Review: Visit to the Matte distillery

On May 22, the Alumni UniBE visited the Matte distillery in Bern to take part in an exciting company visit.

The distillery, a small but fine location, is situated in the heart of the traditional Matte district, directly on the River Aare. (More about the history of the Matte distillery)

To kick things off, Juri Auderset from the Historical Institute of the University of Bern gave an entertaining introduction to the history of alcohol in Switzerland. With a lot of wit and humor, he guided the participants through the topic, making it easy to follow.

He opened his talk with historical images from Great Britain and showed how alcohol was perceived differently by society there in the past. While in "Beer Street" it was seen as a luxury drink for the rich, "Gin Lane" symbolized the problematic consumption of the poor.

Auderset punctuated his presentation with quotes and fascinating anecdotes. He explained how the so-called "alcohol question" arose in Switzerland in the 19th century: a social debate about the risks of alcohol consumption, its effects and the role of the state in regulating it. Attempts at enlightenment by personalities such as Jeremias Gotthelf and Heinrich Zschokke accompanied this development.

In agriculture, it was discovered that surplus crops could be preserved by distillation - and thus brandy was born. It was used both as a stimulant and as a medicine. At the same time, the effects of alcohol began to be studied medically, which led to a growing scientific understanding.

With industrialization, alcohol consumption also increased. For many workers, alcohol served as a thirst quencher, hunger suppressant or remedy for exhaustion. At the same time, however, alcohol was increasingly viewed critically and condemned as a "seduction to intoxication". For a long time, responsibility for alcohol abuse and the associated social problems was attributed to the poorer sections of the population. It was only after the Second World War that the picture changed: alcohol was increasingly seen as a stimulant - even in wealthier circles.

Whether as a stimulant or a medicine: Today, the responsibility for alcohol consumption lies with each person of legal age.

Juri Auderset's impressive presentation was followed by the practical part: the members learned directly from Basil and Lisa, employees of the Matte distillery, how gin is made. UniBE alumna Lisa talked about her path to the distillery and passionately explained the subtleties of the different flavors.

In the meantime, the participants were allowed to taste a little. They could also choose the non-alcoholic version.

Lisa also passed around spices that could be sniffed or tasted.

After the tasting, the members were also allowed to take a look at the kiln. It was a successful evening that included both theory and practice.

Photos: © Alumni UniBE | Dres Hubacher