Fruit, Potatoes, Grain @museum.de

M: Ever wondered what schnapps is mainly made of? Fancy a guess?

F: Grain, of course!

M: But how do you actually go about turning grain into schnapps?

F: First, you malt the grain. In other words, it's put through a carefully controlled process to encourage germination. As a result, special enzymes are formed in the grain, which are later needed to break down starches and proteins. Then the grain is milled and mixed with water.

M: Next, the enzymes come into play: they now convert the grain starch into sugar, which is subsequently fermented by the yeast. The resulting alcoholic liquid is then distilled.

F: But schnapps is not only made from grain, but also from potatoes.

M: And from fruit as well, of course!!!

F: In southern Germany, small distilleries produce mainly fruit brandies, hence the many local orchards.

M: But these orchards are special.

F: The fruit trees aren't planted in tightly packed rows, but ... dispersed, and the German term "Streuobswiese" reflects that. It translates literally as "dispersed fruit tree meadow". Meadow orchards are a unique form of extensive fruit growing.

M: And they provide a biotope that displays significant biodiversity: there are bees, bumblebees and many other insects humming and buzzing about. Birds building their nests. Hedgehogs scurrying through the grass, squirrels scampering from tree to tree. In Central Europe, meadow orchards are among the most biodiverse of landscapes. So in that sense, raising a glass of schnapps makes you an environmentalist!

F: But how is the fruit turned into schnapps?

M: Apples and pears, for example, are crushed in a fruit mill. Stone fruit such as plums and cherry plums, on the other hand, are just gently squashed, since the stones need to remain whole. That's important, because they contain prussic acid, which would otherwise end up in the mash – giving the schnapps a bitter taste. Not a mention being quiet unhealthy.