Do you prefer hazelnut, hearty apricot, classic Williams schnapps or Obstler? Schnapps is also distilled from berry fruits and other kinds of fruit. Especially popular are brandies from the local rowanberry, Swiss stone pine, wild raspberries and old fruit rarities.
The term spiritus comes from the Latin and means translated "spirit". Spirituous alcoholic liquids, which are intended for human consumption, are called spirits. In the German-speaking world, it is also colloquially called schnaps.
Schnaps: Fermentation - mash - distillation
Various types of fruit or barley are fermented in the first step, where the sugar is converted into alcohol and carbonic acid with the help of yeast fungi. During the alcoholic fermentation, the temperature of the mash rises continuously. Two different forms of alcohol are produced during this fermentation process: the poisonous methyl alcohol is excreted and ethyl alcohol (spirit of wine) is further processed. The mash is then distilled either in a simple still or in the rectification plant.
For the distillation of schnapps in a simple still, pot stills or the traditional copper alambic distillation systems are often used. After the first distillation process, a robber brandy is produced, which is distilled two or three more times. Finally, the pre- and the after-run are separated from the high quality middle run, which is further processed. The schnapps is finished. In the rectification process, the alcohol runs continuously through the still.
A further differentiation of schnapps is the production of brandies (water) or spirit. Brandies are made from the mash of the fermented fruits that give the brandy its name. With Geist, the neutral alcohol dissolves the taste from crushed, macerated, unfermented fruits (berries). All that remains is to say - cheers!