Distillerie Hepp - Artisan Eau-de-vie - Poire Williams - 42%
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The renowned Distillerie Hepp is located in Val-de-Moder, in the Alsace region, the cradle of high-quality eaux-de-vie. For several generations, the Hepp family has cultivated and passed down exceptional distillation expertise, initiated in the 1970s by distilling fresh fruits from their orchard for the inhabitants of Uberach. In 1972, the family decided to establish a distillery dedicated to commercial production, sourcing exclusively from local orchards to guarantee the authenticity and quality of the fruits, always respecting ancestral traditions. Today, Yannick Hepp, master distiller and head of the distillery, continues this vocation with passion. Since 2000, he and his father have undertaken a major restructuring of the artisanal facility, modernizing equipment while significantly increasing storage capacity. Their manufacturing policy is based on three fundamental pillars: rigorous selection of high-quality raw materials, strict respect for maturation and elaboration time, and a constant quest for qualitative improvement.
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The selection of fruits is meticulous and essential. Once the fruits are carefully sorted, two manufacturing methods are available to the artisan distillers: distillation after natural fermentation of the fruits or distillation after slow maceration of the berries. In the first case, fully ripe fruits are placed in vats where they quickly transform into a thick, sweet must. Fermentation naturally begins under the effect of indigenous yeasts during a period of 24 to 48 hours, then continues for about ten days before gradually slowing and stopping after six weeks, when all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. The vats are then hermetically sealed awaiting distillation, a crucial step that allows extraction of the pure eau-de-vie. For maceration, berries such as raspberries, blueberries, or other wild fruits, which contain little sugar, are immersed in a wine eau-de-vie to allow optimal extraction of aromas. Distillation is carried out according to local tradition, in a single run, using a traditional still. This run allows the "heart" of the distillation to be collected by rigorously separating the "heads" and "tails," thus ensuring the purity and finesse of the eau-de-vie.
