Suche
Mein Konto
The best of the best: Most awards inspire enthusiasm in Beuren!
The third must award ceremony took place in Beuren on May 28, 2025, where 26 participants evaluated their best musts.
The best of the best: Most awards inspire enthusiasm in Beuren!
On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the third supra-regional must award ceremony for the districts of Göppingen and Esslingen took place in the Kelter in Beuren. The event, known as “The Best of the Best 2025,” attracted 26 cider enthusiasts who rated each other’s home-made ciders. The welcome was given by Dr. Marion Leuze-Mohr, the first state official in the Esslingen district. A special feature of this event was that there was no jury in the traditional sense; instead, the participants evaluated their musts themselves.
The musts submitted for the award came predominantly from the Esslingen and Göppingen districts, although there were also a few participants from Reutlingen and Böblingen. All musts had previously taken places one to three in local competitions, which guaranteed the high quality of the products submitted. The moderation was taken over by August Kottmann, a restaurateur and cider expert from Bad-Ditzenbach-Gosbach, who made the event, which lasted around two and a half hours, charming.
The winners and awards
The participants announced the rankings of their musts, and the evaluation was extremely positive. The best places were occupied by:
| Place | name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ulrike Schöttle | Leinfelden-Echterdingen-Stetten |
| 2. | Thomas Wagenblast | Donzdorf |
| 3. | Roland Schöttle | Leinfelden-Echterdingen-Stetten |
The winners were awarded a beautifully designed cider jug, while all participants received certificates. It is particularly worth mentioning that the ten best participants received “winner trees” from Jochen Heinz, the first state official of the Göppingen district. These trees are refined with old cider fruit varieties, an initiative by August Kottmann.
High quality and interesting discussions
The event was characterized not only by the evaluation of the musts, but also by a lively discussion about the differences between the different varieties. In total, 30 different musts were presented and there were an impressive 70 characteristics that the jurors or participants assessed about the quality and characteristics of the musts. The average rating was 7.5 points, which indicates a consistently high quality of the creations submitted.
Beurener Most, which is known as the “Räsen thirst quencher”, has developed over the years into a cultural asset that not only attracts the local community, but also those interested across the region. The event in Beuren is a wonderful example of how tradition and modern evaluation criteria can go hand in hand. The high quality of the musts was also the focus of the discussion, and some particularly outstanding varieties were highlighted by the participants.
Many thanks go to the specialist advice centers for fruit growing and horticulture in the districts of Göppingen and Esslingen as well as to all the helpers who contributed to the implementation of this successful event. The continuation of such events remains important to support and promote the art of making cider.
Overall, the cider award showed that the craft of cider is not only valued in the region, but also occupies an important place in the culinary heritage of the Swabian region, as also by Teckbote was determined. The event has therefore made a significant contribution to the appreciation of traditional must, which is gaining more and more attention as a luxury food.