Elevate your next dinner party by serving schnapps. Once dinner is completed, offer your guests a digestive. Schnapps is a liqueur that people traditionally sipped post-meal. However, this isn’t the only time you can drink craft schnapps. It also works well in craft cocktails. There is a wide variety of flavors, making it one of those spirits everyone will surely enjoy. This is the ultimate guide to the history, distilleries, and schnapps cocktail recipes.  

What Is Schnapps? 

Schnapps is a type of spirit that is in the liqueur family. The spirit is distilled by fermenting a fruit juice and combining it with a base liquor. Generally, you will see German and American-style schnapps. German schnapps are more traditional and stick with fruit or herbal flavors. American-style schnapps will get more creative with the flavors. Moreover, typical fruit flavors include apricot, banana, blackberry, black currant, cherry, lemon, orange, peach, and sour apple. Popular herbal flavors include aniseed, cinnamon, menthol mint, and peppermint. American flavors outside of fruit and herbs include butterscotch, coffee, chocolate, and root beer. 

The alcohol content in schnapps can vary greatly. It can be as low as 20% ABV and as high as 60% ABV. 

History of Craft Schnapps

The word schnapps comes from the German language and means snap. The distillation of schnapps dates back to the 16th century in Germany. It was first crafted as a medicine and made from pears and apricots. Additionally, it was used to treat stomach issues and a variety of illnesses. Eventually, it became popular with the noble class and began to be enjoyed more recreationally. 

Craft Schnapps Terms 

You will see several terms on the labels of schnapps bottles. Also, understanding these terms will help you know what you are buying. These terms will provide clues into the distilling process and resulting flavor. 

American

An American-style schnapps will be sweeter than German styles. They are typically made with a neutral grain spirit and added flavor. So, this term applies more to how the schnapps is made and tastes, not where it’s from. 

Imported German

Schnapps with this term on the label indicates that it is distilled and imported from Germany. This typically means that it is made in the traditional German methods. Additionally, the flavor is either fruity or herbal. 

Original Recipe

Because schnapps originates in Europe, the original recipe signifies that the distilling process uses traditional German methods. 

Premium

Schnapps labeled as premium are typically made in the German style. They won’t have additional sweeteners because they are already naturally sweet from being fruit-based. These schnapps are best enjoyed chilled as an after-dinner digestive. 

Best Craft Schnapps Distilleries 

If you’re interested in tasting schnapps, there are several distilleries in the United States that you can visit. 

Southern Star Distilling 

The Southern Stra Double Shot from Southern Star Distilling is a creamy bourbon liqueur. It’s technically in the schnapps family and has the flavor of espresso. 

Phillips Distilling Company

The Phillips Distilling Company in Minnesota doesn’t make just one flavor of schnapps. Instead, they have an entire line of flavors, including peppermint, peach, root beer, and butter ripple.  

Ann Arbor Distilling 

The founders of Ann Arbor Distilling in Michigan craft a complex peppermint schnapps. Its flavor profile is unique, with tasting notes of custard and mint ice cream. This is partially due to the use of high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. 

Brushy Mountain Distillery 

At the Brushy Mountain Distillery in Tennessee, they produce a craft cinnamon schnapps called Copperhead. With the distillery being in an old prison, you would expect this liqueur to have a serious bite. However, it’s more sweet than spicy, making for a more enjoyable cinnamon flavor profile. Giving the schnapps a unique look are the food-grade minerals that look like copper floating in the liquid. 

Cardinal Spirits 

At Cardinal Spirits, they distill a unique honey schnapps blend. They use raw honey collected from the family’s bee hives in northern Indiana. The result is a golden liqueur that is clean tasting. 

Craft Schnapps Cocktail Recipes 

Because schnapps comes in a broad range of flavors, there are countless cocktail recipes to try. 

Bellini

This Bellini cocktail recipe is probably the most well-known schnapps cocktail. It is a refreshing drink often served at brunch. The combination of sparkling wine and peach creates a fresh and slightly sweet cocktail. 

• 13 oz  sparkling wine
• 6 oz peach schnapps
• 4 oz simple syrup
• 12 oz peeled peaches
• 11 oz ice

Polar Bear Hot Chocolate

This warm and richly flavored cocktail is perfect for winter. The flavors of chocolate and peppermint complement the Irish cream beautifully. It’s like drinking dessert. This forgiving schnapps cocktail recipe lets you easily adjust the proportions to suit your taste. 

• 1 oz peppermint schnapps
• 1 oz Irish cream
• 4 oz hot chocolate

Fireball

If you like the spice and the flavor of cinnamon, then this schnapps cocktail recipe is for you. It combines cinnamon, Tabasco, and bourbon flavors for a drink that warms you from the inside. 

• 1 oz bourbon
• 3 oz cinnamon schnapps
• 1 dash of Tabasco sauce

Hashi Bashi

This strangely named cocktail is an elevated version of a vodka cranberry. The peach schnapps adds a sweetness to the tart flavor of the cranberry juice. Also, you can substitute the peach schnapps for another fruit flavor if you prefer. 

• 1 oz vodka
• .5 oz peach schnapps
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• Lemon wheel garnish

FAQ About Craft Schnapps

1. What is the best mixer for craft schnapps?

There is no single best mixer for schnapps because the mixer will change based on the flavor of the schnapps. Everything from sparkling wine to fruit juice and coffee can work well as a mixer. 

2. Do you shoot or sip schnapps?

Schnapps is typically an after-dinner spirit. Moreover, it’s served at room temperature in a small glass. The drinker is supposed to slowly sip the schnapps as they relax and socialize post-meal. 

3. Why does craft schnapps help digestion?

Schnapps is popular as an after-dinner drink because of its digestive properties. It was thought that drinking a liqueur after dinner would help your body digest food better. Additionally, it was believed that the alcohol in the schnapps would stimulate the stomach to produce digestive enzymes. 

Discover new craft spirits like schnapps by checking out the distillery listings on Distillery Nearby.