1893
In 1893 the brothers Yankel and Zelman Rakovshchiks established a yeast brewery with an integrated distillery in the Nizhne-Lyakhovskaya Street next to the Svisloch river in the town center of Minsk. The office building still exists, a typical solid brick construction, where the long story of success began. The spirits production of the brothers was already a significant example of top quality and soon mastered the government's liquor standards. Many awards are proving this fact: for instance, the gold medal honor during the exhibition of the Tsar’s suppliers in Rostov. Starting with a 5 hp steam plant, fermentation vats, distillery components and twenty-four employees they produced beverages worth 89 thousand Rubles per year.