T.O.S. Distillerie
Hauts-de-France
T.O.S. Distillerie began its life on “The Other Side” of the popular brewery Brasserie Saint Germain, in the heart of barley country in Hauts-de-France. The team at T.O.S. combines Flemish influences, fermentation savoir-faire, and a fresh approach to distillation to craft compelling, small-batch spirits.
Introducing the Estate
Flemish Roots in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France has historically been a center for grain production, as it is located too far north for viticulture. Its close proximity to the breweries and distilleries of Belgium and the Netherlands meant hearty beers and grain-based spirits took the place of wine and brandy for the region’s miners and factory workers.
As many of the mines and factories closed down at the end of the 20th century, many of these brewing and distilling traditions were in danger of being lost. Seeking to revitalize their local beer scene, brothers Stéphane and Vincent Bogaert and their friend Hervé Descamps opened Brasserie Saint Germain in 2003 in the small town of Aix-Noulette. The brewery became much-beloved in the region for classic, Flemish styles with a fresh approach, and they became especially renowned for their Page 24 Hildegarde Reserve bière de garde.
History & Origins
Something Old, Something New
At T.O.S., the future is always guided by the past. In addition to developing their own genièvre, in 2021 they acquired the storied Wambrechies distillery, founded in 1817 near Lille on the Belgian border. Once a producer of one of the region’s most beloved genièvres, the distillery had closed, and its historic stills were slated to be sold off before the team stepped in to save it. “We couldn’t start something new while letting something old die,” Stéphane explains.
The explosion of interest in their work means the team works tirelessly to keep up with demand. As they continue to innovate the world of barley distillates and French whiskies from their artisanal distillery, we are proud to represent their groundbreaking work in the US.
The Vision Behind T.O.S. Distillerie
The Other Side
In 2017, Master Distiller Katy Gravina joined the team. Inspired to take their exploration and innovation beyond beer, Stéphane, Vincent, Hervé, and Katy installed a still on “the other side” of the brewery’s walls and began experimenting with different expressions of Haut de France’s local barley.
As a former perfumer, Katy brings her experienced nose, scientific expertise, and measured perspective to her distillations. She is quiet, focused, and single-minded in her quest to make complex, precise spirits that reflect the rich history of Hauts-de-France.
Process & Philosophy
Distilling Innovation
The team began by producing single malt whisky. French whiskies are an exciting new frontier for single malts, and T.O.S. is perfectly positioned to be one of the greats of this new discipline. Rather than working with outside materials, they prioritize local ingredients like the barley they source from two local malters. After a natural, slow eight-day fermentation, the barley is single-distilled in a Holstein copper alembic still with both pot and column distillation. The whiskey is then aged for 3 years in 90% ex-Bourbon casks and 10% new French oak casks, and diluted with local reverse-osmosis filtered water.
Once their inaugural batches of whisky were laid down to age, they set their eyes on a historic spirit essential to the Hauts-de-France region that has become nearly extinct in the 21st century. A cousin of the Dutch genever, French genièvre was the everyday drink of choice for local miners and textile workers, who relied on it to fortify themselves against their brutal labor and the bitter cold of northern France. T.O.S. has applied contemporary distilling techniques to recover this traditional spirit and bring it to new heights. Co-fermented local barley and rye are distilled in a copper pot still, then aromatized with juniper berries before a second distillation, and diluted with local reverse-osmosis filtered water to 43% ABV.
Finally, to honor their beloved Flemish-style beers, they began distilling their signature bière de garde into a unique eau de vie which they call Humulus—the Latin genus of the hops used in beer. Distilled from their flagship Réserve Hildegarde Blonde, Humulus combines local barley with two species of noble hops used in traditional Flemish beers. Similar to their Artesia whisky, Humulus is distilled through both the pot and column still on their Holstein alembic, then proofed down with local water to 46% abv.
By combining their brewing and distilling expertise, T.O.S. is creating something completely new and surprising that stands to put Hauts-de-France on the map as one of the country’s most exciting new spirits regions.
Products
Spirits
T.O.S. Distillerie Humulus Eau de Vie de Bière
T.O.S. Distillerie Boutefeu Genièvre de Grains
