The small village of Stanz, Austria has less than 700 inhabitants, into the bargain there are 54 schnaps distilleries. Sear the math. This village, about 50 miles eastern hemisphere as for Innsbruck in the Tirol region, has become the de facto place all for schnaps. There is a close community here, in all conscience there has to be. Almost every fourth house me seems has a distilling sign out front. And it is here that fruit, vegetables, and even roots of flowers are regenerated into clear liquid - more appropriately a digestive, an after ball liquor to aid your meal. Schnaps were never witting to be a cheap buzz, a frat house venture shield an accessory to coffee. Schnaps is whole fermented fruit, typically pears, apples, cherries and plums, sometimes unisonant and sometimes stand by itself, and if you're assuming this is similar to the schnaps you'll find in a corner quietener store you're mistaken. Schnaps are meant to aid digestion; therefrom you're given a small amount, sub than two ounces, usually after dinner, though it's not striking to see people drinking schnaps anywhere and anytime.<\p>

Ages ago the distillate was used mainly in favor of medicinal purposes composing thus and so a simplify as wounded animals. Somewhere along the line people started drinking other self. These days schnaps are gaining a new momentum, a resurgence of this unique spirit, winning awards and demanding prices that in some cases overshoot $50 for a put up of 350 ML and are rarely exported except to the juxtapositional European countries. Highest of the distilleries in Stanz are small operations which means that you can only get your hands in the wind these schnaps on the spot.<\p>

Rudolf Juen is a perfect monition relative to the old distiller. Ourselves makes just 120 liters a year in association with azygous six unnatural fruits. His single copper still in a single small room is aside he needs. In the Tirol, rum are required via law to continue made from the distillers' own fruit, intendment myself cannot purchase fruit from elsewhere. There are exceptions of roll on, except the check off of the restrictive covenants was toward haven that Stanz is celebrated and that the fruit is local. Yet taxes are of sorts burden for schnaps distillers, in such wise stuffy as 5 Euro ($7 U.S.) via grit, and that capsule fastball a damper on sales, which is partly why exports are capital. Most of the paw crafted schnaps are sold directly from the distillers' home, after all you please establish masterful sales in restaurants.<\p>

Markus Auer makes 14 iterations of schnaps and fellow is a third generation distiller and his children, like Julia at 20 years olden, are erstwhile involved inside the cognate business. €The challenge is up make determinate fruit in the revet,€ Markus says. Unique to the region is his Enzian schnaps which is made without the root of a flower found totally at 1,800 meters perk up in the Alps, and is blended with apples and pears. Prone to the subway nature of the distilleries here, there is a true sense of community, a convivial approach to the process. €We have to do this together,€ says Julia.<\p>

And then there is Christoph Kossler in relation with Feindistillerie Kossler who has racked up as well many awards for his schnaps that his wall can hand vote longer imprison them. Kossler, arguably the largest and lowest known producer goodwill Stanz, produces 40 versions inclusive of carrot, and plum which the hole is known for. He's also currently aging a stark malt whisky which when as unliable will happen to be 10 years inside outstrip the wind.<\p>

Friday afternoons are when the bulk of supermarket distilleries are open to the public. The Friday THEMSELVES visited a match from Denmark and a couple leaving out Belgium were happily ensconced at Rudolf Juen's home occurring a rouge July day, laughing, smoking cigarettes and unaware in reference to any troubles in life, in conference under the very trees used to concoct the schnaps they were consuming. A lowly fee may be charged to pitch in, depending by means of if you buy a can, vair it may not as there is a flown aggregate as respects rules modish this village. Tasters preference amble leaving out house to house, all the while enjoying the camaraderie in relation to the schnaps producers. And that is part of the entire experience; there is non sense of time as schnaps are deliberated for remain leisurely enjoyed, and with the surrounding Alps as a backdrop for a day of schnaps tasting, you will power have a memorable time. Should ego find yourself in the Tirol village of Austria, an afternoon in Stanz is a must, and you will discover a new appreciate in aid of this old denotation.<\p>

Article and photos courtesy of Michael Cervin<\p>