How to drink schnapps correctly? Surely people who are not familiar with drinking culture folk drinks Germany often ask themselves this question. After all, buy German vodka in Russia is no longer a problem. But manufacturers forget to stick instructions on “how to drink schnapps correctly” to the bottle. Therefore, you will agree, it would not be amiss to once again describe how to taste German alcoholic pride. Even if someone is already familiar with all the intricacies of using this brutal German potion, there will also be those who still do not know which way to approach a bottle of schnapps.

How to drink schnapps correctly. Instructions for use

So, there are no strict rules on how to drink schnapps. However, drinking this drink, guided by the principle of “who knows what,” is also wrong. That's why universal methods There are still schnapps served at the table.

The national drink of Germany is ideal as an aperitif. In addition, it is indispensable as a digestif, especially after high-calorie, filling and often fatty meals. German dishes, which often include pork, duck, goose or sausage. This brutal drink promotes digestion better than other strong representatives of the “vodka” family. As a rule, Germans drink schnapps in small portions, roll on the tongue and strain drop by drop to experience the whole gamut of taste and aroma, as well as aftertaste. They drink German vodka from miniature glasses on a high stem with a narrowed waist in small portions (about 20-30 ml). Sometimes you can drink schnapps from small round cognac-shaped glasses. It is usually served at a temperature of 16-20°C. In this situation, it is best to experience the bouquet of fruits and herbs from which the drink was created. First you need to slowly inhale the vapors of the German potion (inhale carefully, the strength of schnapps is 40%!), then realize the lightness of your being and, finally, knock back the entire glass. Depending on the type of schnapps in the glass, in addition to the drink, there may be half a peach, a plum, or even a small pear. Therefore, the so-called schnapps tasting kit comes with a small fork, with which the gourmet catches the fruit and after that drinks the drink and, of course, snacks on it. As you can see, the Germans are very practical people. Nothing is wasted, everything goes to work!

How else to drink schnapps correctly? It is best to drink German vodka with freshly squeezed fruit juice. But schnapps can be found extremely rarely in cocktails, and even then only in its Russian interpretation. The Germans don't add schnapps to their mixes. This is also another rule for serving a drink to the table.

What to drink schnapps with

What do you drink schnapps with? Or rather, what do they eat it with? The drink is considered an excellent addition to the Germans' favorite salted herring dishes (an example is famous salad from boiled potatoes, herring and apples). In addition, the drink will be accompanied by the most different fruits, sausages, sausages, poultry, fish and, of course, loved by gourmets around the world Bavarian sausages.

National characteristics of schnapps consumption

How do Germans and advanced gourmets drink schnapps, whom those same burghers taught to drink the drink? Typically used in Germany national drink as follows: first they drink a glass of schnapps, followed by half a liter of beer. Frankly speaking, this is perhaps the most gentle method from the series “how to drink schnapps correctly.” There is a tougher method. In Hanover and Hamburg, for example, burghers wash down schnapps with unfiltered white beer. However, such a mix leads to too rapid intoxication. Therefore, the brutal drink is often diluted with freshly squeezed juice or mineral water. How else do you drink schnapps? Just. With water. This way you can stay sober for a long time, stretch out the pleasure and enjoy new nuances in the bouquet of the drink.

And a couple more tips if you still decide to drink schnapps in German and the next day you don’t have to go to work. Apple schnapps is usually washed down with lager, pear schnapps with white unfiltered beer, cherry - dark strong. Those who do not accept any mixtures can be advised to use schnapps in pure form, but preferably in the company of good friends and with a quality snack.

You can always buy real German schnapps in our store at any time convenient for you! Have a great time!

Schnapps is often called “fruit moonshine,” but in fact, it is an independent drink that has no analogues. They say that no two schnapps are alike. Every self-respecting restaurateur in Germany considers it his duty to prepare his own schnapps in his restaurant. Germany did not appear here by accident. This non-standard drink is revered among the Germans in the same way as among us Russians, vodka or cognac among the French.

Schnapps infused with herbs - bitter, fruity - with sweetish taste. It is usually consumed with meals or as an aperitif. But since this drink is completely unpretentious, there are no strict rules for its use.

Schnapps is not vodka!

You should know this. And you need to drink it little by little, literally drop by drop, only then will you be able to enjoy the drink and even benefit from its consumption.

They drink schnapps from small glasses, in portions of 20-30 ml. The serving temperature for fruit schnapps is room temperature, that is, 18-20 degrees. First, inhale the aroma of the drink: in the case of a fruity drink, it will be especially good. We think there is no need to explain why.

Cereal schnapps, on the contrary, is better to pre-cool. Cool thoroughly.

They snack on schnapps (any of them) with Bavarian sausages, fruits, herring, and sausages.

There is such a way to drink schnapps: put a piece of fruit (any piece of fruit to your taste) in a whiskey glass, pour schnapps on top and wait a little for the fruit to soak in the drink. Before tasting, the fruit is taken out, sniffed, schnapps is drunk and thus snacked on. It's simple!

Some Germans (remember another way) boldly drink schnapps with beer. Proportions: half a liter mug for a glass of schnapps. But keep in mind that in Germany, schnapps containers are microscopic, so great harm such a seemingly nuclear mixture does not bring.

You can simply dilute schnapps with water. In this case, the bouquet will open up in a new way. True, all the same Germans turn up their noses when they see something like this: they say, it spoils the drink, schnapps should be drunk only in its pure form! But even the pedantic Germans have no taste and color for a comrade. Therefore, it is better to first try this method yourself, and then draw conclusions.

Schnapps is not added to cocktails. If you really want to dilute it with juice, then use freshly squeezed juice. This is, in principle, acceptable.

In fact, schnapps has a lot of advantages that make it worth trying. There’s only one drawback: you can’t drink a lot of it.

Now that you know how to drink schnapps, it’s time to try it by purchasing a bottle in our online store.

Contrary to popular belief, Germans don't only drink beer. Schnapps has been and remains one of the most popular strong alcoholic drinks in Germany.

The Austrians do not lag behind their neighbors, who also make and drink this moonshine with pleasure. In fact, German and Austrian drinks do not differ in anything except the place of production.

Schnapps is the collective name for a whole group of strong alcoholic drinks that are prepared from fruit, less commonly grain mash, by double distillation method. The peculiarity of this national drink is that sugar and yeast are not used in its production.

There are several questions about schnapps that most often interest alcohol lovers. How many degrees is it? How to drink correctly? How to make it yourself at home?

The traditional strength of schnapps is 39-40 degrees. Let's look at everything else in more detail.

How to drink schnapps?

First of all, it should be said that the methods of consuming fruit and cereal schnapps are different. What makes them related is the utensils they use. This moonshine is drunk from small glasses or shot glasses. Portions are tiny, 25-30 ml.

Correct serving temperature fruit schnapps is 17-20 °C. Before drinking a glass, take a deep breath of the fruity aroma of the drink. Then drink in one gulp to the bottom.

Cereal varieties of schnapps are served straight from the refrigerator. They do not have any interesting smell, so they are poured and drunk without any prelude.

There is another one interesting option. A piece of the fruit from which it is made is placed in a glass of moonshine. Before enjoying schnapps, remove the fruit from the stack and deeply inhale its aroma. Then drink and snack on this fruit slice.

Finally, for those who like something heavier, you can use the method that is actively used in Hanover, Bremen and Hamburg. In these cities, it is customary not to have schnapps as a snack, but to drink it with unfiltered white beer.

If you need a snack, use traditional sausages and sausages. In addition, herring goes well with this moonshine.

How to cook at home?

To date, the Germans and Austrians have come up with more than 35 schnapps recipes. They make it from literally anything that grows and has the required starch or sugar content. Of course, we will not consider all schnapps recipes. Let's focus only on the most popular ones.

In addition, the main thing is to understand the principle. After this, you can experiment a lot at home, changing the initial raw materials for the mash.

In our opinion, they are of greatest interest fruit types schnapps. The main secret of its production is simple. The final taste of moonshine depends on the quality of the fruits used. It should also be remembered that traditional recipes do not involve the use of sugar or yeast.

Recipe 1. Peach schnapps

• ripe peaches – 5 kg;
• clean water – 4 liters.

1. Remove the pits from the peaches and mash them. This must be done by hand. The output should be a homogeneous mass.
2. We transfer our peach mass into a fermentation container, add 1.5 liters of water and mix thoroughly.
3. The neck of the container is tied with gauze. After this, put it in a warm and dark place for four days.
4. When foamy bubbles and a characteristic beer aroma appear, pour the remaining water into the container. Stir.
5. Use a water seal or rubber glove. The temperature of the place in which the mash will ripen should be 27-28 °C. Typically the fermentation process takes 27-40 days. We will be able to understand that it has ended when the mash stops releasing gas.
6. Let's move on to distillation in a moonshine still. The first 100-120 ml of the product should be poured out. They are called pervak ​​or "heads" and contain acetone and other harmful substances. Next comes the “body” of schnapps, which is our goal. Once the strength of the product drops below 38 degrees, we stop distillation. These are already “tails”, which also cannot be consumed.
7. We dilute the entire collected distillate with water in a ratio of 50:50 and re-distill it. The first 90-100 ml will be heads, which again pour out.
8. Peach schnapps is ready. All that remains is to pour it into a glass container, seal it with a lid and leave in a cool place for 4-5 days. After this, it can be bottled and tasted.

Using a similar technology, apricot, raspberry, pear and apple schnapps are prepared at home. We recommend that you try to prepare all the varieties and, after tasting, decide which drink you like best. Your humble servant liked the raspberry schnapps the most.

Also, all connoisseurs of strong homemade alcohol will definitely enjoy homemade plum brandy.

Recipe 2. Peppermint schnapps.

We will need the following ingredients:

• fresh mint - 35-40 sheets;
• cloves – 15 buds;
• dill seeds – 10 grams;
• anise – 10 grams;
• undiluted ethanol– 0.5 liters.

Correct sequence of actions.

1. Place all ingredients in glass jar and fill with alcohol.
2. After this, seal the jar and leave for a month in a dark and warm room.
3. Dilute the tincture clean water in a 1:1 ratio. Pour in alcohol mashine and carry out the first distillation. Dilute again equally with water. Carry out a second distillation.

Moonshine with mint is ready. Enjoy your tasting!

Which one should I buy?

If you don’t want to distill schnapps yourself at home, you can buy it at the store. Below we bring to your attention a list of the main manufacturers whose drinks can be purchased in our country if desired.

• Kammer-Kirsch (Kammer-Kirsch);
• Schladerer (Shladerer);
• Markus Wieser (Markus Wieser);
• Bauer (Bauer);
• Hans Reisetbauer (Hans Reisetbauer);
• Marille (Marille);
• Rochelt (Rochelt);
• Williams (Williams).

Schnapps is so popular in Germany that the Germans consider it a national drink and respect it no less than the French do cognac and the Russians respect vodka. Schnapps - what kind of drink is it and how to drink it correctly? Let's talk about it in the article.

What is schnapps?

Schnapps is obtained by distilling mash from fruits or grains, without the use of any additives. Its basis can be pears, apples, strawberries, bananas, grapes, peaches and other fruits. By classic recipe schnapps is prepared from potatoes or grains and various herbs. The taste of this drink varies from very bitter to very sweet. Strength is usually no higher than 38-40 degrees.

A little history

Unlike some alcoholic drinks, schnapps, let’s say, has more than one homeland. It appeared at approximately the same time in Austria, Germany and others. That is why we can safely say about schnapps that it is a Nordic national drink. However, real Austrian schnapps is little known to the world, since it is produced by Austrians in small quantities and for your own use only.

From Old Norse, “schnaps” (“snapper”) means “to drink in one gulp.” The first mention of this great drink date back to the 15th century. Distilleries producing schnapps appeared on the territory of modern Germany and Austria around the 16th and early 17th centuries. At first, schnapps was exclusively a medicine that was used to treat almost all diseases; in the Middle Ages it was believed that this drink had a rejuvenating effect on the body. But soon schnapps became a famous quickly intoxicating alcoholic drink, but they drank it only to get pleasure (how to drink schnapps will be described below).

Production technology

In the production of real classic schnapps, no sugar, dyes or flavors are used. A variety of raw materials are used for alcohol, but most often the main starting materials are wild berries and various juicy fruits. However, classic schnapps is also very popular among lovers of alcoholic drinks and among discerning experts. Every large and serious schnapps manufacturer has a staff of reliable, highly qualified wild berry pickers who know the places where the best fruits grow.

Manufacturers invest in the process of making schnapps great amount love and work. The berries are not only picked, but also processed exclusively by hand. They then ferment spontaneously over several months. Then the finished mash is subjected to double distillation in specially designed copper stills. As a rule, schnapps is 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.

Types 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 varieties of schnapps. Only about 30 industrial types are known. Therefore, everyone can choose schnapps to their taste. When producing a drink, we use each time unique methods preparations. Schnapps has no analogues, so it is simply impossible to convey its aroma and taste in words or compare it with any other alcoholic drink.

The most popular types schnapps:

"Rumple Minze" (mint);

"Kirschwasser" (cherry);

"Zwetschke" (from wild plum);

"Schladerer Williams-Birne" (pear);

"Obstler" (a mixture of pear and apple spirits);

"Adilitzbeere" (based on mountain ash fruits).

Very interesting and unusual look has pear schnapps with whole pear in a bottle. However, this seems surprising and impossible only at first glance. In fact, everything is quite simple, although labor-intensive - around mid-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 filled with pear-based alcohol.

How to drink schnapps correctly?

Most of us still know what kind of drink this is, but not everyone knows how to use it correctly. It is customary to serve this alcohol in rounded cognac-shaped glasses. small size. A serving should be no more than 20 grams. Place a small pear or apricot slice in a glass. Also, a glass of drink must be accompanied by a small fork, so that you can use it to catch the fruit floating in the schnapps, inhale its aroma, then drink the contents and snack on this fruit. Schnapps can serve as an aperitif, accompany dishes, or be a digestif that promotes digestion. fatty foods. Traditional snacks The drink is accompanied by herring or even crayfish. Some connoisseurs drink schnapps with beer. This unusual combination of drinks is called “lutte-on-lutte” in Hamburg, and “luttier-lag” in Hanover. If the alcohol seems too strong for you, dilute it with freshly squeezed fruit juices or water.

Finally

Before buying a bottle of such alcohol, carefully study the label; there is a risk of purchasing a drink of inadequate quality. If not properly cleaned, it may contain aldehydes, which can cause much more serious harm to the body than alcohol itself. Remember, real schnapps is produced exclusively in factories in Germany or its surroundings. Well, you learned about what schnapps is from this article.

When, during a feast in a friendly company, a conversation begins about German vodka, schnapps is the first thing that comes to mind even for those who are not big connoisseurs of strong alcoholic drinks.

Schnaps is associated with Germany, although it is also made in neighboring Switzerland and Alsace, a French historical region. For the Germans, it acquired almost a cult significance and began to be positioned as a type of national alcohol.

What you need to know about schnapps

The name Schnaps comes from the Old Norse snappen, which can literally be translated as “to drink in one gulp.” The main region where schnapps is made remains Tyrol, a small Austrian region. But it was thanks to Germany that German vodka became known almost everywhere: on the North American continent, in Europe, and Asia.

Schnapps is often compared to moonshine. But, unlike the latter, it has a rich and pronounced cereal or fruity taste. In terms of strength - 40-43% - Schnaps is almost as good as tequila or. Some types of drink contain less than 30% alcohol.

It’s interesting that German schnapps is basically made without artificial yeast, flavorings and sugar.

When did Schnaps appear?

The first mentions of this strong alcoholic drink date back to the 15th century. Then it was produced on the territory of modern Austria and Germany as medicine for rejuvenation and treatment of certain diseases.

“Mixtura” appealed to the male population – and not only to him. Therefore, schnapps began to spread quite quickly throughout German lands. Especially many distilleries appeared in Germany at the turn of the 16th–17th centuries. Since then, the technology for preparing an alcoholic drink has remained virtually unchanged.

What are Schnaps made from?

The recipes of some brands of vodka in Germany are kept secret. But despite this, there is a single production method, if you do not take into account individual parts. Therefore, those who are interested in how schnapps is made in Germany can easily satisfy their curiosity.

First, raw materials are collected - grain, all kinds of fruits and even potatoes. After this, mash is prepared using spontaneous fermentation, which is then subjected to a difficult procedure - double distillation in special distillation cubes.

The raw materials for alcohol are herbs (primarily mint, St. John's wort or wormwood), wheat, potatoes, as well as many different fruits and berries.

Varieties and famous brands of schnapps

Even experts will not immediately name all the varieties and brands of German vodka: there are now more than 30 varieties of schnapps in Germany. They can be divided into three types: cereals, potatoes and fruits. German vodka is made from 12 main ingredients:

• wheat;
• mountain ash fruits;
• pear and apple alcohols;
• apricots, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, plums, peaches or cherries.

Each of the named components (or their mixtures) characterizes a specific brand and determines its taste characteristics.

German has also become widespread alcoholic drink herbal, which is made by adding St. John's wort, mint, wormwood, cloves and other herbs and spices to the finished alcohol. Among the brands of this type in Germany, several brands are best known: Wurzelpeter, Killepitsch, Rumple Minze, Kuemmerling, Underberg, Jägermeister.

Schnapps infused with herbs has a bitter taste. Fruit varieties of German vodka are sweeter. The grain varieties resemble moonshine. Among the popular German brands in the last two categories there are Schladerer, Hardenberg, Berentzen, Kammer-Kirsch.

Known varieties of schnapps made from fruit and grain alcohols include:

• Williamsbirne (pear);
• Weizenkorn (wheat);
• Apfelkorn (from apple seeds);
• Marillenschnaps (apricot);
• Zwetschgenwasser (plum);
• Adilitzbeere (from the fruits of mountain ash);
• Obstler (apple-pear);
• Doppelkorn (cereal);
• Himbeergeist (raspberry);
• Kirschwasser (cherry);
• Wildschlehe (from wild plum);
• Goldaprikose (apricot).

In drinking establishments scattered throughout Germany, schnapps is made according to own recipes and are proud that customers can buy unique schnapps from them.

Schnaps: subtleties of use

Before trying German vodka, lovers of tradition should definitely find out how schnapps is drunk in Germany. Shot glasses or round wine glasses with a capacity of 20–30 ml are suitable for the drink. Cereal varieties are usually served very chilled. Fruit – at room temperature, but not lower than + 18° C. It is preferable to dilute schnapps infused with herbs with spring water.

The fruit from which the alcohol is made is placed in a glass of fruit vodka. You must first inhale the aroma, enjoy it and only then drink it. The fruit is first taken out of the stack with a special fork - it serves light snack to the drink.

In Germany they serve schnapps with the most different dishes: sausages, herring with onions, Bavarian sausages, meat. The Germans drink Schnaps in small sips and consume it as a digestif (an alcoholic drink that accompanies a dish) or an aperitif.

In Hamburg and Hanover, white unfiltered is sometimes added to schnapps. But this combination quickly leads to intoxication. Therefore, it is also possible to dilute Schnaps with still mineral water or fruit juice.

Where to try and buy

For those who are interested in how much schnapps costs in Germany, it is important to find out in advance about the price range for this Reviver. High-quality German vodka is available in supermarkets and specialty stores for 10.50-20.30 €. More expensive varieties will cost customers 74-115 € (prices are for a 0.7-liter bottle). From specialty stores most famous is Dr. Kochan Schnapskultur, located in Berlin.

To try German vodka, you don't have to buy it in a store. For lovers of tastings, there is another exciting opportunity - to visit one of the schnapps museums. The most famous of them are:

• in the city of Bönningheim (approximately 37 kilometers from Stuttgart);
• in Hauzenberg, a small Bavarian town.

In these establishments you can also learn a lot of interesting things about the history of production. German schnapps and feel the unique atmosphere of creating the famous drink.