Neglect that cloying fruit brandy you clandestinely sipped out of your grandparents’ liquor cupboard. From Austria to Mexico, a brand new cadre of eau de vie artisans is taking this basic spirit to new heights. Katja Scharnagl has been main the cost in the USA, introducing drinkers to those charming brandies from her position as beverage director at Koloman, a Franco-Austrian restaurant in Manhattan. Behind the bar, Scharnagl has curated an inventory of over 60 eaux de vie from around the globe into what she believes is the most important collection of fruit brandies in North America.Â
Eau de vie (often known as schnapps) is a rising development, however Scharnagl’s appreciation runs deeply, stemming from her personal Austrian heritage, and reminiscences of her grandfather making apricot schnapps. She’s additionally drawn to the magic in how the spirit is produced. “Schnapps is the essence of an ingredient, distilled. It’s alchemy—a means of preserving one thing to make an ideal product.”
The standard distillation course of is easy: Contemporary fruit is fermented, distilled (typically twice), diluted to a drinkable proof, then bottled. Traditionally, it was constructed from ripe fruits left over from the harvest, which weren’t at all times in essentially the most pristine situation. Koloman’s choice showcases solely producers who’re diligent on the subject of high quality.
“Everyone has their signature fruit,” mentioned Scharnagl. Apples, pears, plums, and peaches are fashionable decisions, however some fashionable makers are broadening the spectrum with tropical fruits, veggies, and even roots. She singles out Austrian grasp distiller Hans Reisetbauer, who makes use of solely completely ripe and unblemished substances in his brandies, as a vanguard within the class. “Solely the very best fruits result in the very best schnapps,” he explains. This fruit-first method additionally means the ensuing spirits categorical the distinctive aroma and taste profile of every harvest. Loved neat or in a cocktail, Scharnagl’s top-tier choice is proof that eau de vie can present an surprising and chic ingesting expertise.
Reisetbauer Ginger, Austria
The purity and depth of this uncommon eau de vie fulfill the palates of even essentially the most fervent ginger followers. Hans Reisetbauer rigorously developed a proprietary approach to transform ginger root starches to sugars, requiring greater than 77 kilos of ginger to make only one liter of the critically daring and spicy spirit.
Branchwater Black Currant Brandy, United States
New York’s Hudson Valley is an ocean away from Austria, however Reisetbauer’s affect looms giant—significantly on the distillery he designed at Branchwater Farms. There, proprietor Kevin Pike permits his black currant brandies to mature for a 12 months in stainless-steel tanks earlier than it’s launched to the market.
Capreolus Distillery 1000 Timber Apple Eau de Vie, England
Barney Wilczak sources the fruit for this spirit from a historic orchard with 1,000 heirloom varieties. Think about the very best apples you’ve ever eaten, multiply that taste by 1,000, then distill it all the way down to its purest essence. The result’s spiced and somewhat candy, with a definite and nuanced apple taste.
Rochelt Wachau Apricot, Austria
The late Günter Rochelt started making eaux de vie in his storage within the ’70s; since then, his household has carried on the custom at their distillery. Ripe apricots grown alongside the banks of the Danube enliven this model. Scharnagl pours it tableside to indicate off the beautiful inexperienced glass cruet impressed by the standard Tyrolean “pincer bottle.”
Edenico Guayaba Eau de Vie #1, Mexico
A local of Burgundy, Arnaud Fressonnet selected prickly pear, guava, plantain, and mango for his brandies, a results of a collaboration with fifth-generation Mexican rum destiladores Rommel and Alex Krassel. The trio balances their brandies’ sweetness and acidity with fruits at totally different phases of ripeness, earlier than fermenting with Champagne yeast.
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