Aperop Spritz and Leberkäse (Photo: Angelika Evergreen).
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Transformed into a cocktail bar: Fine drinks and food in the Hofburg

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The Vienna Hofburg, mostly in the headlines due to political issues, was transformed into the largest bar in Europe by the Falstaff publishing house on October 21, 2024. This event was a must-have-been-there event for all connoisseurs of fine cuisine and elegant spirits.

The event took place in the magnificent ballrooms of the Vienna Hofburg. For several years now, the Falstaff publishing house has been organizing events that focus on the finest wines, whiskeys, vodkas and liqueurs of the current year and try to bring lovers, restaurateurs and professionals closer to fine cuisine. It is an exclusive event that only took place on one day, October 21, 2024. As part of this major event, the Hofburg was transformed into the largest cocktail bar in the world. Austria's best bartenders were available to the public with their unique cocktail creations and first-class spirits.

Aperol Spritz and Leberkäse to welcome you

At the entrance, visitors were greeted by an elegant, bright, comfortably designed Aperol Spritz stand with comfortable standing and seating options. This ensured a good start, as it is considered a real cult drink in Italy, for example. A digital tasting book gave visitors a good overview of the Falstaff Bar & Spirits Festival.

Leberkäs-Pepi, which is known to most Viennese people for its tasty Leberkas variations, was represented in the Hofburg with four of its most famous delicacies. Somehow logical, because the "Leberkas-Semmel" is something like the unofficial national dish of Vienna. The company is known for GMO-free and sustainable agriculture in Upper Austria. The meat comes 100 percent from Austria, bears the AMA seal of quality and is free of flavor enhancers and artificial coloring. All of the samples presented, from the classic Leberkäsbraten (70 percent beef and 30 percent pork), cheese Leberkäs, chili Leberkäse, and the Weißwurst Leberkäse were exceptional. For all Leberkäse lovers, the Weißwurst variant is a real must. It was juicy and unique in taste. Simply a dream for the palate.

Austrians shake up the spirits market

Marendry Bitter was represented with five different cocktail variations. My personal highlight of the cocktail variations was the Rose & Rose Gin from Austria. This aperitivo gin is prepared with four centiliters of Jojo, tonic and ice. A slice of grapefruit is also added to round off the light, fresh and sour aperitivo.

For me, this drink is a perfect example of how great the spirits market in Austria has developed. Until now, the Greek region was known for fresh aperitifs. Now, alternatives made in the Alpine republic are gradually appearing on the world market. If you haven't heard of this drink yet, you should definitely try it. Other cocktails at this stand, such as Blue Gin & Tonic, Sloeberry Blue Gin & Tonic, Axberg Mule and Jojo Pink Sprizz, delighted visitors and were just the first stands of the evening.

Made in Austria: Vegan spreads

The Goldblatt company, which claims to use only organic ingredients, brought a whole range of vegan organic spreads with it. The products to taste included Veggie Cream Egg Taste, Red Umani, Pork Taste and Liver Taste. These were a delight for the palate. More and more people are turning to meat-free alternatives in organic quality and this is precisely the target group that the Austrian company wants to appeal to.

These vegan premium spreads offer full flavor and a fine consistency on the baked goods of your choice. From savory to delicately spicy to sweet, everyone can find the right spread for themselves. The ladies on this beach were very helpful and also gave tips to those interested. For example, you could find out how these spreads could also be used in warm sauces. I personally like to choose meat-free spread alternatives and was delighted with the taste, especially of the Organic Pork Taste and Organic Goose Taste. These vegan alternatives could fight for a strong position on the market.

Disappointing baked goods, but start-up from Burgenland surprises

Trzesniewski was also present with his world-famous rolls. I was personally disappointed by the selection of rolls that were brought for this event. In the main hall, many tables and fresh pastries were prepared in straw baskets, possibly to soak up the copious amount of alcohol in the stomach, so that the visitors had the opportunity to sample many different cocktails.

A newcomer duo from Burgenland under the brand name "Vienntus" has been a household name among visitors to the Volksgarten and Palffy Club discotheque in Vienna for half a year. The company is still very small, having only been on the market for a few months. This makes it all the more intriguing, as there is competition like there are grains of sand on a sandy beach on holiday. So what makes the creation of Vienntus special?

The unique Vienntus Classic consists of a basil-mint liqueur that can be a great cocktail accompaniment on ice or at room temperature for an extraordinary evening with friends. I personally haven't heard of the start-up yet, but I was pleasantly surprised and can recommend these products from this young company. It was of course obvious to ask the two company founders how they came up with the idea of ​​producing Vienntus drinks in southern Burgenland to shake up the Viennese bar scene. I was particularly interested in the fact that two very intense flavors were combined and offered as a liqueur for pure enjoyment or in cocktails at events or in Viennese clubs. On the homepage vienntus.com, the young entrepreneurs also reveal six recipe cocktails and offer fans the opportunity to exchange their recipes with one another.

Meatless sausage that tastes better than the original

Anyone who has not yet had the pleasure of tasting hops mixed with a herbal note, fruity aromas of cinnamon, allspice and cardamom seeds should try the Styrian "Bitter". I was amazed at how well these flavors go together. This drink can also be mixed with beer and thus transformed into an exceptional aperitif.

For meat lovers, "Mein Berger Schinken" was represented with a delicious truffle, baked and leg ham. But the special surprise was that both a classic and a meatless version of the black pudding with cabbage were served. Anyone who thought that the "plant stuff" wouldn't taste good was wrong. The vast majority of the visitors I surveyed rated the vegetarian alternative better than the meaty original.

Conclusion: Well organized and well thought out

The Falstaff event was able to score points with many "little things". The distance between the stands was kept so large that there was hardly ever any crowding, which meant that tastings and conversations were very easy. One positive thing to note, because unfortunately this is not a given at competing events: As is appropriate at upscale events, there was a cloakroom service. In the area of ​​food and drinks, too, it was clear that the organizers paid a lot of attention to quality, and that was appreciated by the audience.

The live music contributed to the atmosphere. Even a bagpipe player who was flown in from Scotland showed off his skills. In general, the atmosphere was great and all participants seemed happy. The staff of the organizer Falstaff and the representatives of the exhibitors were also always competent and friendly. I expect just as nice a conclusion on a late Monday afternoon. I congratulate the organizers of the event! Perfectly organized and offering the visitors a unique evening!  

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