The small brewery, La B’ric, was awarded an International Gold Medal

Eric and Benoit Geschwindenhammer, father and son, learned to make the drink together. So it is completely natural that they sought to give the fatherly brewery a name that combined two entities: “B” Benoit and “Rick” Eric. This is how B’ric was born in Soultz in 2016. If son Benot chooses the amateur version (he continues the experiment at home, in Lautenbach, with new recipes), his father Eric gets fired on his phone. Own as soon as it is time to retire.

But the couple are still united and enjoy remembering their beginnings: “We started with a small cooler, then in a 50-liter container,” Benoit smiles. It was the latter who prompted his father to produce more and create his own brewery. Today, he makes one drink a week, or 100 liters of beer. Small quantities that he sells mainly to friends and cheekbones. “I also have my little stop at Soltz Market on a Saturday morning,” explains Eric. “When I have some stock left, I put it up for sale in two or three local stores,” he adds.

Gold medal from among 1,600 breweries

Today, the small La B’ric brewery scores about ten references: white, blond, pilsner, amber, black, IPA (for India Pale Ale, a beer with a bitter taste), but also some slightly brewed beer. One of the newest creations is Benot that brought him to life. “It’s a white IPA, I made it at home. I found it cute, I asked my dad to give it a try on a larger scale,” he explains.

The final test that led the young man, fond of competitions, to present this international junior association, and which father and son baptized the “IPA Council” – with a little nod to the Alsatian dialect in the pass – in the Lyon International Competition, in which 1600 breweries of all participated around the world. And they did well because their creativity was released with honors, with a gold medal in the “IPA Wheat” category.

Smells of banana and exotic fruits

If the diploma is already in their hands, then father and son Geschwindenhammer are now eagerly waiting for the contest summary, which will allow them to know all the details that the judges have noticed and valued. But anyway, it is best framed by the one talking about it: “Since this is IPA, we used neutral yeast, which allows hops to express themselves.” , Benoît explains. Since it is a white IPA, “Weisen yeast is also included in the recipe,” he adds. Another important step to uncover all the flavors of their “IPA dish”: raw hopping. Benoit describes the wonderful blend of “exotic banana and fruity scents that appear on the nose and palate”.

First sale of “IPA Palette” syrup

However, those who already have the flavors in the mouth should be patient because the entire drink has already been used! Eric Gieschwindhammer assures him that he will remake two or three of his IPA Board drinks by the end of the year. On the other hand, it does not intend to accelerate the pace of its production or increase its production. Yes, there is a microphone at the small brewery! There is no doubt that the young retiree spends his days locked in his garage, and does not invest in equipment. For him, beer brewing is above all a pleasure. The same applies to his son Benoit. “I am an amateur brewer. I do this for fun, in my spare time.”

And Eller Microbrewery La B’ric 3, Joseph Vogt Street in Soltz, Tel. 06.67.07.74.79, mail: [email protected]