Baczewski Vodka
1782
Layb Baczeles opens an alcohol distillery in Austrian Galicia (1918-1939 in Poland).
1810
His son, Leopold Maksymilian Baczewski, opens a plant in the village of Zniesienie, on the outskirts of Lviv. This plant is granted the title of an Imperial Royal Privileged Factory, honored by the Imperial Eagle Emblem, entitling it to boast ‘Purveyor to the Imperial Royal Court’ on its labels.
1856
Józef Adam Baczewski, the founder’s great grandson, joins the company. He begins selling spirits in transparent bottles in order to stand out from the competition. The richly adorned decanters and bottles, in shapes never before encountered, become the distinctive feature of the Lviv-based manufacturer. The initials ‘J.A.’ in the company logo are there in recognition of his services.
1894
The J.A. BACZEWSKI pavilion at the General National Exhibition in Lviv draws many visitors thanks to its unique shape, tempting them with its presentation of tasty vodkas and liqueurs. During this period the Baczewskis’ business holds a leading position in the spirits industry, confirmed by its numerous awards won at trade fairs and competitions.
1920
In the 2nd Polish Republic, Stefan (son of Leopold) and Adam (son of Henryk) become members of the board. Once again, the manufacturing plant is modernized, while its products become the market’s unquestioned leaders.
1924
The Baczewskis conduct one of the first professional advertising campaigns in independent Poland. The business is at the peak of its fame, employing approximately 350 people, and participating in numerous trade fairs and events in Poland and Europe. Exports grow quickly. Branches are opened in Paris, Prague and Vienna, and it becomes one of the first producers of alcoholic beverages to routinely use air transport.
1936
Up until the outbreak of war, the company continues to strengthen its position as a leading Polish producer of exquisite spirits, and becomes a worldwide brand. For many the name Baczewski is a synonym for exquisite vodka.
1939
On 14 September the Lviv factory is bombed by the Germans, and in April 1940, the Soviets murder its owners – and such is the Leopold Baczewski Adam Baczewski tragic end to the pre-War history of the Baczewski family firm.
1956
Jacek Aleksander Baczewski, together with his relative Eduard Gessler found a company in Vienna that continues the family tradition of manufacturing spirits. The plant soon gains recognition in Austria and throughout Europe, once again holding the position of one of the most highly valued producers of spirits.
1958
The famous VODKA MONOPOLOWA, produced using triple-distilled potato spirit, sets out to conquer the United States.1980
Elek Gessler transforms the company into the enterprise known today as ALTVATER GESSLER – J.A. BACZEWSKI, following which he opens a branch in the USA, which rapidly becomes the largest customer for goods from the Vienna factory. To this date the ALTVATER GESSLER – J.A. BACZEWSKI Companies continue to produce specialized quality products for domestic consumption in Austria and for export to a variety of countries, in particular to the United States.
MONOPOLOWA in Polish m eans “State Monopoly” and refers to a time when only the government could legally produce alcoholic spirits. It also defines the privilege granted to the Polish nobility to exclusively produce and sell vodka in their territories.
J.A. BACZEWSKI VODKA MONOPOLOWA is an excellent, smooth and dry vodka, particularly popular in the United States and in Poland, produced in Austria in accordance with an old Polish recipe from the highest quality triple-distilled spirits, obtained from special varieties of potatoes and fresh Alpine spring water.
VODKA MONOPOLOWA has won numerous awards for its taste and quality and is consistently rated “Exceptional,” “Best Spirit,” “Best Buy” and “Best Value.” In the last decade, in head-to-head competitions against some of the world’s most recognized vodkas,
VODKA MONOPOLOWA has repeatedly won Gold Medals and has been recognized as a “World Champion Vodka.”
VODKA MONOPOLOWA’S rich texture and smoothness are further enhanced when served chilled with a twist of lemon or ice cold straight from the freezer. Due to its neutral character, VODKA MONOPOLOWA is also well suited for mixed drinks.
Production of J.A. BACZEWSKI potato alcohol
For the production of J.A. BACZEWSKI alcohol we use special varieties of potatoes, those that are very high in starch content.
In autumn, during and after harvest, the farmers bring the potatoes to the distillery. The potatoes are then thoroughly washed, diced and placed in steamers for cooking. It is during this st age that starch saccarification occurs. Saccarification is the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. When the saccarification has been nearly completed, the mash is cooled down to the fermentation temperature and then transferred to the fermentation vessels. Yeast is then added and the mixture is allowed to ferment. Normally, fermentation is concluded within 72-96 hours, and when concluded the mixture is filtered and readied for the initial distillation.
Alcohol begins to evaporate at about 173 degrees Fahrenheit, while water reaches its evaporation point at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, but not all of the alcohol captured between those two points is fit for the bottle. In a meticulous and constantly monitored process, the first fluid leaving the still, known as the “heads”, is carefully removed, revealing what is known as the “heart of the spirit”, the only portion of the distillate good enough to cross the palate. Near the end of the distillation cycle, the remaining fluid, now known as the “tails”, is diluted and carefully redirected as the process reaches completion.
The finished product is raw alcohol containing about 80% alcohol by volume (160 Proof). The raw alcohol is then transferred to the refining distillery where it is diluted and distilled in a fractional distillation column, which means that the alcohol will be distilled an additional three times. After distillation, the pure distillate, containing about 96.5% alcohol by volume (193 Proof), is stored in stainless steel tanks.
Only the “heart” of the distillate is used for VODKA MONOPOLOWA, MONOPOLOWA DRY GIN and our other products. This gives a double meaning to the expression “With All Our Heart”.