The Holzer Family Legacy: A Century of Bitter Craft, From Trieste to Hong Kong
Some spirits tell you about a place. Others tell you about a process. Holzer Original tells a family story, one that stretches across continents, through wars, and over a hundred years, only to find a surprising new home today in Hong Kong.
This isn’t just a bottle of Fernet. It’s the revived heartbeat of a family business that refused to fade away. Let’s trace the journey.
The Beginning: Oskar Holzer and the Stock Family (Early 1900s)
Our story starts in the port city of Trieste, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here, a man named Oskar Holzer entered into partnership with the famed Stock family, creators of the legendary Stock Fernet.
Imagine the scene: a bustling European port, the early days of commercial bitter production, and Oskar learning the meticulous craft of maceration, blending, and botanical selection. He wasn’t just an employee; he was a trusted partner in one of the most respected bitter houses of the era. This apprenticeship in Trieste planted the seed, the Holzer family was now in the bitter business.
The Pivot: Stewardship Through Crisis (World War II)
History often interrupts the best-laid plans. During the tumult of World War II, the Stock family was forced to flee Trieste. In their absence, it was Oskar Holzer who kept the company running. For years, he maintained the operations, safeguarded the recipes, and preserved the legacy until the Stock family could return.
This period is crucial. It shows a commitment that went beyond business. It was about stewardship and respect for the craft itself. When the war ended and the Stocks returned, Oskar and his son made a pivotal decision: it was time to build something of their own.
The First Holzer Original: A Family Brand is Born
Splitting from the Stock company, Oskar and his son established their own brand: Holzer Original. They brought with them a century of accumulated knowledge and their own archival recipes. For decades, they produced their distinct Austrian Fernet, building a local reputation for quality.
Then, in the 1980s, the story hit a silent chapter. Due to shifting economic winds, the family was forced to close the business. The stills fell quiet. The recipe notebooks were shelved. It seemed the legacy might end there.
The Revival: A Fourth-Generation Passion Project (2016)
The best family stories have a comeback. The catalyst was Raphael Holzer, Oskar’s great-grandson.
Raphael grew up with the stories. He also grew up in the modern world of hospitality, working in bars and restaurants across the globe. He understood both the heritage in his blood and the contemporary palate.
In 2016, driven by passion and a sense of duty, Raphael and his father decided to wake the sleeping giant. They reopened the family archives, fired up the old stills, and revived the secret Holzer recipe. But this wasn’t merely a reproduction; it was a reintroduction. Raphael’s international experience, including a deep connection to Asia, informed a new vision: to bring this undaunted Austrian spirit to a global audience.
Why Hong Kong? The Modern Chapter
This brings us to the present and explains why you’re reading this in Hong Kong. Raphael splits his time between Austria and Asia, with Hong Kong serving as a strategic home base. The city is a perfect fit: a sophisticated, international hub with a taste for premium craftsmanship and complex flavors.
The launch of Yuzu Granit Hi, a canned highball that fuses the Holzer base with real Japanese yuzu, epitomizes this new chapter. It was first conceived right here in Hong Kong. It represents the family’s legacy. The Austrian herbal craft—meeting a modern, global sensibility.
Today, every member of the Holzer family has a hand in the process, from foraging botanicals in the Brunnwald forest to hand-labeling each bottle. It is a true, living family business once again.
What This Legacy Means in Your Glass
When you taste Holzer Original, you’re not just tasting herbs and spirits. You’re tasting a timeline.
You taste the herbal knowledge passed down from Trieste.
You taste the resilience forged by keeping a business alive through a war.
You taste the quiet pride of a recipe that waited decades for its return.
And you taste the bold vision of a new generation, bridging Austria and Asia.
It’s a spirit that has survived history. Now, it’s here to be part of yours.
---
Discover the taste of this revived legacy. Explore the Holzer Original collection, from the classic herbal Fernet to the innovative Yuzu Granit Hi, available in Hong Kong through HBRAND.
