Schnapps is so popular in Germany that the Germans consider it a national drink and respect no less than the French cognac and Russian vodka. Schnapps - what kind of drink is it and how to drink it properly? Let's talk about it in an article.
What is schnapps?
Schnapps is a strong alcoholic drink, which is obtained by distillation of mash from fruit or grain, without the use of any additives. Its base can be pears, apples, strawberries, bananas, grapes, peaches and other fruits. According to the classic recipe, schnapps is made from potatoes or grains and various herbs. The taste of this drink ranges from very bitter to very sweet. Fortress - usually not higher than 38-40 degrees.
A bit of history
Unlike some alcoholic drinks, schnapps, let's say, have more than one homeland. He appeared at about the same time in Austria, Germany and other Scandinavian countries. That is why we can safely say about schnapps that it is a Nordic national drink. However, the real Austrian schnapps is little known to the world, since the Austrians produce it in small quantities and only for their own use.
From Old Norwegian "schnapps" ("snapper") means "drink in one gulp." The first mention of this beautiful drink dates back to the 15th century. Schnapps-producing distilleries appeared on the territory of modern Germany and Austria around the 16th - early 17th centuries. Initially, schnapps was exclusively a medicine that was used to treat almost all diseases, in the Middle Ages it was believed that this drink has a rejuvenating effect on the body. But soon, schnapps became a well-known fast-drinking alcoholic drink, however, they drank it only in order to enjoy it (how to drink schnapps will be described below).
Production technology
In the production of this classic schnapps do not use sugar, dyes, flavorings. A variety of raw materials are used for alcohol, but most often the main source products are wild berries and a variety of juicy fruits. However, classic schnapps is also very popular among lovers of alcoholic drinks, and among discerning experts. Each large and serious schnapps producer has a staff of reliable highly qualified pickers of wild berries, who know the places where the best fruits grow.
Manufacturers invest a huge amount of love and labor in the process of preparing schnapps. Berries are not only harvested, but also processed exclusively by hand. After they spontaneously ferment for several months. Then the finished mash is subjected to double distillation in specially designed copper cubes. As a rule, schnapps are not aged in oak barrels, as is customary for many alcoholic drinks, but are immediately poured into glass bottles, in which it goes on sale.
Varieties of drink
So, schnapps, what kind of drink it is and how it is produced, we found out. However, you should know that there are a huge number of schnapps varieties. Only 30 industrial species are known. Therefore, everyone can choose schnapps to their liking. In the production of the drink, unique preparation methods are used each time. Schnapps has no analogues, so it’s simply impossible to convey in words its aroma and taste or to compare with any other alcoholic beverage.
The most popular types of schnapps:
peach schnapps;
"Rumple Minze" (mint);
"Kirschwasser" (cherry);
"Zwetschke" (from wild plum);
Schladerer Williams-Birne (pear);
Obstler (a mixture of pear and apple alcohols);
"Adilitzbeere" (based on the fruits of mountain ash).
Pear schnapps with a whole pear in a bottle has a very interesting and unusual appearance. However, this only at first glance seems surprising and impossible. In fact, everything is quite simple, although laborious - around the middle of May, the ovary of a pear fruit is placed in a bottle tied to a branch. In a transparent bottle, the pear ripens in the usual way. At the end of August, together with the container, the pear is separated from the branch, thoroughly washed and poured with alcohol based on pears.
How to drink schnapps?
What kind of drink this is, most of us still know, but far from everyone knows how to use it correctly. Serving such alcohol is customary in small rounded cognac-shaped wine glasses. Serving should be no more than 20 grams. A small pear or an apricot slice is placed in a glass. Also, a small fork must be attached to the glass with the drink in order to catch the fruit floating in the schnapps, inhale its aroma, after drinking the contents and snack with this fruit. Schnapps can serve as an aperitif, accompany dishes or be a digestif, contributing to the digestion of fatty dishes. Traditional snacks for the drink are Bavarian sausages, but you can also serve herring or even crayfish. Some connoisseurs drink schnapps with beer. Such an unusual mix of drinks is called “lutt-on-lutt” in Hamburg, and “luttier-lag” in Hanover. If alcohol seems too strong for you, dilute it with freshly squeezed fruit juices or water.
Finally
Before you buy a bottle of such alcohol, carefully study the etiquette, there is a risk of acquiring a drink of inadequate quality. With poor cleaning, it can contain aldehydes and fusel oils, which can cause harm to the body much more serious than alcohol itself. Remember, this schnapps is made exclusively in the factory in Germany or its environs. Well, about what schnapps, you learned from this article.