Sportalm Bichlbach

Calling all gin lovers and connoisseurs! The Sport Alm Bichlbach stocks over 300 gins and 15 different tonics. Proprietor Christian Sudy tells us all about how he amassed this impressive assortment.

Calling all gin lovers and connoisseurs! The Sport Alm Bichlbach stocks over 300 gins and 15 different tonics. Proprietor Christian Sudy tells us all about how he amassed this impressive assortment.

There’s a very pleasant, welcoming feel to the Sport Alm. It’s probably because of the quaint, wooden interior, where you can leave the world behind you and feel like you’ve arrived home. The building was erected in Bichlbach in 1991, having previously been sited by the Zugspitzbahn, where it was originally built in the 1980s. As it’s located in the Sport and Leisure Park, there’s no traffic, and it’s this peace and quiet that draws both visitors and locals to the Sport Alm Bichlbach for a bite to eat and a savouring of gin.

But let’s get down to the really important stuff. How do you grow a menu to over 300 gins? After starting out with just four different types, there was no looking back for Christian Sudy. As he says himself, he has ‘no idea where the journey will take me’. The 42-year-old has always worked in the restaurant business. Initially a waiter, he worked his way up and ultimately took over the Sport Alm four years ago. He’s been passionate about refining gin, however, for many, many years. ‘I’ve always liked drinking gin. When I was 25, I began thinking about how you can alter its taste, and after I started experimenting, it really became my passion.’ Gin is refined by adding botanicals such as herbs, berries, or fruits, which over a period of at least one month alter its taste.

Even though he already has 250 gins and detailed descriptions on his drinks menu, most guests still ask for a personal recommendation. ‘When they do, I ask them about their preferences, what gins they already like, or if they want something fruity, woody, floral, or exotic. That helps me to narrow it down,’ says the gin lover. ‘Many people also go by what the bottle looks like. That’s why I’ve got them all lined up on a shelf behind the bar.’ You don’t drink gin straight at the Sport Alm in Bichlbach, however, as Christian Sudy also has 15 tonics on offer. ‘If someone asks me to recommend a gin, I always bring it with the matching tonic.’