice and moved to a Berlin Hotel - because of the American budget crisis. But despite these problems, the event turned out to be a big success. The emphasis in Berlin was the Bar Convent Berlin (BCB), which took place during October 7 and 8. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States had its own stand, providing the American spirits producers excellent opportunities to present their products to the professional audience at the BCB. All American producers were very satisfied and many want to come back next year. The Bar Convent Berlin has become one of the most important platforms for the bar and spirits industry in Germany since its inception seven years ago.

Picture: The American Pavillion at the Bar Convent Berlin

Picture: The American Pavillion at the Bar Convent Berlin

Picture: Taking Pictures of Frank Coleman

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at the Bar Convent Berlin

Picture: The "Macher" of the Bar Convent Berlin

Frankfurt and Duesseldorf

The four days in Berlin were preceded with events in Frankfurt and Duesseldorf with Frank Coleman and Chris Morris. In Duesseldorf, Falstaff organized a whiskey tasting with dinner in the “Im Schiffchen”. Chris Morris led an entertaining and educational tasting with four very different American whiskeys. The aim of the tasting was to give a broad overview of the world of American whiskeys.

Pictures: Whiskey Tasting in "Im Schiffchen"

Following the tasting, guests were treated to an excellent four-course menu.

It was a terrific evening, which all who were present will remember as an extremely successful symbiosis of German and American delicacies.

Pictures: Chef Jean-Claude Bourgueil, Im Schiffchen, and Ursula Haslauer, Managing Director and Co-owner of Falstaff Deutschland

The initial version of this article (in German) appeared on October 15, 2013 in Falstaff.de:
Amerikanische Whiskey-Hersteller in Deutschland 

A somewhat longer version, also including a review of the whiskeys tasted in Duesseldorf, appeared on October 16, 2013 on schiller-wine:
Amerikanische Whiskey Hersteller in Deutschland