About this winery

Near Strasbourg, Gustave Klein and Ernest Wanner embarked in 1885 on a challenge and an exciting adventure: the development of the best spiritual specialties of the region. Favoring very high quality ingredients, they select sun-kissed citrus fruits, with orange and mandarin in the lead. Gentian comes from the windy highlands of the Massif Central, where it grows wild. Brandies, Bitters, bitters, syrups ... the 2 founders of our house put all their know-how and their passion to offer authentic...

See the Klein Wanner detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

The exact recipe for Sommer bitter is a well-kept secret that has been passed down through generations of “master infusers”, using the regional know-how that we carry on in the cellars of our former Ingwiller brewery. Sommer is beautifully presented in an elegant and refined yet generous engraved bottle. At its head, an "S" which is an emblem and a unifier. The very ergonomic shape means that this precious nectar can be dosed very precisely. The label is authentic through and through: oval and delightfully old in shades of orange with three medals that recall part of more than a century of Alsatian history, not to mention a segment of orange and tangerine for Sommer's unique recipe. All these details bear witness to the nobility of Sommer Bitter, a reflection of the Alsatian art of living. Sommer l'Authentique is bitter for all occasions. A concentrate of flavors to share with friends, a true reflection of the good Alsatian lifestyle.

Production notes

The ingredients macerate for long weeks in the purest of spirits, in the dark. In the past, this was done in large terracotta pots made in many potteries in the Betschdrof region, not far from Ingwiller. It is throughout this patient phase that the aromas of citrus fruits, gentian root and many other plants mingle to become the noble and refined product that is Sommer bitter. During this period, only experience allows us to judge the evolution of the maceration and the right moment to stop it, when Sommer bitter leaves its delicate imprint of fruity aromas and flavors, bittersweet on the beer.