Distillery - Schladerer

Black Forest house distillery

Alfred Schladerer

What is the secret to a truly outstanding fruit brandy? Its authentic taste, its harmonious balance, its nuanced interplay of fine fruit aromas? To achieve this exceptional level of quality, a producer needs to have truly mastered the fine art of distilling, with all the craftsmanship and experience that this entails. And, needless to say, the quality of the ingredients plays a key role. Here at Schladerer, these are processed in the most environmentally compatible way – by means of sustainable production processes using primarily renewable energies. And one thing is guaranteed – our products are 100% natural.

IN 6TH GENERATION

Philipp Schladerer leads our traditional company into the future with a love of detail and the necessary vision to think outside the box. Always with him: the treasure trove of knowledge from 175 years of the art of distilling. Because heritage has a future, and both make up the Schladerer success story. With the characteristic fruit brandy square bottle and his innovative recipes, for example for gin and maraschino, company founder Alfred Schladerer was already far ahead of his time. This spirit of innovation, which has characterized our distillery for 175 years, is still present today in every unique spirit from Schladerer!

Unique people at Schladerer

Craftsmanship defined by passion and experience

The almost 40 employees of the family business work with passion and experience every day to bring the perfect taste sensation into the glass. In addition, our regional and national friends also play a central role for us. Because as a family we stick together – for over 175 years!

The fine art of distilling since 1844

The innovative spirit that has set our distillery apart for 175 years lives on today in every single one of our products. After all, heritage has a future and both of these are key elements in the Schladerer success story. With the formative square fruit brandy bottle and his recipes for gin and maraschino, company founder Alfred Schladerer was well ahead of his time. The famous Schladerer bottle was created in 1932 and went down in history as a standard for Black Forest fruit brandies and a symbol of incomparable moments of pleasure.

Our products

The right thing for every taste

From the highest quality fruit brandies such as our classics and specialties to innovative spirits such as our own brands GRETCHEN Sour Cherry Gin Liqueur and the Mild Organic Natural Schnapps to non-alcoholic products such as our VINCENT Aperitif non-alcoholic – in our diverse portfolio, everyone will find their individual pleasure.

Click here for our products

The history of the distillery

1844

The story begins

How do you begin a story that spans two centuries? The best place to start is where it all begins: Staufen im Breisgau.

Sixtus Schladerer, the son of Sixtus Balthasar, moved to the picturesque town in 1844. There, he married the daughter of the Kreuz-Innkeeper and continued to run his inn – later known as the „Kreuz-Post,“ whose history is still evident today in the post horn of the Schladerer coat of arms. With his fine fruit brandies, he delighted not only the Kreuz-Post’s guests.

1876

The infamous Chriesiwässerli

Sixtus’s son, Hermann Schladerer, took over the renowned inn, along with its farming, winemaking, and distillery, in 1876. At the same time, he cultivated and refined the art of fruit distilling, so that his cherry water became a sought-after house drink.

1919

A brand is created

The next generation would firmly associate the Schladerer name with fruit brandy: Hermann’s son Alfred continued his family’s business in 1919 and devoted himself entirely to expanding the distillery. As a trained restaurateur with training in France and England, the „marketing pioneer“ knew how to help his products gain widespread recognition. Not least through a formative development…

1932

The square bottle

The famous Schladerer bottle was developed by Alfred Schladerer – and made history. As the model for all Black Forest fruit brandies, it continues to shape an entire industry to this day. As a symbol of passion, it stands for unadulterated nature, select fruits, perfected craftsmanship, and the highest quality. For the square bottle contains not only the spirit of the finest fruit, but also the spirit of the family responsible for these popular fruit brandy specialties.

1956

From the Black Forest to the world

When Alfred Schladerer passed away much too early in 1956, his wife, Greta Schladerer, took over the legacy. She helped the brand achieve international recognition. As the true force behind the company, the distillery owes her a great deal over the years. We honor her memory to this day with the GRETCHEN Dry Gin, named after her.

1980

The fine sense

Following Greta’s departure, her adopted son Nicolaus Schladerer-Ulmann took over the company as Managing Director in 1980. With charisma, commitment, and a keen sense for the highest quality from product to marketing, he cemented the brand’s reputation and success.

2010

The present

Today, Philipp Schladerer represents the sixth generation of the family. Managing director since 2010, the son of Nicolaus Schladerer-Ulmann was practically born with a love of local nature and its fruits, as well as a passion for the art of fruit distilling. His goal: to preserve traditional values while meeting modern needs, leading the company into a successful and sustainable future, in tune with the times.

2019

Departure into the future

Under the motto „Origin has a future,“ the family-run business is celebrating its 175th anniversary. This includes a visual and content-related reorientation of the brand, reflecting on traditional values while forging ahead in new directions. Product innovations such as the non-alcoholic VINCENT aperitif and vegan organic natural schnapps reflect the company’s commitment to having a positive impact on people, the environment, and corporate value creation.

1844
1876
1919
1932
1956
1980
2010
2019