Schnapps
Encyclopedia
Schnapps is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage
. The English word schnapps is derived from the German
Schnaps (plural, Schnäpse), which can refer to any strong alcoholic drink
but particularly those containing at least 32% ABV
(64 proof). American schnapps, however, are liqueur
s.
The German word is pronounced ʃnaps; in English it is ˈʃnɑːps or ˈʃnæps.
Schnaps is a Low German
noun that means swallow; it has been documented in its High German meaning since before the 18th century.
, is bottled with no added sugar, and normally contains about 40% ABV
(80 proof). Its appearance and taste are the same as that of eau de vie
, but this French
term is not used in German
-speaking countries.
In Austria
, Switzerland
, and southern Germany
, these beverages are commonly called Obstler or Obstbrand (from the German Obst, fruit). Obstler are associated with the southern part of the German language area. In northern Germany, almost all traditional distilled beverages are grain-based.
Equivalent beverages exist all over central and southeastern Europe, where they are generically called rakia
(e.g., slivovitz
and palinka
).
A broader definition of Schnaps includes other German-made spirits such as Kräuterlikör
(e.g., Jägermeister
), Korn
, Kümmel
, German gin
(e.g., Steinhäger
), and generally any distilled beverage
.
The main kinds of fruit used for German Schnaps are apples, pears, plums, and cherries — listed here in order from the least expensive to the most. Apricot is another popular fruit that is often used in Austrian Schnaps (Marillenschnaps). Fruits other than these five kinds are rarely used for German Schnaps. Apples are usually used together with pears to make a fruit brandy called Obstwasser. Pears alone are used to produce Poire Williams
(Williamsbirne). Plums make Zwetschgenwasser, and cherries make Kirschwasser.
A raspberry
-flavored spirit called Himbeergeist
is also a Schnaps, although it is not produced by means of fermenting raspberries (Himbeeren), which produce a low yield of alcohol due to their low sugar content. Instead, rectified spirit
is infused with fresh raspberries, and this mixture is then distilled.
that are produced by mixing neutral grain spirit
with fruit flavors or with other flavors. This mixture is then bottled with added sugar and (usually) glycerine, producing a smooth, syrup-like drink. Their alcohol content can be anywhere between 15% and 50% ABV
(30–100 proof).
American schnapps can be bought in a very wide variety of flavors, including aniseed, apricot
, banana
, blackberry
, black currant (aka crème de cassis
), butterscotch
, cherry
, cinnamon
, coffee
, lemon
, mandarin orange
, menthol mint
, peach
, peppermint
, root beer
, and sour apple.
These drinks technically fall into the category of liqueur
s because of their added sugar content.
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
. The English word schnapps is derived from the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Schnaps (plural, Schnäpse), which can refer to any strong alcoholic drink
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
but particularly those containing at least 32% ABV
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
(64 proof). American schnapps, however, are liqueur
Liqueur
A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
s.
The German word is pronounced ʃnaps; in English it is ˈʃnɑːps or ˈʃnæps.
Schnaps is a Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
noun that means swallow; it has been documented in its High German meaning since before the 18th century.
German Schnaps
German Schnaps is clear, colorless, and has a light fruit flavor. It is distilled from fermented fruit mustMust
Must is freshly pressed fruit juice that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace; it typically makes up 7%–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must is the first step in winemaking...
, is bottled with no added sugar, and normally contains about 40% ABV
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
(80 proof). Its appearance and taste are the same as that of eau de vie
Eau de vie
An eau de vie is a clear, colorless fruit brandy that is produced by means of fermentation and double distillation...
, but this French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
term is not used in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
-speaking countries.
In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, these beverages are commonly called Obstler or Obstbrand (from the German Obst, fruit). Obstler are associated with the southern part of the German language area. In northern Germany, almost all traditional distilled beverages are grain-based.
Equivalent beverages exist all over central and southeastern Europe, where they are generically called rakia
Rakia
Rakia is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by distillation of fermented fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger . Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia which has an alcohol content that may...
(e.g., slivovitz
Slivovitz
Slivovitz or Slivovitsais a distilled beverage made from Damson plums. It is frequently called plum brandy, and in the Balkans is part of the category of drinks called rakia...
and palinka
Palinka
Pálinka or Palincă is a traditional fruit brandy made in regions of the Carpathian Basin. Modern commercial production occurs in Hungary, Romania and parts of Austria. It is commonly made from the fermentation of plums, but other fruits used include apricots, apples, pears, peaches and cherries...
).
A broader definition of Schnaps includes other German-made spirits such as Kräuterlikör
Kräuterlikör
Kräuterlikör is a kind of German liqueur that is flavored with herbs or spices and sweetened with sugar. Liqueurs of this kind normally contain 15% to 40% alcohol by volume...
(e.g., Jägermeister
Jägermeister
Jägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :...
), Korn
Korn (liquor)
Korn is a German colorless spirit that is usually made from fermented rye but may also be made from corn, barley, or wheat. Korn differs from vodka in that it is less rigorously filtered, which leaves more of the cereal taste in the finished spirit.Korn is the cheapest kind of spirit available in...
, Kümmel
Kümmel
Kümmel, also called kummel or kimmel, is a sweet, colorless liqueur flavored with caraway seed, cumin, and fennel.Originally, the words kümmel, kummel, and kimmel are somewhat generic terms in the German, Dutch, and Yiddish languages, respectively, meaning both caraway and cumin...
, German gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
(e.g., Steinhäger
Steinhäger
Steinhäger is a type of German gin, a spirit flavoured with juniper berries. The name is derived from the village of Steinhagen in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is the only place where it is permitted to be produced....
), and generally any distilled beverage
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
.
The main kinds of fruit used for German Schnaps are apples, pears, plums, and cherries — listed here in order from the least expensive to the most. Apricot is another popular fruit that is often used in Austrian Schnaps (Marillenschnaps). Fruits other than these five kinds are rarely used for German Schnaps. Apples are usually used together with pears to make a fruit brandy called Obstwasser. Pears alone are used to produce Poire Williams
Poire Williams
Poire Williams is a colorless eau de vie made from the Williams pear. It is generally served chilled as an after-dinner drink.Many producers of Poire Williams include an entire pear inside each bottle. This is achieved by attaching the bottle to a budding pear tree so that the pear will grow inside...
(Williamsbirne). Plums make Zwetschgenwasser, and cherries make Kirschwasser.
A raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
-flavored spirit called Himbeergeist
Himbeergeist
Himbeergeist is a type of German Schnaps that is distinguished by its method of production from other Schnaps. It is produced by means of distilling a mixture of neutral spirit and fresh, ripe raspberries...
is also a Schnaps, although it is not produced by means of fermenting raspberries (Himbeeren), which produce a low yield of alcohol due to their low sugar content. Instead, rectified spirit
Rectified spirit
A rectified spirit, rectified alcohol, or neutral spirit is highly concentrated ethanol which has been purified by means of repeated distillation, a process that is called rectification. It typically contains 95% alcohol by volume...
is infused with fresh raspberries, and this mixture is then distilled.
American schnapps
American schnapps are alcoholic beveragesLiqueur
A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
that are produced by mixing neutral grain spirit
Neutral grain spirit
Neutral grain spirit is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid that has been distilled from a grain-based mash to a very high level of ethanol content...
with fruit flavors or with other flavors. This mixture is then bottled with added sugar and (usually) glycerine, producing a smooth, syrup-like drink. Their alcohol content can be anywhere between 15% and 50% ABV
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
(30–100 proof).
American schnapps can be bought in a very wide variety of flavors, including aniseed, apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, blackberry
Blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...
, black currant (aka crème de cassis
Crème de cassis
Crème de cassis is a sweet, dark red liqueur that is made from blackcurrants.Several cocktails are made with crème de cassis, including the very popular wine cocktail, kir.-Origin and production:...
), butterscotch
Butterscotch
Butterscotch is a type of confectionery whose primary ingredients are brown sugar and butter, although other ingredients such as corn syrup, cream, vanilla, and salt are part of some recipes...
, cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
, mandarin orange
Mandarin orange
The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...
, menthol mint
Menthol mint
"Menthol Mint" is a trade name associated with Dr. McGillicuddy's schnapps. In essence, it is a standard peppermint schnapps, but they have coined the name 'Menthol Mint' to imply that the product is different from other similar products....
, peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
, peppermint
Peppermint
Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...
, root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
, and sour apple.
These drinks technically fall into the category of liqueur
Liqueur
A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
s because of their added sugar content.
See also
- BrandyBrandyBrandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
- Distilled beverageDistilled beverageA distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
- Eau-de-vie
- Fruit brandy
- HimbeergeistHimbeergeistHimbeergeist is a type of German Schnaps that is distinguished by its method of production from other Schnaps. It is produced by means of distilling a mixture of neutral spirit and fresh, ripe raspberries...
- Kirsch
- LiqueurLiqueurA liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
- Neutral grain spiritNeutral grain spiritNeutral grain spirit is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid that has been distilled from a grain-based mash to a very high level of ethanol content...