Bogner Distillery: From the garden to the bottle
The farm’s extensive complex also includes an imposing farm building and a premium distillery with its own farm shop. The Bogner Aste event venue, with its 20,000 m² ‘fairy-tale meadow’ on the Gnadenwald Plateau, is run very successfully by the pair, with Verena Strasser acting here not only as hostess but also as an event and wedding planner .
Where did the idea to create fine spirits come from?
The family estate comprises around 7,000 plum trees, which means that around 10–40 tonnes of plums can be harvested each year. As the fruit needs to be processed quickly, the idea of setting up a distillery was conceived, and the family of four realised this dream around 10 years ago. As a certified fine spirits sommelier, Hubert Strasser has since made a name for himself on the international stage. The extensive range includes not only delicious fruit brandies made from the estate’s own fruit varieties, such as plums and rowanberries, but also whisky and Tschin. Numerous awards (2011–2018) for ‘Signum’, a barrel-aged brandy, bear witness to the outstanding quality of the products. At the end of this year, the 2019 vintage will be awarded a prize by the Association of Tyrolean Fine Brandy Sommeliers. There is no time to rest, however, as preparations for next year are already underway.
Where does this passion for schnapps as a cultural treasure come from?
Distilling schnapps has a long tradition at the Bogner Inn. This love and dedication have been passed down through the generations, so to speak, over the centuries, and Hubert was able to watch his grandfather and father distil schnapps from a young age. Hubert, Tyrol’s leading plum grower, has also passed on this passion to his two sons, Severin and Cajetan. We can look forward to seeing what the younger generation will create in the future.
What’s the story behind the Bogner family’s Highland cattle?
The two Highland cattle that Hubert, the innkeeper and restaurateur, was given as a gift around 15 years ago have since grown into a herd of 40. The cattle enjoy their life on the Höttingeralm and return to the farm in Absam in late autumn. At the Bogner Aste event venue, guests are treated to a variety of Highland cattle specialities, and to round off the meal, Verena Strasser, the head chef, serves a complementary plum, Swiss stone pine, quince, apricot, strawberry, raspberry or rowan brandy to complement the meal.
How does burning work?
The sun-ripened fruit is crushed immediately after harvesting and then transferred to the mash tun.
Once the pH level has been adjusted, yeast is added to the mash to convert the sugar into alcohol. Distillation begins after around 10–14 days. The spirits are distilled using traditional rough and fine distillation methods and stored in stainless steel tanks, glass demijohns or wooden casks until their full aroma has developed. Depending on the product, this ageing process can take up to eight years. Naturally, all products are available from our on-site farm shop or via our online shop.
News from the Bogner family farm:
A special experience at wedding and birthday parties or on the eve of the wedding is distilling a fine brandy, whisky or ‘Tschin’ together. You can take the finished product home with you either in a bottle or in an original 6-litre wooden and stainless-steel barrel.
Anyone who’s curious and would like to find out more about the secrets of schnapps distilling can contact the Hall-Wattens Regional Tourist Board at any time by email (info@hall-wattens.at) or by telephone on 05223/455440 to book a one-and-a-half-hour guided tour of the Bogner distillery as part of the Tyrolean Schnapps Route. In the first-class farm shop, you’ll find an excellent selection of various fine spirits, whiskies and ‘Tschins’, as well as exclusive gift ideas. Also available is the perfect read on the subject: *The Tyrolean Schnapps Route – A Journey to the Best Distilleries*.