Schnapps

Schnapps is a broad term covering a range of drinks, including distilled fruit brandies, herbal liqueurs, infusions and flavored liqueurs made by adding syrups or spices to neutral grain spirit. The English word comes from the German Schnaps, related to a Low German verb meaning to snap, a reference to drinking it quickly from a shot glass. In German speaking Europe the term traditionally covers unsweetened clear fruit brandies such as Obstler, distilled from apples, pears, plums, cherries or apricots, as well as berry spirits such as raspberry flavored Himbeergeist. The American style of schnapps is quite different, an inexpensive, heavily sweetened liqueur usually around 15 to 20 percent alcohol by volume made by mixing neutral grain spirit with fruit syrups and flavorings, and it became especially popular in the United States during the 1980s, led by peach and peppermint varieties.