Cham, 15.07.2020

A new millet whisky

Together, the IG Hirse from Cham and the Etter distillery from Zug are bringing a millet whisky onto the market.

From mid-May, this year's millet seed has been planted  in the soil of the one and a half hectare millet field of the Werder family near the Bibersee lake in Cham. Thanks to the warm spring, the organic millet could be sown a little earlier this year, and farmer Peter Werder is expecting to harvest the traditional, golden-yellow grain from Cham in mid-August. "My son produces about three to five tons of millet every year," says the father Bruno Werder, a former Cham municipality president. About two tons of millet was needed to produce the new millet speciality initiated by the Hirse (IG) interest group from Cham: a millet whisky.

The Interest group (IG) under the direction of Bruno Werder created the fine drop in cooperation with the Etter distillery from Zug. "There is no whisky from millet in the whole of Europe. As far as I know, there is something similar in California," says Bruno Werder. That’s why Gabriel Galliker-Etter, the Managing Director of Etter Söhne AG in Zug, could well imagine placing the liquor from Cham on the store shelves of Europe.

Pre-sales are already underway
I
t will take a while before the whisky is on the market, however. "700 litres are being stored in two large barrels in the Etter company for another year and a half," says Bruno Werder. In order to obtain the right taste and colour, the millet whisky will have to be stored in a barrel for three years. "It’s still milky cloudy, but will become darker from its time in the barrel. Every whisky is crystal clear immediately after the distillation," adds Galliker-Etter. He will fill a first part of the total 700 litres into numbered 7-deciliter bottles before Christmas 2021. Initial tastings have indicated that it should have a very fine taste. "It's high percentage, we're currently at 66% by volume. At the same time, it is also very soft in taste," reveals Gabriel Galliker-Etter. Reservations for numbered bottles at a price of CHF 119 each are already possible. "We were able to give the public a sample from the barrel at our stand at the Christmas market in Cham and at the Chomer Märt. The whisky was well received, and we have already pre-sold 25 bottles," says Werder.

Bruno Werder (from left) from the Hirse Interest Group, his son Peter Werder and Gabriel Galliker-Etter from the Etter distillery in Zug.

But making a lot of money with it was never the goal: "We found the idea of making something new from millet again after the millet beer that was created together with the Baar brewery," says Bruno Werder. Because millet is a centuries-old tradition (see box), and various local shops and restaurants in Cham offer millet products for sale, such as Gipfeli, Hirsebärli or Grittibänz. Millet sausages were also offered at The Chomer Märt. "The IG has worked to win over regional suppliers, such as the Rotz bakery or the Nussbaumer bakery, for our community," explains Werder. Martin Uster from the Baar brewery, who brewed the now well-known millet beer, is also a member.

Due to its gluten-free properties, the millet has become increasingly popular in recent years. "It is also not affected by any diseases or parasites in the field," says Werder. Very warm temperatures also have a good effect on the millet grain, and it has no great demands when growing.

Note: Information about IG Hirse can be found on werder.bruno@bluewin.ch or by telephone to 079 256 00 98. Pre-orders can be made on  www.etter-distillerie.ch or by telephone to 041 748 51 51.

A long millet tradition in Cham
The IG Hirse is a community of interests for the promotion of the regional cultivation of millet, the appreciation for the work of the processors and the maintenance of the Cham millet tradition. This history goes back a long time: panicles and grain in various processing stages that were found during excavations of Zug-Sumpf prove that millet was used as food in the time of the so-called Pile-builders, according to Chamapedia.

Even today, the name of the "Hirsgarten" park indicates the importance of this cereal crop for Cham at that time. Up to the 17th century, millet was cooked and distributed to the poor as alms on 22 June, the "hirs-tag". The people in Zug disliked the fact that this day also attracted beggars from far and wide, who came to feed themselves in Cham.

The Hirselarius carnival society (Fasnachtsgesellschaft) has chosen millet as a subject at the centre of the colourful hustle and bustle over the past 30 years. Until a few years ago, the people of Cham even competed between themselves in millet betting at the carnival.

Other distilleries in the canton of Zug
From 1 July 1999, when the Alcohol Act was revised and the distillation of whisky was allowed in Switzerland, it became clear to Werner Limacher from Hünenberg that a whisky was needed in Hünenberg, namely the Chicken Hill Whiskey. The name Chicken Hill derives from "Chicken = Hü(h)nen" and "Hill = Berg". This is how the name for the Hünenberg whisky came into being. Chicken Hill Whisky has received various awards and medals from the Distisuisse in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

In addition to the production of fruit distillates and liqueurs, whisky distillation is also part of the offer of Arnold Keiser's contract distillery in Baar. With his mobile distillery, he is a regular guest at trade exhibitions in the region, as well as at the Treichler Konditorei (pastry shop). With the show distillery, everyone can see how the distillates are created from the original fruit.

Mount Rigi is not a whisky, but it is an equally notable turquoise aperitif. Father Albert and son Alexander Tichelli combine alpine flavours with traditional ingredients in their "Brennhüsli". The "Brennhüsli" is part of the Zurlaubenhof from the year 1597, and is now home to the Mount Rigi distillery.