Suze (drink)

Suze is a popular, especially in France and western Switzerland bitter aperitif.

Drink

The aromatic base of Suze is the root of the yellow gentian. In addition, other wild roots and plant extracts are still used and a traditional distillation produces the unique taste. Suze is served as an aperitif, with or without ice, as a cocktail or cold as a long drink.

Origin

There are two different stories about the origins of Suze:

Country of origin France

• The recipe was invented in 1885 in the vicinity of Paris by Fernand Moureaux. Moureaux wanted to make no aperitif on the base of wine, like the end of the 19th century was common, but used the roots of the yellow gentian. He called the first aperitif Picotin and was marketed wider than the product after 1898, Moureaux called his distillate Suze, according to his sister Susanne Jaspert. Then in 1922 the distillery was founded Suze.

Country of origin Switzerland

• A certain Hans Kappeler from the village in the Bernese Jura Sonvilier to the recipe of Suze have invented and sold the drink under the name gold of the Alps to the local farmers. But he left his drink not register and had sick and ruined the recipe in 1914 to sell a French industrialist. He should have said to him: "You will see your beverage flows in France, such as the Bach Suze at our feet ." Another indication of this story is that the yellow gentian thrives mainly on the pastures of the Bernese Jura. In addition, a daughter of Hans Kappeler 1995 confirmed that her father had to sell a French recipe.

Since the Suze brand is dated from the years after 1889, the recipe purchase to have taken place around 1914, some questions are raised:

• Who is the inventor, Moureaux or Kappeler?
• Were there used to be two almost identical aperitifs?
• Did Moureaux off a competitor?
• Has Moureaux changed his own recipe?

A folder, which might have given information has disappeared some years ago mysteriously from a museum in Sonvilier.

The distillery Suze is now part of Pernod Ricard group.