Kornbrennerei H. Heydt

Kornbrennerei H. Heydt, formally H. Heydt GmbH & Co. KG, is a medium-sized family-owned spirits producer based in Haselünne in the Emsland district of Lower Saxony, Germany. The company traces its distilling tradition back to 1772, when it was first documented that grain was being distilled at Heydt, and it was registered as an agricultural distillery in 1860 by founder Heinrich Heydt. Today it is run by the fifth generation of the Heydt family and describes itself as one of the most tradition-rich producers of German spirits, with more than 160 years of distilling tradition. The company produces Korn (German grain spirit), liqueurs and fruit brandies. Its portfolio includes the well-known herbal liqueur HKT (Herzhafte Kräutertropfen), fruit-and-wheat-Korn mixed drinks under the Heydt Hofernte name, and vodka-based party drinks under Heydt Power. Since 2016, barrel-aged Korn distillates have been produced under the Heydt Manufaktur label. Through acquisitions, Heydt also owns the brands Wippermann (juniper schnapps, since 2000), Ammerländer (including Ammerländer Löffeltrunk), Bauer Edelbrände, Alter Kurfürst and Hullmann (Korn, since 2004). Heydt is also the parent company of spirits producer H. C. König, known for Schinkenhäger (formerly Steinhäger). Heydt's products are marketed mainly regionally in northern and eastern Germany. The company is successful in Japan with fruit liqueurs and also exports to Canada. It does not publish detailed sales or business figures. The distillery has been awarded the "Preis der Besten" by the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft 15 times. In its Heydt Manufaktur, the company develops small-batch premium spirits, balancing tradition with innovation.

The origins of Kornbrennerei H. Heydt lie in the farming life of the Heydt family in Haselünne, a small town in the Emsland region of Lower Saxony. The family's traditional agricultural work — arable farming, pasture and forestry — formed the basis of its livelihood. In 1772, it was first documented that grain was being distilled at Heydt. The founder of the distillery as a registered business was Heinrich Heydt (1823–1896), a respected citizen of Haselünne (then a town of about 1,800 inhabitants) and a member of the Bürgervorsteher-Kollegium (council of citizens). In 1860, Heinrich Heydt combined his entrepreneurial spirit and commercial acumen with his family's farming heritage and founded his own distillery, registered as an agricultural distillery — the Private Kornbrennerei H. Heydt was born. The small family business grew quickly into a significant regional operation. Initially, high-quality Korn brandies delighted people in Haselünne and the surrounding area, but Heinrich Heydt's commercial energy and consistent quality principle steadily expanded the customer base. From 1893, the company operated as an offene Handelsgesellschaft (open trading company). After the founder's death in 1896, his sons Lambert, Franz and Reinhard Heydt took over the distillery. Their successor, Hubert Heydt sen., integrated a dedicated delivery service with motor vehicles in the 1920s. Even in this period, Heydt products received numerous awards. After the Second World War, Hubert Heydt jun. introduced automation during the rebuilding process and bought the trademark rights to several spirits products. The distillery has been awarded the "Preis der Besten" by the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (German Agricultural Society) a total of 15 times. Over the decades, the family has followed the principle of preserving old tradition and down-to-earth craftsmanship while always moving forward with new impulses and visions — successfully managing the balancing act between tradition and innovation. This has made the distillery one of the most significant producers of excellent spirits in Germany. In the fifth generation, owners Hendrik Heydt and Heinz Hermeling bring fresh momentum and a clear vision to the company, aiming to lead the traditional distillery into the future. In 2016, the company introduced the "Heydt Manufaktur" label for barrel-aged Korn distillates, and the Manufaktur provides space for extraordinary ideas to mature and grow, allowing the creation of premium spirits in very small batches. Through acquisitions, Heydt also acquired the brands Wippermann (juniper schnapps, since 2000), Ammerländer (including Ammerländer Löffeltrunk), Bauer Edelbrände, Alter Kurfürst and Hullmann (Korn, since 2004). Heydt is also the parent company of spirits producer H. C. König, known for Schinkenhäger (formerly Steinhäger). The company's products are marketed mainly regionally in northern and eastern Germany, and it is successful in Japan with fruit liqueurs and exports to Canada. Detailed sales and business figures are not published.

• 2016

  Introduction of the "Heydt Manufaktur" label for barrel-aged Korn distillates.

• 2004

  Acquisition of the Hullmann brand (Korn).

• 2000

  Acquisition of the Wippermann brand (juniper schnapps).

• 1920

  Hubert Heydt sen. integrates a dedicated delivery service with motor vehicles.

• 1896

  Founder Heinrich Heydt dies; his sons Lambert, Franz and Reinhard take over.

• 1893

  Company operates as an offene Handelsgesellschaft (open trading company).

• 1860

  Heinrich Heydt founds his own distillery, registered as an agricultural distillery.

• 1772

  First documented evidence that grain was distilled at Heydt.

Traditional family distillery balancing heritage and innovation, focused on regional German spirits with some international export.

• HKT (Herzhafte Kräutertropfen)

• Heydt Hofernte

• Heydt Power

• Heydt Manufaktur

• Wippermann

• Ammerländer

• Bauer Edelbrände

• Alter Kurfürst

• Hullmann

• Schinkenhäger (formerly Steinhäger)

1. 1Heydt Homeheydt-shop.de
2. 2Geschichteheydt-shop.de
3. 3Kornbrennerei H. Heydtwikidata.org
4. 4H. Heydtde.wikipedia.org