Welcome to PSM, the Preussiche Spirituosen Manufaktur ... in Berlin.
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Where is PSM and what is it?
PSM is located in the Far East of wedding neighborhood. It is a part of a block that is dedicated to alcohol. Indeed the companies can make anything on that plot of land as soon as the production or improvement of alcoholic beverages is their core activities. This is why the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Spirituosenfabrikation has its headquarters as well as a brewery school and the PSM. The PSM is a working spirits manufacture and a school for master distillers to be. PSM is not allowed to make profit but must sustain itself which they do through collaborations. They developed a series of fruit brandies and liqueurs for the Sans Souci castle in Postdam, a gin and a vodka for the Friedrichhain based Michelberger hotel, or gin for Adler and also a Korn. Spiritsfully already mentioned that korn as we indeed interviewed the mastermind behind it in 2017. |
What is the history of the manufacture?
In 1874, a Prussian cabinet order decided to establish the "Research and Training Institute for Alcohol Manufacture" and entrusted it to the chemist Prof. Max Delbrück for construction and management. The adjoining training building not only serves to train young distillers and distiller trainees throughout Germany, but also functions as a test liqueur factory.
Under the name "Adler Spirituosen" , liqueur and drinking spirits production reached its peak around 1900, but came to an abrupt end due to the two world wars and the economic depression in between. Only in the 1950s could operations be resumed under the direction of master distiller Ernst Dobislaw. However, without the state spirits monopoly granted to date, the PSM could no longer build on its earlier successes.
In 2005, Ulf Stahl and Gerald Schroff relaunched the traditional "Adler" brand and finally take over the manufactory completely in 2009.
(Own translation from their website)
In 1874, a Prussian cabinet order decided to establish the "Research and Training Institute for Alcohol Manufacture" and entrusted it to the chemist Prof. Max Delbrück for construction and management. The adjoining training building not only serves to train young distillers and distiller trainees throughout Germany, but also functions as a test liqueur factory.
Under the name "Adler Spirituosen" , liqueur and drinking spirits production reached its peak around 1900, but came to an abrupt end due to the two world wars and the economic depression in between. Only in the 1950s could operations be resumed under the direction of master distiller Ernst Dobislaw. However, without the state spirits monopoly granted to date, the PSM could no longer build on its earlier successes.
In 2005, Ulf Stahl and Gerald Schroff relaunched the traditional "Adler" brand and finally take over the manufactory completely in 2009.
(Own translation from their website)
old chalk board
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Small scale still apparatus.
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old science lab
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What can you see in the distillery?
The visit started in a room that looked like a school room of the 19 century meeting an old science lab. The library of botanicals and spices is very impressive with the raw ingredients along with their distillates and macerates. It is full of mysterious balsams (who has ever heard of tulsum basalm?). This is where the master distiller exam takes place.
The visit started in a room that looked like a school room of the 19 century meeting an old science lab. The library of botanicals and spices is very impressive with the raw ingredients along with their distillates and macerates. It is full of mysterious balsams (who has ever heard of tulsum basalm?). This is where the master distiller exam takes place.
A museum dedicated to distllation, that is actually in use.
After this magical room come the room of stills and more. Magical because this is not so often that one can see old stills one next to each other, both hand-made and in-house made. Nothing fancy or unnecessary chic. Those stills are made to work and not to impress, they are not part of a marketing plan for which distillery tours belong to the daily life of a distillery. They are solid and show the diversity of tools at the disposal of distillers.
There are a pot still, a continuous still and a vacuum still (see the first images). I would love to see this place in action.
Or a very interesting tool to filter any spirits. I had never seen such a filtering machine. The layers are actually cotton and metallic place. The vodka can go through and the metallic plates prevents the fiber of cotton to end up in the final beverage.
Look at the pictures below for other tools one cant see so often.
How to filter a spirit courtesy of mid 20th century
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How to filter a spirit courtesy of mid 20th century
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The maceration tanks
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The bottling machine
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Many old macerates. And less old macerates.
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How to make vast quantities of sugar
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How to make vast quantities of sugar
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What Spiritsfully liked about the tour:
For anyone interested in distillation PSM is a hidden gem. For anyone interested in the secrets of berlin, too.
Don’t you think it worth a visit ? All info about the manufacture HERE