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Schnapps – this is to some extent our moonshine, but only with a more pronounced aroma of fruits, herbs, berries, spices and roots. It cannot be called an independent drink, it is rather a generalized name for a separate category of strong alcohol.
Schnapps story
It is generally accepted that the history of the alcohol we are considering begins in Germany, and it is its national treasure. But this is more a myth than a truth. Historians claim that for the first time the production of schnapps was launched in the XNUMXth century in Austria, and only over time the technology of its production migrated to the Germans.
German schnapps producers are more represented on the world market, although the center of production is still located in Austria (Eastern Alps region, Tyrol). There it is produced by small companies, so the drink is little known outside of this country. Austrian schnapps is more popular among the local population.
Also in the world there is the so-called “American schnapps”, but it is rather a liqueur, which is made on the basis of schnapps, since its strength is almost half that of the real drink.
The American analogue has 20-25 degrees, and the original product, as a rule, 40 degrees, but in rare cases 30 degrees.
Schnapps production technology
For the production of schnapps, a double distillation method is used. Fruits, herbs, berries, roots and even potatoes are taken as raw materials. But in order for schnapps to get an original taste and excellent aroma, it is better to use wild fruits.
Certain types of schnapps are aged, usually in glass bottles, but in rare cases an oak barrel is used.
To date, more than 30 types of schnapps are known.
The most common is “Kirschwasser” (cherry schnapps), which means “cherry water”.
The local people in the Black Forest have a long tradition of pouring this type of schnapps over the cake before serving it.
Schnapps culture
The ideal temperature for schnapps before serving is 16 degrees, but this rule does not apply to cereal schnapps, since they do not have a characteristic and pronounced aroma and are best served well chilled.
This drink goes well with traditional German and Austrian cuisine.
There are four ways to drink schnapps:
Traditionally, schnapps is served in small cognac glasses. First you need to inhale the aroma of the drink, and only then drink the contents of the glass in small sips.
A small slice of the fruit is placed at the bottom of the glass, from which the drink is made, then schnapps is poured. Before use, we take out the alcoholized fruit with a skewer, inhale its aroma, drink the contents of the glass and snack on the “drunk” fruit.
To reduce the strength of schnapps, it can be diluted with non-carbonated mineral water or fruit juice.
An “extreme” way, they like to use it in Hamburg. The whole point of this method lies in the fact that schnapps must be washed down with beer. But for each type of schnapps, a certain type of beer is suitable. Pear schnapps goes well with light beer, cherry schnapps goes well with dark beer, and apple schnapps goes well with lager.
How to make schnapps at home
To prepare this drink at home, it is important to remember a few basic rules:
Schnapps can be made from almost all organic ingredients and even porcini mushrooms.
During the preparation process, granulated sugar and yeast should not be added to the drink.
It is better not to wash the raw fruit before cooking, so as not to kill the “live” yeast.
It is important to use high quality raw materials free from rot and mold.
Austrian schnapps (classic) from potatoes
This drink was prepared in the XNUMXth century, but since potatoes have a low sugar content, it looks more like a simple moonshine.
In the original recipe, yeast is not added, but at home, wine yeast can be used for fermentation.
Classic potato schnapps has a characteristic bitter taste.
Ingredients
Potatoes – 1 kg
Water – 500 ml
Amylosubtilin enzyme
The enzyme glucavamorin
wine yeast
Method of preparation
Potato tubers must be washed and chopped with a blender or grater.
Boil water and pour it into the potato gruel, then put on the stove and cook for 1 hour over low heat (it should turn translucent).
Now we cool the resulting mass to 70 degrees, add the amylosubtilin enzyme (it is necessary to thin the wort) and stir for 30 minutes, maintaining the temperature at 70 degrees.
Cool the wort to 65 degrees and add the enzyme glucavamorin for saccharification.
Let it brew for 1 hour so that the starch is completely saccharified.
Then we add yeast to the 30-degree wort and leave it to ferment for 7 days.
Ripe mash must be distilled twice, and the distillate is diluted to 12–15%, separating the “head”.
We dilute the finished Austrian schnapps with water and pass through the filter.
Pour into glass bottles.
Apricot schnaps
According to this recipe, you can make apple schnapps, pear schnapps, or any other fruity German moonshine.
Ingredients
Ripe apricots – 10 kg
Water – 10 L
Method of preparation
Before starting cooking, apricots do not need to be washed, but it is imperative to remove the seeds and knead until a homogeneous mass.
Pour apricot puree into a fermentation container, add 3 liters of water and mix well.
Cover with gauze and transfer to a dark warm place (18-28 degrees) for 3-4 days.
As soon as the first signs of fermentation appear (hissing, sour smell and foam), add another 5-7 liters of water to the mash (the amount depends on the sugar content in the berries). It is important for us to get liquid mash.
Now, instead of gauze, we put a water seal on the neck and transfer it again to a dark, warm place for 20–45 days.
After the complete end of fermentation, when bubbles do not appear for several days, we distill the apricot mash through a moonshine still. We finish collecting the product when the strength in the stream is below 30%.
Now you need to determine the amount of pure alcohol, measure the strength of the drink and dilute it to 20% with pure water.
We again distill the diluted moonshine through the apparatus, be sure to remove the “head” (the first 10% of the yield from the amount of pure alcohol). The collection of the product must be stopped when the fortress drops to 45 degrees.
Ready schnapps must be diluted with water to 38-45 degrees.
Pour into glass bottles and leave to stabilize the taste for 5 days in a cool dark place.
mint schnapps
This recipe is suitable for preparing schnapps from raw materials that cannot start the natural fermentation process, for this, 96% ready-made alcohol is used.
Similar to mint schnapps, you can make walnut schnapps or vanilla schnapps.
Ingredients
Mint – 30 leaves
Carnation buds – 12 pcs.
Dried wormwood – 1 cup
Dill seeds – 6 g
Anise – 8 g
Alcohol (96%) – 500 ml
Water
Method of preparation
All spices and spices are transferred to a glass container and filled with high-quality alcohol.
Let it brew for 1 month in a dark place at room temperature and do not forget to shake it once every 3-5 days.
As soon as a month has passed, the tincture must be filtered through cheesecloth or a fine strainer.
The prepared tincture must be diluted with water to 20 degrees and distilled twice through the moonshine still.
The “head” does not need to be collected, since we use ready-made alcohol. The collection of the product must be stopped when the strength of the jet is below 45 degrees.
Ready schnapps is poured into glass bottles.
Relevance: 14.11.2017
Tags: Vodka, mash, moonshine, Vodka recipes, Schnapps