Lindenmeyer takes its time to produce vinegar, because owner Dr. Friedrich Mertz is convinced: High-quality food is only created with and from the power of nature.
Conversation with Dr. Friedrich Mertz of Lindenmeyer
Dr. Mertz, vinegar is a condiment and preservative that is thousands of years old. What fascinates you about it?
Even the Romans drank water with apple cider vinegar. As a child, I witnessed how vinegar was produced in our factory. Today, I still have a sense of déjà vu when I notice certain smells in my vinegar brewery. I find that simply wonderful. While car enthusiasts say they have diesel in their blood — for me, it's vinegar. But for me, it's about producing a food product. One should look closely at the term: It represents the means of life (Lebensmittel). That is something special.
You are running your family business in its eighth generation. What is the story behind it?
My ancestor, Georg Friedrich Rund, was an able merchant and founded the company in 1727. At that time, vinegar was an important preservative — a well-established craft. Since then, the tradition has passed from generation to generation. Everyone has left their mark, developed new varieties, and tested new processes. Today, we run the brewery with the aim of combining the best of old methods with modern knowledge.
What is special about your vinegar production?
We take our time. Long aging periods in wooden barrels, high-quality starting products, and careful manual work. This is not possible at an industrial pace — but it is precisely this slowness that gives our vinegars their very own character.
