Etter Söhne

From the Berglihof to a Zug landmark: 150 years of family history

The roots of the Etter distillery reach back to the year 1823, when the farmer Johann Baptist Etter began distilling cherry brandy as a sideline on his Berglihof farm in the Zug municipality of Menzingen. What began as a farming practice was turned into a full-time profession by his son Paul in 1870: he founded the commercial distillery on Zug's Poststrasse — the foundation stone for one of the oldest family businesses in the canton. In 1923, brothers Johann and Josef Etter took over the operation, and in 1926, the first new building was constructed on Baarerstrasse. Hans Etter managed the distillery from 1974 as the third generation and moved it in 1980 to a new building on Chollerstrasse, the current location on the city limits of Zug. Since 2012, the fourth generation has been leading the house: Eveline Etter and her husband Gabriel Galliker-Etter.

Swiss fruit, hand-picked: the Etter philosophy of work

The family's credo is clearly formulated: exclusively fully ripe, undamaged fruit from selected Swiss farmers — no imports, no compromises on the raw material. For a 0.7-liter bottle of fruit brandy, between six and eleven kilograms of fruit are required, depending on the variety. The distilling cherries for the Zuger Kirschwasser AOP come from the best sites around Lake Zug, where the small, black distilling cherries are sourced from the same, personally known producers. After distillation, the brandy rests — often for several years in the case of stone fruit — before it is adjusted to the final alcohol content with Zugerberg spring water for rounding. Every batch number undergoes a final tasting before it is released. The quality management system is certified according to ISO 9001:2015. Managing Director Gabriel Galliker-Etter sums up the house's attitude: «We leave nothing to chance — and yet we produce a natural product.»

Kirsch, Williams, Vieille Poire: an assortment from the depths of the region

The Zuger Kirschwasser is the centerpiece of the assortment and has shaped the distillery's reputation internationally. Alongside it are aged Williams pear brandy, Vieille Poire, Vieille Prune, raspberry spirit, as well as liqueurs made from hazelnut, apricot, or Christmas plum — a broad spectrum that shows the strength of Swiss fruit culture. What connects all Etter distillates: the distillation brings the fruit directly into the glass, without detours. Clear brandies that smell of their origin — of Lake Zug, of standard fruit orchards, of the seasons. Today, Etter fruit brandies are exported to over 20 countries and are present in top restaurants and specialist shops far beyond Switzerland.