Schnapps from fruit, nuts, and herbs: fruit brandies and spirits

Schnapps is the everyday term for clear, high-proof spirits, and the two classic paths to producing them are "Brand" (fruit brandy) and "Geist" (spirit). A fruit brandy is made from fermented fruit, while a spirit is made from unfermented fruit, nuts, or herbs that are steeped in alcohol and then distilled. In this category, you will find both, distilled by small-scale producers in Baden-Württemberg, at an inn in the Swabian Alb, and at a Berlin-based manufactory.

Brand or Geist? The difference lies in the fermentation

Fruit brandy (Brand): first the mash, then the still

For a fruit brandy, ripe fruit is crushed and fermented; the yeast converts its sugar into alcohol. This mash is put into the still, where alcohol and aromatic compounds evaporate and are collected as a distillate. According to EU spirits regulations, a fruit brandy may only be made from the fermentation and distillation of fresh fruit or its must, must be distilled at less than 86% ABV, and be bottled at a minimum of 37.5% ABV. For this to succeed, the fruit needs enough of its own sugar – apples, pears, plums, and cherries are well-suited. If the brandy is subsequently aged in a wooden barrel, color and woody notes are added.

Spirit (Geist): soak, steep, distill

With a Geist, nothing is fermented. The raw materials are soaked in alcohol of agricultural origin, release their aroma, and are then distilled together, also at less than 86% ABV and with at least 37.5% ABV in the finished product. This is the path for anything low in sugar: raspberries, nuts, herbs, citrus peels, or even wood. A Geist therefore tastes clearly of its raw material, but often comes across as lighter than a brandy made from fermented fruit.

What is inside our bottles

Our top-seller is the Nadelwald Fichtengeist (Spruce Spirit) from STILVOL. in Laupheim, distilled by a small-scale producer in Baden-Württemberg: shaved spruce wood and spruce needles are macerated in alcohol and distilled. Clear, sweetish-woody, with 38% ABV, it is reminiscent of a walk in the forest and a sauna – the German answer to stone pine schnapps. From the same distillery comes the Gartenkräuter Rosmaringeist (Rosemary Spirit) made from German rosemary; spicy, clear, and powerful with 40% ABV.

The Deutsche Spirituosen Manufaktur from Berlin bottles its spirits at 42% ABV in apothecary bottles. For the Blood Orange Spirit No. 125, the peel and juice of Tarocco oranges from Ribera in Sicily steep in alcohol; for the Hazelnut Spirit No. 400, they use roasted nuts from an organic farm in Piedmont. If you want to get to know the whole range, grab the DSM Tastingbox with 24 small bottles of 10 ml each.

Authentic fruit brandies come from the Manufaktur Jörg Geiger in Schlat, distilled at the Gasthof Lamm. The Apple Brandy in a Chestnut Barrel combines ripe apples with fresh woody notes, while the Nägelesbirne Pear Brandy, made from an old perry pear variety, displays notes of dried pear, tonka bean, and citrus. For the Blackcurrant in a Madeira Barrel, the Läpple family from Hattenhofen provides the blackcurrants; the brandy ages for at least three years in a Madeira barrel and tastes like dark berries, spicy, and with a long finish. All three have 42% ABV and come in a decorative box.

How to serve brandies and spirits

Clear brandies and spirits taste best at room temperature; they lose their vibrancy when served from the freezer. A tulip-shaped nosing glass concentrates the aroma so that you can clearly smell the pear, coniferous wood, or roasted nut. After a Sunday roast, a pear brandy works well as a digestif; with baked apples and apple strudel, the apple brandy from a chestnut barrel is a perfect match. A touch of blood orange spirit over a dessert with chocolate or orange adds fragrance without sweetness. If you prefer something lighter, try mixing: spruce spirit with tonic makes for a Spruce Tonic, and rosemary spirit with dry sparkling wine makes a Rosemary Spritz.

What to look for when buying

• Brand or Geist: Brandies taste like ripe, fermented fruit; spirits have a clearer taste of their raw material. The designation can be found on the label.
• Alcohol content: Fruit brandy and spirits have at least 37.5% ABV; ours range from 38% to 42% ABV.
• Clear or barrel-aged: Wooden barrels provide color and spice, while clear distillates showcase the pure fruit.
• For tasting: The tasting box with 24 small bottles also makes a great advent calendar for adults.
• Storage: Upright, in a dark place, and at room temperature. Once opened, schnapps keeps for a very long time; if the bottle is only half full, the aroma may diminish over time.
• Age restriction: Sale only to persons aged 18 and over.

More from our spirits

Brandies and spirits are part of our spirits range. You can find grain instead of fruit in our Korn section, from smoky "Doppelkorn" to "Lagerkorn" aged in Cognac barrels. If you prefer it sweeter and milder, take a look at our liqueurs, where you will find hazelnut, raspberry, and herbal liqueurs. Milder nut and fruit spirits, such as the Hazelnut Schnapps or the "Goldene Birne" Williams pear spirit, can be found under Other Spirits.

Order brandies and spirits online

Whether a fruit brandy to round off a festive meal, a spruce spirit as a gift, or the tasting box for an evening with friends: at Leni & Hans you can order schnapps online, and your package will be with you in 1–3 days.