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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.