Meaning “from the barrel” in German, vomFASS’ selection of small-batch oils, vinegars and spices cannot be found anywhere else in the Greater Houston area, owner Maria Pimienta said.

Pimienta and her husband, Arturo, opened the only Houston location of the German-based franchise in Hughes Landing in The Woodlands November 2016. After spending a short time living in Germany, Pimienta said she knew she wanted to bring the popular store back home to The Woodlands area.

“Everywhere we went, they had a store, and we fell in love with the concept,” Pimienta said. “Being a small producer, they can really check the quality of the items they’re getting, and they have control over [producing] organic and also making sure that there are no fillers.”

She said the business focuses on selecting organic, fair-trade items and storing them carefully in the shop to make sure they have the best taste.

VomFASS carries a wide selection of cold-pressed oils, including olive, peanut, hazelnut, sesame and walnut as well as flavored vinegars, spices, spirits and infused liquors. Most items are stored in large glass or ceramic containers, which allows the customers to choose how much of each ingredient they would like to use.

“What makes us special is you get to taste everything before you buy, so you make sure that you’re getting what you want,” Pimienta said. “You chose the container and size.”

Prices a 100-milliliter bottle start at $6.99 for olive oils and $7.99 for vinegars, while spirits and liqueurs start at $19.99 for a small bottle. While Pimienta said vomFASS’ prices are comparable to a liquor store, it is unlikely customers would be able to find the same products.

In addition to brandies, absinthe, cognac, vodka, and gin, the store carries small wooden casks of whiskies from the coast of Ireland as well as bourbon from U.S. microdistilleries.

“They are not common things that you can find,” she said. “They’re either things that the big distilleries do only for us or private reserves.”

Pimienta said each food item comes with a recipe card to give customers ideas on how to use the ingredients after sampling them in the store. The business also hosts private classes for those who want to learn more about certain types of spirits as well as monthly tastings that are open to the public.

Additionally, vomFASS also offers gift boxes for weddings, birthdays and holidays as well as corporate gifts that can be customized to include a combination of the store's products. Gifts can either be labeled with a handwritten message or engraved in-house, Pimienta said.

“I do take care of my customers, and I love working with them,” she said. “I make sure the baskets are presented the way they want it. The main thing is to take the headache out of gift-giving.”

vomFASS
1950 Hughes Landing Blvd., Ste. 1800, The Woodlands
281-296-7102
http://thewoodlands.vomfassusa.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sundays