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HEILAND Doppelbock Liqueur | © Max Hofstetter

HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur – HEILAND. This is a liqueur lovingly handcrafted with a focus on detail, using Doppelbock as its main ingredient. After hearing about it repeatedly through various channels, there was no way around it: I simply had to try the HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur. So I got a bottle, tasted it, and now I want to tell you about this fantastic spirit, its history, and its background.

The Savior Cocktail Creations | © Max Hofstetter

What makes HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur special?

The distinctive features and hallmarks of HEILAND Doppelbock Liqueur are its unmistakable taste and the composition of its ingredients. The flavor profile ranges from malt and caramel to fig and a hint of chocolate. Its broad spectrum of aromas, its diversity, and its versatility make it easily recognizable in the glass. HEILAND Doppelbock Liqueur is a true one-of-a-kind among beer liqueurs, made exclusively from the finest ingredients. Furthermore, the numerous handcrafted steps performed at the HEILAND distillery ensure that each bottle of Doppelbock Liqueur is a unique product.

Origin and composition

The base ingredient for HEILAND, as mentioned, is Doppelbock. This is a strong, robust beer brewed with a higher original gravity, and its mash is thicker than that of other beers due to a lower water content. There are light and dark Bock beers. For HEILAND, Bavarian dark Doppelbock is used. Caramel, rum, and various spices are added. Naturally, the recipe remains a secret, as it took the HEILAND team a long time and over 100 trials to perfect the final recipe. HEILAND liqueur is created in the world's oldest hop-growing region, the Hallertau, at the HEILAND distillery.

Handcraft is in vogue… | © www.bayern.by

Who is behind it?

Three – what else? – beer-loving young men. More precisely, Max Hofstetter for marketing and design, Kay Thieme as sales manager, and Stefan Hofstetter as managing director. It was Stefan who, before the creation of HEILAND, had the vision, while mixing an Old Fashioned beer cocktail as a bartender, to invent his own beer-based liqueur. No sooner said than done: Almost exactly three years ago, after some preparation, the first 1.5-liter batches of home-brewed beer liqueur were produced. With this, it wasn't difficult to bring the other two founders, Max and Kay, on board. Of course, the final recipe, the one you can buy today in various bottles, wasn't quite ready at that point. That took another seven months, sleepless nights, and many failed attempts. But eventually, the time had come, and all the cooking and experimenting paid off: HEILAND, also known as the "Messiah of beer liqueurs," was born. After a successful year, the next one dawned, and it was clear: HEILAND was growing, and they needed their own distillery. And this is what it looks like today – or more precisely, since January 2016: HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur is produced in a dedicated distillery, brewed, bottled, labeled, and packaged by hand. Cool, right?

The Savior Pure | © Max Hofstetter

Now then…That's how I liked it!

The HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur is fantastic – its rich, reddish-brown color alone makes you want more. (Important: Before opening the bottle, swirl it gently to mix any sediment that may have settled at the bottom.) Even just swirling it in the glass reveals that, unlike other liqueurs, the HEILAND Doppelbock doesn't have a syrupy consistency. The aroma is also unexpected and different: the base notes are of thyme and sage, along with a distinct cinnamon note, clove, and fruity hints of blueberry. On the palate, I first tasted a pleasant, subtle sweetness. This was followed by grain and a hint of chocolate, and then an intense, herbaceous note. This liqueur definitely outshines others of its kind. And so, the HEILAND has personally won me over, especially because its 23% alcohol by volume is so subtly presented. I tried it neat with a strong cheese and also with a rather sugary dessert, and I wasn't disappointed either time. I'm no bartender, but I still wanted to try one of the cocktail recipes afterward. I mixed myself a "HEILAND Sour" with 6 cl of HEILAND liqueur, 3 cl of lemon juice, and 1.5 cl of simple syrup. If you'd like to try the liqueur, you can find the recipes on the website.

Hard facts

The 23% ABV double bock liqueur is available in 4cl, 20cl and 50cl bottles in the Online shop (between €4.90 and €25.90). You can also buy it on the Website Look around town to see which shops and bars carry the liqueur or offer it on-site. Incidentally, HEILAND Doppelbock liqueur not only tastes heavenly, but its name also deliberately evokes a connection to religion. The art of brewing beer was popularized by Bavarian monks in medieval times, and HEILAND brings this tradition into the present day with its name. Be sure to get a bottle to try. (…It also makes a wonderful gift wrap…;-))

Tested: HEILAND Double Bock Liqueur
Address: Birkenstraße 10, 85405 Nandlstadt

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