Schnapps: History, Types and Recipes

Schnapps had a rather innocent and unassuming beginning when, around the 16th century, monks were studying its medicinal uses. Nowadays, this potato- or grain-based liquor is known around the world as a strong alcoholic beverage.

The original schnapps, translated from German to "a mouthful," was first made in Germany and is still consumed there regularly, as well as in Austria, Denmark and Switzerland. Today, schnapps (which is technically considered a fruit brandy) is usually drunk neat (without ice or any other mixers) in Northern Europe.

In America, schnapps is typically used in mixed drinks. Although most Americans are familiar with the sweetened varieties of peppermint schnapps and peach schnapps, the authentic German schnapps are not sweetened with additives.

Down to Brass Tacks: How to Make Schnapps

The original German schnapps is made from distilling fermented whole fruit or fruit juices. In America, however, schnapps is more commonly distilled from fruit brandy that is then combined with sugar and artificial flavoring.

A common ritual in Denmark, which is now also becoming popular practice in America, is making homemade schnapps. To make schnapps at home, steep fruit and herbs in an alcohol base, such as Danish schnapps, vodka or pure grain alcohol. After the steeping phase, finish off the schnapps by sweetening or flavoring it as desired.

Drinking Schnapps like a Local

How you drink your schnapps often depends on where you live:

In Germany, sidle up to the nearest man wearing lederhosen and ask for a shot of "Obstler," the local name for schnapps.
In the United States, chances are you'll be dealing with a much sweeter and cruder, though no less pleasant, variety of schnapps. American schnapps resembles a liqueur and is used mostly to flavor mixed drinks.
In Iceland, try their local variety of schnapps, called Brennivin, alongside your salted lamb.

A Slew of Schnapps Flavors and Drinks

Consult the table below for a breakdown of the different types of schnapps, along with their associated flavors and popular recipes.

Type of Schnapps	Base Ingredients	Primary Flavors	Recipes Featuring this Schnapps
Apple Schnapps	distilled apples	sweet apple, with a candy-like flavor	Apple Cobbler cocktail, with Goldschlagerâ, Irish cream and apple Schnapps Jolly Rancher cocktail, with apple schnapps, peach schnapps and cranberry juice sweet recipes, such as cheesecake meat marinades.
Brennivin	fermented potatoes, caraway seeds	mostly flavorless with slight alcohol aftertaste	Brennivin is an Icelandic schnapps traditionally consumed neat at the Thorrablót, a mid-winter festival in Iceland.
Butterscotch Schnapps	butter, brown sugar	smooth, creamy butterscotch	Buttery Nipple shooter, with Irish cream and butterscotch schnapps Caramel Apple shooter, with butterscotch schnapps and apple schnapps
Cinnamon Schnapps	N/A	sweet and spicy	Firebomb cocktail, with energy drink and cinnamon schnapps Starry Night shooter, with Jaeger and cinnamon schnapps
Peach Schnapps	peaches, artificial flavors	sugary, peachy flavors	Fuzzy Navel cocktail, with peach schnapps, orange juice and lemonade Sex on the Beach cocktail, with peach schnapps, vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and vodka
Peppermint Schnapps	peppermint leaves, artificial flavors	minty, sweet, refreshing	Peppermint Patty shooter, with peppermint schnapps, coffee liqueur and cream hot chocolate, coffee additive
Root Beer Schnapps	sassafras, vanilla, artificial flavors	rich, full-bodied, sweet flavors	Root Beer Barrel cocktail, with domestic beer and root beer schnapps Root beer float recipes
Strawberry Schnapps	vodka, strawberries, artificial flavors	sweet, sugary strawberries	Strawberry Daiquiri cocktail, with strawberry schnapps, rum and frozen strawberries Star Burst shooter, with strawberry schnapps and orange juice
Vanilla Schnapps	vodka, vanilla beans	sweet vanilla	Vanilla Coke cocktail, with vanilla schnapps and cola Dreamsicle shooter, with vanilla schnapps, milk and orange juice

Schnapps Recipes

Sick of reading and ready to hit the kitchen or bar with a schnapps recipe? Here are a few that will make you fall in love with schnapps for the first time or all over again.

Fuzzy Navel Recipe

Ingredients

ice cubes
1½ oz. peach schnapps
orange juice.

Directions

Add ice to a high ball glass, then pour in the peach schnapps.
Top off the glass with orange juice.

Peppermint Patty Recipe

Ingredients

ice cubes
2 oz. coffee-flavored liqueur
1 oz. peppermint schnapps
splash of cream, optional.

Directions

Add ice to a snifter or cordial glass
Pour the coffee liqueur and the peppermint schnapps over the ice. Add a splash of cream to soften the flavor, if necessary.

Resources

Graham, Colleen. "Fuzzy Navel" recipe. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the About.com Web site: http://cocktails.about.com/od/atozcocktailrecipes/r/fzy_nvl

_cktl.htm.

All Recipes (n.d.). "Peppermint Patty" recipe. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from All Recipes Web site: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peppermint-Patty/Detail.aspx.

Danish Schnapps Recipes (n.d.). Information on various schnapps flavors. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the Danish Schnapps Recipes Web site: http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/schnapps-recipes.html.

Fine Living (2008). The Thirsty Traveler: Schnapps. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the Fine Living Web site: http://www.fineliving.com/fine/thirsty_traveler/article/0,1663

,FINE_10176_2428660,00.html.

Iceland.org (n.d.). Icelandic Food. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the Iceland.org Web site: http://www.iceland.is/history-and-culture/Traditions/IcelandicFood/.

Nightclub & Bar Magazine (2008). Schnapps Growth: The Category is Loaded with Flavor, Color, and Profitability. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the Nightclub & Bar Magazine Web site: http://www.nightclub.com/NCB_Magazine/NCB_

November_2007/Schnapp%27s_Growth/.

Wise Geek (n.d.). What is Schnapps? Retrieved April 27, 2008, from the Wise Geek Web site: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-schnapps.htm.