Message in a bottle from Hamburg - Part 1

Hamburg’s HafenCity is synonymous with modern buildings, its proximity to the water – and gin! René Wolf has been selling 20457 HafenCity Gin for two years now, though this North German has become an entrepreneur against his will. It was only after his friends persuaded him that he took the plunge into the drinks business – and had to overcome a few hurdles along the way.

Looking forward to Northern Germany

René is a little tired; he only returned late at night from a trade fair organised by a supermarket chain from Hanover. But the short sleep and the effort were worth it: twelve new outlets have once again been added to the distribution network. René recounts this quite matter-of-factly and chooses his words carefully, yet a slight smile on his lips offers a glimpse into his state of mind.

With this pleasant calmness, he has been navigating the heated and competitive spirits market with 20457 HafenCity Gin since 2017, a market where new competitors are constantly emerging and the prevailing view is: “The era of the gin and tonic is over.” Does this forecast for the future make the bearded man uneasy? “At some point, the gin hype will die down,” René knows, “but people will always drink it; they have for centuries. A few brands will disappear, and those that are well-made and taste good will survive.” A danger that is also an opportunity.

A liquid journey around the world

Because when it comes to flavour, the company founder is certain, not many other products can keep up. Twelve different spices and herbs ensure that the flavours gradually trigger veritable explosions in the mouth. Whilst the juniper berries entice the palate with a spicy prelude, kaffir lime leaves and orange subsequently provide a fruity, exotic freshness. Finally, the influences of nutmeg and cubeb pepper come to the fore, guaranteeing that the Hamburg gin will be remembered.

Chance also played a part in finding the right ingredients. Whilst searching for an alternative to lemon zest (“I wanted a more complex citrus note”), the unexpected solution was floating in the Tom Kha Gai soup at an Asian restaurant. The chef had forgotten to remove a flavourful kaffir lime leaf from the dish; René bit into it without realising – and was delighted: “That was exactly what I’d been looking for all along.” For the overall composition, the cap-wearer drew inspiration from the neighbouring Speicherstadt with all its spices and the fruit wholesale market, “those were my cornerstones.”

Endless possibilities

His passion for the cult drink began over four years ago: ever since he completed a workshop with a master distiller alongside friends, the Lübeck native has been enthralled by the sheer endless possibilities of gin production. He started with a small still, extracting a wide variety of flavours from a diverse range of botanicals. “I went into the woods, dug up and picked plants and berries, and visited fruit markets and spice shops,” René recalls of the early days. Even the scent of freshly mown grass found its way into the bottles; he has already tried out over 60 recipes.

He kept a record of all his experiments, and the tastiest results were given away on special occasions. That was also the basic idea when René took a bottle of gin to the group’s ‘living room’, Club 20457, at Christmas 2016. Owner Antonio ‘Toni’ Fabrizio was presented with the home-distilled gin and shared it with the group that very evening. The mixture was almost identical to today’s version, apart from one ingredient – and it sparked enthusiasm. “Everyone said: ‘Right, now you’ve got to make this!’ But I didn’t want to be the thousandth advertiser launching a spirit. That’s why I’d been reluctant.”

You can read in the second part why the start in the gin business was bumpy, why chance gave René a helping hand, and why his girlfriend Vera regularly has to roll her eyes.