Open hospitality
“Welcome, come in,” says Bernard Zacharias, the linchpin of the Radermacher distillery. Assisted by his 18-strong team, he has been running the company for 34 years. What’s more, it’s currently operating at full capacity: Radermacher produces 1.2 million bottles a year. “We started with 10,000 bottles a year,” Bernard says with great pride. This success explains why the distillery is currently being expanded and renovated.
The brand new distillery sits behind a screen of transparent glass, so you can admire the big stills from the outside. “It’s a way of saying that everyone is welcome to follow the production process and to come and visit us,” says Bernard. Those who want to see the distillation process up close can join a tour of the factory, followed by some tastings and the option to stay for a meal.
Radermacher is an integral part of the Raeren landscape. “We are very much a child of this region,” Bernard says with a laugh. But the brand is also gaining popularity nationally and internationally. Radermacher has close export connections to about a dozen countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan and Dubai. In addition to its own branded products, about 25 per cent of Radermacher’s turnover comes from products that they make for other companies, such as the Belgian brand Panda Gin. “There are reciprocal benefits in that too,” he says. “We promote each other.”