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ReGINerate – the Gin Invention from Krefeld

“How Grandma’s tipple became a hype spirit”, writes the men’s magazine GQ excitedly back in February 2014. Indeed for many years gin has led a shadowy existence. If anyone ordered a gin at the bar they were sometimes treated to an amused smile. That is all over now. The last five or six years a newly created gin has brought about a real international hype that has long since reached Germany. Just over a year ago Martin Kern from Krefeld created his own gin that is distilled in Kevelaer – a gin that really does come from the Niederrhein. His product “ReGINerate” is the first high quality gin with a fruity flavour. His experiment with gin has been well received and can already be found beyond Krefeld in the bars of Berlin and Munich and has attracted worldwide interest.

The 31 year old gin pioneer has found his niche in the new trend of high quality gins. This knowledge was not something he grew up with. Having qualified in the media business, his last position was as a sales representative in the sales department of a Japanese automotive components supplier. The head office of the company is in Windsor in England and if you travel there frequently you soon came in contact with gin. The choice in England being much wider than in Germany. Since he was continually visiting customers Kern was hardly ever at home, so he gave in his notice, took time out and went into retreat in a monastery in Asia. In the outside world a lot was happening in international gastronomy. The many new kinds of gin that kept appearing on the market inspired him to try and produce his own. Up till then he had found no gin amongst the new creations that had a fruity flavour. Kern had been very successful in sales and now he wanted to produce something of his own and invent a product from the very beginning and market it with passion.

Martin Kehrn returned to his hometown Krefeld and took a look around. In the Moosbur Distillery in Kevealaer, and in particular the owner Ernst Deselaers, Kern found the ideal partner. The distillery in Kevelaer is a small family business that grows its own grain and has over 180 years of experience. The distillers are to this day ready to experiment and are receptive to trying out new ideas. Nine months intensive trials were necessary. The finished distillate with 82 to 86 percent had to be kept for six weeks in order to see how it changed in taste. The two gin pioneers tried around 20 to 22 different bottlings. From this evolved ReGINerate, the modernised gin, a new generation of gin with an alcohol content of 49 percent. In the 18th century cheap gin made from grain and juniper berries became England’s number one people’s drug – William Hogarth drastically depicted the fall of the poor in his painting “Gin Lane”. Today gin is hip and a trend setting drink and is no longer cheap booze, but has become a high quality spirit. Gin is booming, but it is under pressure. Over 300 labels are competing for customers who demand more than ever better quality. Whilst in the 1990’s artificial flavouring was added to vodka, gin is a purely natural product. Juniper and the other different and mostly secret ingredients are introduced straight into the alcohol still (maceration). One can drink gin straight but also with tonic water or in a cocktail. It is possible to enjoy gin without having to be master of a whole science as with whisky.

The ReGINerate bottles are labelled with the slogan “genial im Geschmack”, which roughly translated stands for “Outstanding in flavour”. The motto of the founder of the company is – “Drink less but of better quality”. This also fits in well with the philosophy of personal pleasure and lifestyle awareness. Apart from juniper from Tuscany various other catalysts play a part in the flavour of ReGINerate such as cinnamon, raspberries, pineapple and also carrots. No sooner has Martin Kern been successful with his first gin, than he is already experimenting with new recipes and is already tinkering around with a gin based liquor made with sloes. This creation is to be fruity, complex and dark red and will come onto the market some time after February 2017. Since the 1st of July Kern has already sold 2,500 bottles of his juniper dominated and fruity gin. Just by itself the black bottle (UV light is an absolute flavour killer) with its engraved writing is an eye-catcher. The gin is sold via the homepage and local shops and is supplied mainly to caterers. Till now Martin Kern has invested in the product and not in advertising. This big success has been achieved in the true sense of the word by word of mouth. So much quality, craftsmanship and exclusivity has its price: The 0.5 litre bottle is sold over the counter for 33 Euros. Target customers are those who drink for pleasure, both young and old.

Friends and acquaintances support Martin Kern with his expanding gin business, but primarily this is a one man show. However barkeepers all over the world are on his side, since gin from the Niederrhein can already be had on all five continents.

As of November 2016


Martin Kern
Hammerschmidtstr. 11
47798 Krefeld
info@reginerate.net