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Schnapps
I am sure that at one point or another everyone has had some sort of experience with schnapps. It is used in some of the most common drink recipes such as a fuzzy navel or a peppermint patty. Not many people know however where schnapps had started or what a huge difference it makes where it may come from. The thing I love about schnapps is how versatile it really is. There are tons of recipes using schnapps and it really seems like the possibilities are endless. I would suggest just experimenting with it; you never know what you could come up with.
Schnapps actually had a rather different beginning that what you would imagine. Around the 16th century monks were actually studying it in monasteries for medical purposes. The original schnapps, translated from German to "a mouthful", was first made in Germany and is still consumed there regularly. It also is a common drink in Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. In Austria there are actually 20,000 small private schnapps distilleries that are known as Selberbrennter or Hausbrand.
In Germany almost all the traditional distilled beverages are grain based. German Schnapps are quite different than those of American schnapps. German schnapps are mainly clear, colorless and has a light fruit flavors. It is distilled from fermented fruit most, is bottled with no added sugar and normally contains about 40% alcohol. The main kind of fruits Germans use in their schnapps are apples, pears, plums and cherries. Schnapps in Germany are also usually enjoyed neat (without ice or any other mixers).
American schnapps on the other hand, are probably the schnapps that we are much more accustomed to. American schnapps also are produced by mixing neutral grain spirit with fruit flavors or with other artificially flavoring. The mixture is then bottled with added sugar and usually glycerin, producing a smooth, syrup like drink. Compared to German Schnapps our schnapps are quite a bit sweeter due to the extra additives. We also have many more flavors of schnapps and root beer schnapps actually only comes from the United States.
It could be said without exaggeration that there are as many flavors of schnapps as there are flavors of soda. Schnapps are always expanding in flavors and always changing. Flavors such as peach, peppermint, butterscotch, and cinnamon are fairly common and everyone has probably heard about them. There are other flavors such as pomegranate, mango, lemonade, melon, and even fruit punch that many people have no ideas about. I would highly recommend anyone to experiment with these flavors and try something new. |
