Korn and Kornbrand, matured in barrels with a history
Korn from three distilleries in Schöppingen, Werne, and Bremen is available at nur Gutes, ranging from clear spelt Korn to Kornbrand with peat smoke. In between, there is a double Korn made from rye, two spelt brandies, and a tasting set with three matured varieties.
Korn is a grain spirit made from the fermented mash of whole grains of wheat—including spelt—rye, barley, oats, or buckwheat, produced in Germany, Austria, or the German-speaking community of Belgium. Korn must have an alcohol content of at least 32% vol, and from 37.5% vol upwards, it may be called Kornbrand.
The name of a grain spirit reveals strength and grain
The "double" (Doppel) in Doppelkorn refers to the alcohol content, not the distillation process. A Korn may only be called Doppelkorn or Edelkorn from 38% vol upwards, and the rye Doppelkorn from Bremen sits exactly on this threshold. Nevertheless, it is distilled twice in small copper pot stills.
Under Korn law, spelt is classified as wheat, so the spelt Korn from Werne is a Korn, whether clear or aged in wooden barrels. Furthermore, a grain brandy may bear the name of the specific grain from which it was exclusively distilled, which is why Ehringhausen calls two of its "Little Lords" spelt brandy.
Special rules apply to Korn from wood, because it is only considered "matured" or "old" after a storage period of six months, and wood chips are taboo. The purity law for Korn allows for no additives other than water; only after 24 months in wood may a trace of caramelized sugar be added for rounding.
The boundary to German whisky is defined by malt and barrels. Whisky requires malted grain, which converts its own enzymes into sugar, and must mature for a minimum period in barrels no larger than 700 liters. For Korn, added enzymes are permitted, and there is neither a requirement for barrel aging nor a minimum maturation time.
In Schöppingen, it's the wood that counts; in Werne, the spelt; in Bremen, the rye
In Schöppingen in the Münsterland region, Rüdiger Sasse devotes his primary care to the wood. He uses Limousin and Allier oak as well as American oak, and the wood is left outdoors for four years. It is toasted medium or heavy, for 70 minutes at 200°C or 80 minutes at 300°C.
He blends up to 50 barrels from three age categories for the Korn from Cognac barriques, the Lagerkorn V.S.O.P. The same series, the Lagerkorn from Schöppingen, includes the matured Korn Cigar Special and the Kornbrand Atlantik Finish, both at 40% vol.
In their distillery in Werne, Theres and Georg Glitz-Ehringhausen primarily process spelt, and every ingredient in their bottles at nur Gutes comes from organic cultivation with the inspection number DE-ÖKO-005. Their "Little Lords" N° 02 to N° 04 rest in oak barrels before being bottled at 42% vol.
In their transparent manufactory, the distillery at the Bremen Europahafen, Birgitta Schulze van Loon separates the "heart" during distillation and filters it through activated charcoal. Afterward, her rye Doppelkorn rests for at least one year in former whisky barrels.
The barrel determines which Korn to choose first
When it comes to barrel-aged Korn, the choice at nur Gutes starts with the barrel, because its previous contents determine the direction of the flavor. From the cognac barrel, the Lagerkorn V.S.O.P. brings vanilla and white chocolate; from the bourbon barrel, the wood-aged Korn from Werne offers natural vanilla and woody, fruity notes. In the whisky barrel, the rye Doppelkorn from Bremen gains a fine barrel note. Without a barrel, the clear spelt Korn from Werne remains entirely focused on the grain.
Beneath the wood lies the grain: spelt is mild and malty, rye is spicier. In the Kornbrand with peat malt, even the smoke comes from the Korn, because its barley malt was dried over a fire of Scottish peat. Then there are the years, and where a house uses an abbreviation, it is a promise—the V.S.O.P. designation requires at least four years in wood.
Therefore, a three-part rule applies to the Korn at nur Gutes: The barrel sets the direction, the grain provides the keynote, and the years add the depth.
Three barrel paths can be tasted side-by-side in the tasting set from three barrels, featuring 40 ml each of the V.S.O.P., the Cigar Special, and the Atlantik Finish, complete with a tasting card. The Lord N° 04, a Kornbrand from an oak barrel, also features peat smoke and scents of dark chocolate and caramelized cherry. Its brothers, N° 02 and N° 03, display notes of sherry and raisin or toffee and licorice.
Korn belongs before a meal, with lamb and game, or afterward
When the roast is resting, take the Korn out of the cupboard. The bottles from Werne, including the clear Korn, are served at 16 to 20°C, as is the Cigar Special. Drink the Atlantik Finish one degree warmer, at 17 to 21°C, from a nosing glass whose narrow opening collects the aroma; use the same glass or a wide tumbler for the Lagerkorn V.S.O.P.
Lamb, beef, or game pair well with the Cigar Special, accompanied by a mild cigar if you wish. The house views the "Lords" and the wood-aged Korn as both an aperitif and a digestif, so you can pour them before the first course or after the last.
The year brings occasions for Korn, from kale to Father's Day
When the kale is steaming in winter, the rye Doppelkorn from Bremen belongs beside it. For Father's Day, the "Lords" from Werne make for an obvious gift, and for those who want to get to know them first, starting with 200 ml of the Cigar Special, the Atlantik Finish, or the Lagerkorn V.S.O.P. is recommended.
And anyone who places the clear Korn next to the wood-aged version can see what the wood has done by the color alone, even before the first sip reveals it.
