The best German vodka

Georgian chacha, Ukrainian gorilka, Japanese sake, Italian grappa ... And what is the name of German vodka? The German distillate has several names. As well as several types of strong alcohol. And in this article you will talk about the main ones. The Germans learned from their neighbors to distill spirits and make distillates based on grain and fruits. In Germany they grow grapes. But unlike their neighbors Italians, Germans do not practice making vodka from this berry. It goes exclusively to the preparation of wine - the Rhine, the Moselle. As for vodka, the process of preparing it is very interesting. It differs from the usual product to us both in taste and in strength. About different types of German vodka read in our article. We will also talk about the culture of her drinking in Germany.

History of vodka briefly

The glory of the invention of this distillate is attributed to the doctor from Persia Ar-Razi. As a healer, he prescribed vodka to patients with gastrointestinal disorders and highly valued her antiseptic properties. It took four whole centuries, until in the fourteenth century the drink "came" to Poland. At first it was sold in pharmacies, as a healing potion. And two hundred years later they learned about vodka in Russia. This product quickly expelled from the market traditional "mead", "drunk birch bark", "green wine" and other strong alcoholic beverages, which the ancient Slavs delighted themselves with. But the glory of the Polish healing essence spread to the west. German vodka was first made according to the Slavic recipe - from grain. But with the advent of potatoes from America, they started to produce it from this cheaper product for Germany, and also from beets. But the traditional recipe is also not dead. Therefore, German vodkas have so many names. Let us now consider the main of them.

German Vodka Corn

This type of drink came to Germany first. And it was produced by Polish technology. Of course, over time, the original recipe has undergone regional changes. But the very word "Korn" (grain) speaks eloquently about what German vodka is made of. Wheat in rainy Germany badly rises. Most of the crop areas are devoted to more refrigerating grain crops - rye, barley, oats. The main condition for vodka "Korn" is a fortress in 32%. If the drink reaches thirty-seven and a half degrees, it is already "Doppelkorn" (double grain). This vodka is made mainly from rye, barley and oats with the addition of wheat. It is rare to find this distillate from buckwheat ("Weizenkorn"). Use in the production of German vodka rice, millet, millet and corn is prohibited by the rules. Distillate is produced in more than six hundred distilleries of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The best types of "root"

The taste and quality of this drink depends largely on the grain mixture. More wheat - the vodka will come out softer, more drinkable. Rye brings a flavor of bread flax to the taste. But the drink will come out more bubbly, reminiscent of whiskey. Attention should also be paid to production technologies. How was it done in the old days? The grain mixture was ground in a mill and poured hot water. The result was a sticky, sourish kissel. He was sweetened with malt. Then yeast was added to the cooled mass. Then ethyl alcohol was distilled and got rid of unwanted fusel smells and tastes. The elite German vodka "Korn" after that was also held in oak barrels. Modern technology has not changed, except that it has become automated. The best "roots" in Germany are "Strochtmann No. 2" (from "Berentzen") and "Ehter Nordshuzer". Among the Doppelkorns are the leading Doorkaat (from Berentzen) and Furst Bismarck (Maximum).

German Vodka Schnapps

The technology of making this drink is radically different from the production of corn. Initially the schnapps were made from potato brags. But now it is common to add a variety of fruits to the raw materials. Sometimes the structure of schnapps includes grain. Based on what kind of fruit or berries are basic, this name is vodka. The fortress of this distillate is about forty degrees. To taste, schnapps is close to vodka, but it must have a slight fruity shade. The color of the drink need not be transparent like water. Light yellowish or pinkish color is allowed. As already mentioned, the strength of this vodka varies within forty degrees. But there are also weaker drinks (25-35%), and more porous, close to the Hungarian "Palinka".

How to drink schnapps

This type of vodka is drunk uncooled. So the best way is to feel the whole gamut of shades and aftertaste. Use weak schnapps as an aperitif. Especially appreciated are those vodkas, which are made from sour fruits - apples, raspberries. At the meal (and the Germans are full and full of fatty dishes) they use a stronger schnapps. It is served in small glasses with a capacity of twenty milligrams, with a waist and a low leg. Schnapps is not customary to drink at a gulp, like Russian vodka. He is savored by drop, assessing the aftertaste. German vodka schnapps is good for digestiv, because it promotes the digestion of fatty dishes. Serve at the end of the meal sweetish varieties - pear, apricot, peach, strawberry. If the schnapps are cooked at home, the owners will put the drink in a brandy glass and put into it a part of the "raw materials" - a slice of apples, cherries, etc. A spoon with a long handle is supposed to take such a treat in order to get the fruit and eat it.

Kirschwasser

This German vodka, whose name translates literally as "cherry water", is a common invention of Germany, France and Switzerland. Now Kirschwasser also produces in Austria. For the fortress, "Kirschwasser" does not at all resemble water. As a remedy, this distillate is known since the fifteenth century, and on an industrial scale it began to be produced from the seventeenth. The French appreciate "Kirsch" (as they call this drink) for its rich fruit flavor and aroma. They do not care much, that from the infusion in glass vats the product decreases the strength. They drink "Kirsch" in France as a liqueur or before a meal, mixing it with white dry wine (sometimes with champagne). The fortress is not large - about 25 degrees. French "Kirsch" can be compared with cherry cream. In Germany, Kirschwasser has very different requirements. The Germans are focused on giving the drink the maximum strength.

How to make "Kirschwasser"

This German vodka - the photo shows it - should be absolutely transparent. How do the manufacturers achieve this, because the raw material for the drink is a small and very sweet black cherry? A bunch of berries is not taken out. Simply fruits slightly press, pour water and leave to wander. Twenty-four hours later, the must, to which the sweet cherry gave its rich cherry taste, and the bones - the smell of almonds, is distilled in a cube. After that, the transparent liquid is also kept in clay or glass vessels, so that the drink is "ripe". The best "Kirschwasser" is the one whose sweet cherry has ripened on the slopes of the Black Forest, in the land of Baden-Württemberg. Sommelier highly appreciate the drink, the raw materials for which were collected in the highlands.

How to drink "Kirschwasser"

In France, "cherry" is used as an aperitif. But in Germany, German vodka, whose strength ranges from thirty-eight to forty-three degrees, is served after a meal. Serve the drink in small glass glasses. The Germans consider "Kirschwasser" their national "cognac". This drink they use not only in pure form. There is a famous German cake "Black Forest", the recipe of which was invented by the confectioner Josef Keller in 1919. The secret to the success of this dessert is that the cakes are soaked with Kirschwasser, and the cream uses "drunken" cherries. On the basis of German vodka, the famous "Rose" cocktail is also made. Prepare it simply. Sixty milliliters of dried vermouth should be poured over 20 ml of Cherry Brandy and Kirschwasser liquor.