edited by Beatrice Laurora
Handcrafted from Friulian botanicals, the products of Opificio Fred blend tradition and the ability to experiment. Since 2014, the distillery's new star, born of passion and research by Federico Cremascoproduction of zero-kilometre craft spirits for all tastes and ages.
Valuing the territory, studying tradition and the desire to experiment are the three pivots that guide theactivities of Opificio Fredcapable of winning the attention of the mixology world in just a few years, both in Italy and abroad. A herbalist who cultivates plants day after day in a continuous dialogue with nature, but also an alchemist with a passion for the
laboratory and experimenting with new combinations.
Federico, born in 1976, is not just a bartender everything began to take shape with the line Fred Jerbiswhich initially saw the production of Gin 43, Vermouth 25 and Bitter 34the fortified triptych inspired by the mix of the famous Negroni cocktail. Gin 43 has a straw-yellow colour given by the cold infusion of orange blossom and saffron, an alcohol content of 43 degrees and is made from 43 herbs, the 50% of which is picked and cultivated in the region. Vermut 25, on the other hand, made from a high-quality indigenous Friulian wine, Verduzzo, has an alcohol content of 18 degrees and is composed of 25 herbs, with the product aged for almost a year. Finally, we find Bitter 34 with a distinctive colour that lends uniqueness and personality by losing the classic reddish connotation. The Fred line reveals its continual search for new avenues and solutions, just as it did with AMARO16unique product with
GIN7 with chamomile, made with only chamomile cultivated in 2017, and the newest line of liqueurs launched in autumn 2021: Fred Alkemil, a name that takes us back in time by referring to Alchemilla.
We caught up with Federico to get some more details about his most daring experiments, his most intimate memories, his most desired projects.
From engineering student to barman to herbalist/alchemist... how did this evolution come about?
I had to study engineering to realise that I wanted to be a barman," he replies. "Joking aside, the path originated from a passion of mine, that for plants and nature, which I now pursue through study and daily commitment. In the beginning, I combined my work as a bartender with walks in the woods in the Friulian mountains and the cultivation of botanicals, spices and herbs in the meadows at home. I then started experimenting with different extraction techniques to create essential oils with timeless fragrances. In 2014 my first
laboratory where I transformed the collected plants into distillates and infusions; thus began my work of research and experimentation in the world of spirits.
Federico's passion has very ancient origins. His mother has always prepared jams, liqueurs and infusions with fruits, plants and roots, which she collected in the mountains of Friuli.
"From when I helped her as a child, I remember the smell in the house of dried botanicals. I was always fascinated by the slow rhythms of nature. I felt satisfied, proud to be able to turn plants into an idea first and, then, into a DOC product. I was curious to find out how this magic happened'.
Federico's work is a continuous cycle of research and experimentation, constantly seasoned with a dose of risk. We asked him if he had ever persisted with any particular project. And he answered us: "Over the years I have gained experience that allows me today to realise quite early on if I am doing something wrong. I hardly ever insist on
an experiment... in that case, I change ingredients and start again'.
Federico's homeland, with the Friulian Pre-Alps at the centre of his project, is a perfect place. Loving and cultivating plants in Friuli arises spontaneously because it is part of everyday life: the region's botanicals grow without pollution and contamination, in an area recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and herbs are the basis of many products.
We venture a special question, given the producer's special connection to his roots.
Do you think there is any other place in Italy or in the world capable of lending itself to these projects?
It is difficult to find a region similar to ours, with the sea, mountains, the Dolomites, the Karst and the lagoon...
Only in Friuli, in fact, can we find aquatic herbs and mountain herbs. If I have to think of other places that are similar, but not the same, I think of Piedmont, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto.
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