Every year, thousands of tourists go to the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon to get to the famous Mecca of wine aperitifs – Caves De Byrrh in Thuir. In the cellars-cellars of the town of Tuir, you can see the world’s largest oak vats (about 600 barrels) and visit the lobby of the railway station, built according to the project of Gustave Eiffel himself … Well, let’s go! In the middle of the 19th century, probably, every resident of Tuir discussed the successes and adventures of two brothers-townsmen: Pallas and Simon Violet. The brothers traveled extensively in Europe selling drinks (including the then fashionable tonic). They developed their traveling sales skills and gained experience and ideas to start a settled business. When in 1858 a railway line was extended to the fertile plain and wine-growing center of Perpignan, the brothers saw this as a huge advantage for developing their business. With such a transport artery and the potential of local viticulture, a tremendous success could be achieved. The question was in the new drink, which would be possible to transport and sell throughout Europe.
Obviously, the basis for the new drink was to be local grapes. The product became known as “Birr” – vin tonique et hygiénique au quinquina. In 1866, a tonic based on wine and quinine was sold in pharmacies, unable to compete with cinchona counterparts produced in France. Somewhat complicated the work and the name. The British and Germans were looking for beer and a catch in the name “Birr”. Soon, the Violet brothers remembered the rich history of claims to local land from Spain and France. They remembered the counts of Roussillon and Barcelona and launched a wide advertising campaign. From now on, the drink began to be sold as a “Catalan aperitif.” Their ambitions grew: for production and storage, the brothers bought 7 hectares of land in Tuir. And Gustave Eiffel himself was invited to develop the project of the railway station and depot, with the help of which the products of the Birr plant were transported until 1989. At the beginning of the 20th century, the drink was actively advertised with street posters in the style of “Art Nouveau”, and stencil advertising on buildings typical of that time (we also recalled this in the article about Dubonnet). In 1935, “Birr” became the main wine aperitif of France, its sales reached 35 million liters.
After the war, in the 1950s, in a highly competitive environment, the Violet family had to sell the business to CDC, which produces Dubonnet and Cinzano. And since 1976, Birr began to be produced by Pernod Ricard. The cellars of Caves De Byrrh in Thuir currently produce Byrr, Suze, Ambassador, Dubonnet and Soho. About 20 million liters of alcohol are bottled in Thuir annually. On excursions, the oak vat of 1934, measuring 12 meters at the base and 10 meters in height, is especially popular among the equipment of the plant. And no less than a ton of “Birra” ripens in it!
Now they produce 2 types of this drink with a strength of 17%. The first according to the old recipe, based on mistelle) from Carignan and Grenache grapes, mixed with dry red wines of Roussillon and aging with quinine bark in oak barrels up to 4 years. The second type – Byrrh Rare Asseblage began to be released in 1999. Its taste is determined by the participation in the fermentation of vintage Catalan wines and a long aging period in small oak barrels (10 years). This Catalan aperitif is best served chilled to 14° and without ice. Traditionally, lemon zest or a slice of orange is added to it. Although, you can mix it with blackcurrant liqueur or get an invigorating lemonade by adding it to soda with lemon syrup.