Schnaps distilleries

For hundreds of years various types of fruit brandy have been manufactured. The Schnaps is made by fermentation and destillation of several fruit varieties.

Schnaps distillery Innerummerland

: © Keith Weller

During a short guided tour of the rustic distillery one will gain all kinds of info regarding the secret production processes. And participate in a tasting afterwards, of course. A brief notification, addressed to the distillery, will suffice.

From fruit to fruit schnaps

In the schnaps distillery Innerummerland the visitor can observe, which steps are needed in order to produce quality fruit schnaps from fresh fruit and learn all there is to know about processing mash, fermentation with sugar and the actual distilling process.

The best fruit and the experience of the stillman

You will taste the difference between the industrially processed fruit schnaps and the fruit schnaps that has been processed with loving attention. It already starts while picking the fruit. Only the best selected fruits are being used. They all grow here, in the open air and the stillman has an expert eye with regard to the quality of the apples, plums and berries. Only ripe fruit is being processed, so that the fruit schnaps's taste will be harmonic. The stillman monitors the production process from beginning to end - here one is offered the opportunity, to look over his shoulder.

Experience schnaps distillery (Erlebnisbrennerei) Feldishütte

In this area people already started with the distillation of schnaps arpund 1700 - this is shown by the old fruit trees, the family trees, houses and tools.

The oldest buildings in the area date back to the year 1640, when life at the Ziller valley was much more simple, easy and closer to nature than it is today. In order to be able to introduce the visitors to this time, one of the old alpine huts was deconstructed step by step and rebuilt on the premises of the Erlebnisbrennerei Feldishütte in the year 1998.

Distilling schnaps then and now

Even though the elements, needed to produce fruit schnaps have stayed the same, the tools and techniques have developed through the centuries. The Erlebnisbrennerei Feldishütte has traced this development and shows the techniques that were used then and now. The visitor will witness, how hard it was to produce schnaps 300 years ago, but also that a quality fruit schnaps requires handcraft, a good nose and eye for the product, experience and love for detail. You should certainly not miss out on a tasting!

Schnaps distillery Stiegenhaushof: art, crafts and tradition

When visiting the schnaps distillery Stiegenhaushof und meeting stillman Martin Frankhausen one will see the enthusiasm with which he practices the art of distilling, he has learned and taken over from his father and ancestors.

Generations have distilled schnaps here at the Stiegenhaushof in Schwendau; the distilling rights were granted by empress Maria Theresia. Schnaps is an example of everyday culture in the Ziller valley, it does not only serve the purpose of enjoyemnt, but it also used as medicine. Particularly schnaps, being distilled from roots was used in medication in older days.

A taster course for visitors

Stillman Martin Frankhauser gives the visitors an impression of how the distillation of schnaps works. He will let you in on the secrets, that were passed on by his father, grandfather and great grandfather. The stories he will tell will be about the art of schnaps distillery, the ins and out, exciting and educational info.

Naturally the room with the old still, where Martin Frankhauser has distilled quite a few nationally and internationally awarded brandies, can be visited. During the tour of the schnaps distillery you should not miss out on a tasting of these high percentage elixirs.