What is fruit brandy?
The term fruit brandy refers to spirits that are produced from fruits such as apples, apricots or plums. A minimum alcohol content of 37.5% is mandatory for fruit brandies.
The history of fruit brandy
If youre looking for fruit brandy today, you will often be greeted by elegant packaging and premium products. However, the history of fruit brandy is not as noble as most companies would like you to believe: In medieval times, it was not possible to store all fruits for months. Fruit brandies offered a way to conserve at least part of the aromas and the calories. Fruits that werent consumed were distilled to fruit brandies by clever farmers. These could also be sold or traded for food.
How is fruit brandy produced?
While there are regional differences when it comes to the production of fruit brandy, the process is usually pretty simple. After the harvest, the fruit is first pressed to must so that the fermentation can begin. When all must has been fermented, the producer can start the distillation.
What kind of fruit brandies are there?
Fruit brandies exist in the most diverse aromas and colours. Usually, they are made with locally sourced fruits. In Switzerland, this can be apples, plums, raspberries or pears.
Almost every country has its own fruit brandy tradition. The most popular international fruit brandies include applejack, buchu, dammassine, pálenka, rakia, slivovitz and tuică. In Central Europe, kirsch and eau de vie have a special place on the market.
Kirsch
The term kirsch refers to liquor that was made from fermented cherries. Usually, kirsch is made from small-fruited sweet cherries however, the usage of sour cherries is possible as well. Its common to drink kirsch pure.
Eau de Vie
In France, spirits that are produced from fruit or wine pomace are called eaux de vie. Most distilleries that specialise in eaux de vie can be found in Alsace, Normandy, Franche-Comté and Jura. In France, its common to drink fruit brandies as digestifs.
What special fruit brandies are there?
Since fruit brandies have a long tradition in many countries, there are hundreds of interesting brands on the market. The most popular brands include Fassbind, Etter, Ziegler, Alpenschnaps, Stählemühle, Kammer-Kirsch and Back.
Fruit brandies at Gustero
At Gustero, we offer a large selection of interesting fruit brandies and berry distillates. Try, for example, the aromatic Fassbind Tradition Pflümli Brandy, which is produced from locally grown plums or the elegant Birnenbrand Etter Black Beauty Williams Birne. Many of our fruit brandies come from Switzerland and are produced with locally harvested fruits in family-owned distilleries. Take a look at our assortment now and discover the world of fruit brandy!
