Basti, Hauke, and Simon are passionate about the tried and true. Amidst trendy spirits like whisky, gin, and the like, the Hamburg natives are banking on a classic from their home region. HAFENKORN impresses with its mild character and embodies a sense of northern seafaring spirit.
Conversation with Hauke from HAFENKORN
Everyone in the world is drinking whisky, gin, and the like. What do you love about the old classic, Korn?
That is exactly the reason why we ended up with Korn. Everyone is bringing whisky, rum, and gin to the market. Two and a half years ago, there was one new gin brand after another—and we still see that happening today. Back then we thought: There must be something else. That is how we discovered the time-honored, traditional Korn for ourselves and began looking into the spirit more intensively. For Korn—just like for beer—there is a purity law. That is unique among spirits. If you produce Korn to a high standard, it actually tastes good. It is ideal for mixed drinks and, when drunk neat, it is a clear, mild pleasure.
In what way are you giving this traditional spirit a new image?
Among common Korn products, there is hardly anything appealing to young people. We give high-quality Korn a contemporary look. Thanks to Simon, we designed our logo and the entire corporate identity ourselves. The bottle was not supposed to have an old, boring label—we wanted a clear, modern motif without any bells and whistles. The seagull has become our trademark. On the back, you will find our short story. We want to inspire not only younger people but also older people to try our spirit—they also hold old prejudices against Korn. We convince them of the opposite: HAFENKORN tastes mild and clear.
How did you come up with the idea for your own HAFENKORN?
Everything started literally by the water—in a bar at the Hamburg harbor, over a Korn on ice. We were sitting together talking about how little has changed for classic Korn over the last few decades. The idea was born: to make a modern, clear Korn that fits Hamburg—and brings with it a bit of sailor's romance.
About HAFENKORN
HAFENKORN is a classic Korn from the far north—mild, clear, and with a fine grain aroma. Whether neat on ice or as a base for Nordic cocktails: a spirit with a sense of home.
