women4beverages: Barb Grossenbacher, founder of Edelwhite Gin

Gastronomy experience

 Grossenbacher is Canadian. In the summer of 1980, when she was a young woman working in the service department of a Canadian restaurant, she met her future husband, Fritz, who was working there as a seasonal cook. She soon followed her sweetheart to his native Switzerland, where the two made an unbeatable team: Together, the couple successfully ran hotels and restaurants - Fritz as general manager, Barb as service manager. After 30 years of hard work in the hospitality industry, it was time for a change: "I didn't like the idea of serving guests with a walker," Grossenbacher says with a laugh. She didn't have to think about it for long, she just followed what she enjoyed. And that was training to become a WSET Wine Academician at the Austrian Wine Academy. WSET stands for the British Wine and Spirits Education Trust, the world's largest provider of wine and spirits education. The several years of training together with 30 participants of different ages from 17 nations, from Dubai to Moscow to Athens, were exciting and absolutely horizon-expanding. For her thesis, Grossenbacher went a step further than expected and decided to do once more what she loves: "Instead of just writing about spirits, I developed and produced a new gin.” Voilà, Edelweiß Gin was born! 

Flavour of the region captured in gin 

The idea was to create a gin that reflected what grows in the region. Aromatherapist Sandra Limacher, co-founder of the Edelwhite Project, helped develop the recipe. For example, her office was able to provide sample distillates. "It was very important to me to capture the scent of the Entlebuch," says Grossenbacher. Located between Bern and Lucerne, the UNESCO biosphere reserve is a special place and a stroke of luck for gin production. With its karst landscapes and high moors, floodplains, dry meadows and forests, it offers an endless variety of aromatic plants. The result is a gin with 27 botanicals, 14 of which come from the Entlebuch. What Grossenbacher and her team do not collect themselves, they buy from Kräuter Markt AG, an association of 15 herb-growing farms whose largest customer is Ricola. "Kräuter Markt AG has not only the knowledge of herbs, but also the right technology," says Grossenbacher. This includes a finely adjustable torrefyer and a suitable storage room. Sourcing the ingredients locally guarantees freshness and an intensity of flavor that benefits the quality of the Edelwhite Gin. 

World’s Best Gin Trophy 

This quality has not gone unnoticed by the experts. The very first batch of Edelwhite was awarded bronze at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London in 2017. Two years later the product even won the "World's Best Gin Trophy," also at the IWSC. Grossenbacher: "It has always been our goal to produce the best gin in the world." Check - goal achieved! But at the same time as the big award, the Edelwhite project reached a low point: "Five days before the news of the IWSC, Sandra died. And it was clear to me that Edelwhite had come to an end," says Grossenbacher. With her understanding of nature and plants, Sandra Limacher had played a decisive role in shaping the Edelwhite philosophy. 

Starting over with courage and providence 

But then everything fell into place: Two weeks later, Grossenbacher received an offer to move into a new building in the village of Ebnet, which would house the Hotel-Restaurant Lindenhof and the Entlebuch Brewery, with plenty of room for a distillery. Synergies could be exploited. This was like a wake-up call! Until then, the Edelwhite Gin had been produced on the distillation truck of a contract distiller. Barb Grossenbacher was faced with the challenge of purchasing a still and running her own distillery. She plucked up the courage and took on the task - not least in honor of her late co-founder. In 2020, Grossenbacher founded Edelwhite Gin AG and began distilling her own products. And once again, she ventured out of her comfort zone: In 2021, she won the support of Roland Brack in "Höhle der Löwen," a TV show in which startups vie for the favor of investors. As she says, she benefits greatly from her investor's experience, knowledge, and network. 

Gin tastings and distilling workshops 

Today, in addition to the classic 42-proof Edelwhite London Dry, Grossenbacher also produces a Navy Strength Edelwhite 57, which has an alcohol content of 57 percent by volume, as well as a seasonal mild winter gin with spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and vanilla. "Our goal is not to offer ten different products, but to concentrate on a few fine distillates," says Grossenbacher. Nevertheless, there will soon be something new: Grossenbacher has developed an Edelwhite Orange flavored with the fresh peel of Sicilian oranges - we can be curious.  

Grossenbacher is proud to be a distiller. There are more and more women in the profession, she says. She points to Dr. Anne Brock, master distiller at Bombay Sapphire, and Lesley Gracie, master distiller at Hendrick's – both great role models. Her favorite part, however, is leading tastings and gin distilling workshops, which Edelwhite Gin also offers at its Ebnet location. "I love telling guests about the gin tradition and helping to keep it alive," says Grossenbacher. It's not uncommon for her to even inspire guests to pursue a career in gin making. "If the spark is there, your heart goes out to them," she says. 

A new life with a strong Gin brand 

In just three years, Barb Grossenbacher has created a strong brand and an exciting location, but most importantly, she has created a wonderful new life for herself – without pressure or negative stress, she insists. From the beginning, she says, the focus has been on the product, her own creation, not on making money. She enjoys being her own boss: "The freedom of my time is a luxury for me. To have the weekend off and a closing time, that wasn't possible before.” Her age serves her well: "Sometimes you need a little experience before you know what you really want." As of this year, she and Edelwhite Gin are recognized members of the venerable London-based Gin Guild. And thus Barb Grossenbacher is following her own way with Edelwhite Gin – with ease and joy.