🥃 Asbach Uralt
German Weinbrand from Rüdesheim am Rhein; the firm was founded by Hugo Asbach in 1892; the Uralt brand was registered in 1908; aged in Limousin and German oak.
Asbach Uralt is a German brandy, known in Germany as Weinbrand. Hugo Asbach founded the firm in 1892 in Rüdesheim am Rhein, and the Uralt trademark was registered in 1908. The drink is made from wine spirit and aged in oak casks. According to the catalogue, the producer is Asbach GmbH.
History. Hugo Asbach was born in Cologne in 1868, studied winemaking in France and returned to Germany, where he opened the firm. The early drink was sold as "Rüdesheim cognac". After the Treaty of Versailles the word "cognac" was reserved for France, and the term "Deutscher Weinbrand" entered German wine law in 1923. According to the Wiesbaden Stadtlexikon, the name was registered with the patent office in 1907.
How it is made. According to the official website, Asbach has its own distillery in Rüdesheim. The distillate is aged in oak for several times longer than the law requires: first in Limousin oak, then in German oak. Strength and age depend on the version; the website lists 8, 15 and 21 year old versions.
The range. Besides Uralt, the official website shows 8 and 15 year old versions, Selection 21 years, a version finished in port casks, and Coffee+ Cream.
Why this matters to you. Weinbrand is not cognac: it is German brandy with its own rules, while cognac is a protected French name. The Uralt version without an age statement differs from the age-labelled ones, so read the label. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1892, Hugo Asbach, Rüdesheim am Rhein; Uralt brand — 1908 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, category "brandy"; German designation "Deutscher Weinbrand" |
| EU category | 4 — brandy (brandy/Weinbrand) |
| Raw material | wine spirit |
| Cask type | oak: Limousin, then German |
| Minimum maturation | according to the official website, much longer than the law requires; versions of 8, 15 and 21 years |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Asbach Uralt → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Brandy, 🍇 Grape brandies
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Brandy, 🥃 Macieira, 🥃 Stock
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Asbach Uralt is a cognac?
No. It is a German Weinbrand. After the Treaty of Versailles the word "cognac" was reserved for France.
What does Uralt mean?
In German, "very old". The Asbach Uralt trademark was registered in 1908.
Who founded Asbach?
Hugo Asbach (1868–1935), who opened the firm in 1892 in Rüdesheim am Rhein.
What casks is it aged in?
According to the official website, first in Limousin and then in German oak.
Where is Asbach made?
In Rüdesheim am Rhein, at the firm's own distillery.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Metaxa · 🥃 Camus · 🥃 Passoã · 🥃 Starka · 🥃 Ricard · 🥃 Teaninich
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Wiesbaden Stadtlexikon: Hugo Asbach (1868-1935; firm 1892 Rüdesheim; Weinbrand registered 1907; Asbach Uralt trademark 1908; Deutscher Weinbrand in law 1923)
- Asbach (official site): own distillery in Rüdesheim am Rhein, Limousin and German oak, range 8, 15, 21 years
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I (категорії напоїв: віскі, бренді, лікери тощо)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)