History of schnaps
Austria has a long tradition of distilling schnaps. Austrian farms have, for centuries, distilled Obstler, typically apples, pears, plums, as well as delicious wild-growing blueberries, raspberries, and in Ramsau even rowan.
Professional schnaps distilleries grew out of the farmhouse distilleries, refining the quality of the Obstler, which was once just distilled for personal use. From the farmhouse and down the centuries, a truly high-quality schnaps culture has developed.
How to drink schnaps?
The origin of the word schnaps comes from the Low-German word for ‘to snap’ (Germ. schnappen). A high-quality schnaps should, however, never be ‘snapped’, but enjoyed.
To experience the perfect schaps, serve it at 16° to 17° in a belly-shaped glass with a ‘chimney.’ Firstly, take in the schnaps’ scent by moving the glass past your nose with your eyes closed. Now the first sip. Take as much air as possible with the drink to have a large surface in your mouth – just like a bubble – to free your olfactory and taste receptors. And now gently swallow the schnaps, taking in the smell and taste of the fresh fruit. At Hotel Berghof, we have many high-quality schnaps from Styria and Austria, and we are happy to share our expertise.
The Hotel Berghof schnaps booklet
Apricot schnaps 38%vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Pear schnaps 38% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Farmer’s Obstler 38% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Hazelnut 33% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Plum 38% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Zirbenschnaps (made from pine cones) 38% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Maschansker apple schnaps 43% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Maschansker apple schnaps 38% vol.
Herbert Skoff Gamlitz / Styria
Oaked apple schnaps 44% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Apple schnaps 40.3% vol.
Maria Steinbauer Stainz / Styria
Heart cherry 43%vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Oaked black cherry cigar schnaps
Maria Steinbauer Stainz / Styria
Elderberry schnaps 45% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Elderberry schnaps 40% vol.
Willi Eberl Eben im Pongau / Salzburg
Elderberry schnaps 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Elderberry schnaps 41.5% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Elderberry schnaps 38% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Ramsau Meisterwurz 40% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Gentian schnaps 39.5% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Gentian schnaps 41% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Raspberry schnaps 38% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Raspberry schnaps 40% vol.
Willi Eberl Eben im Pongau / Salzburg
Raspberry schnaps 40.5% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Raspberry schnaps 43%vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Wild raspberry schnaps 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Blackberry 45% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Williams pear schnaps 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Williams pear schnaps 41.5% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Ramsau pear schnaps 38% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz Ramsau am Dachstein
Gute Luise pear schnaps 41.5% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Apricot schnaps 42% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Peach schnaps 45% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Hazelnut schnaps 40% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Quince schnaps 41.5% vol.
Hans Reisetbauer Kirchberg-Thening / Upper Austria
Lime 40% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Old plum 40% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Damson plum 45% vol.
Alois Gölles Riegersburg / Styria
Blueberry schnaps 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Blueberry schnaps 40% vol.
Willi Eberl Eben im Pongau / Salzburg
Barrel-aged Schilcher pomace brandy 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Morello cherry schnaps 40% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Morello cherry schnaps 40% vol.
Maria Steinbauer Stainz / Styria
Organic hay schnaps 40% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Rose muscatel high-quality schnaps 40% vol.
Maria Steinbauer Stainz / Styria
Rowan berry schnaps
Hirschegger Mountain rowan berry schnaps 40% vol.
Mooskirchner Feindestillerie Hochstrasser Mooskirchen / Styria
Rowan berry schnaps 40.5% vol.
Dachstein Destillerie – Bernhard Warter Radstadt / Salzburg
Rowan berry schnaps 40% vol.
Willi Eberl Eben im Pongau / Salzburg
Rowan berry schnaps 40% vol.
Aschbeehaisl – Karl Pilz, Ramsau am Dachstein
One of the best distillers, da Aschbeehaisla, is in Ramsau am Dachstein.