Kirsch
Kirschwasser , in Switzerland, France and in the Anglo-Saxon-speaking area Kirsch , is a fruit brandy that is made exclusively from the fermented fruit of the cherry . The sweet cherries used are slightly more fruity than the types offered for fresh consumption and therefore (based on the fresh mass) more sugary and more aromatic. Sour cherries are also the basis of some specialty varieties. Kirsch is usually drunk pure. The ideal drinking temperature is 14-16 ° C. The kirsch is also used as a flavoring, for example in cheese fondue , Black Forest cake and Zug cherry cake .
history
The actual origin of the firing (or distilling ), and thus the exact time of the first cherry brandy production are still unknown. The history of the origin of the brandy can today, at least for the European cultural countries, be seen as somewhat clear. Thanks to numerous works by various researchers in the past century, it is certain that, although a combustible substance was recognized in wine in antiquity, it was not understood how to separate and concentrate it from the aqueous components by heating.
Distilling must have been practiced in the Far East as early as the ninth century BC. This art was initially reserved for the Arab herbalists who used it to produce scented waters, such as rose water , and medicines. When the art of distillation came to Europe, the first drinkable distillates were created. The art of distilling made decisive progress in the Middle Ages by the alchemists . The techniques discovered then are still used today; the basic principle has remained the same. Distillation is generally understood to mean the process in which vapors of a substance heated to boiling are passed through a cooler and liquefied there again. The word distilling is associated with the term “stilla”, which means dripping. The word "schnapps" has been used to describe brandy since the 18th century. Originally, however, it meant "a mouth full" or a quick sip, as is customary when drinking brandy. As a rule, wine was used as the basic product.
A decisive turning point came with the realization that the wine could be replaced by fermented pomace (pressed grapes). This paved the way for experimenting with all kinds of fruits. Even so, grapes and grains continued to be used for a long time. The reason was probably that these were primarily products that were available in larger quantities. Fruit, on the other hand, was scarce, required a lot of work and little yield. It was only with the advent of technology in the 19th century that fruits were increasingly used. One has to assume that more and more cherry brandies were distilled at that time.
Raw materials and distillery technology
Because of their high sugar content, cherries are particularly suitable. Burning cherries come in almost all variations: small, large, sweet, sour, slightly bitter, short and long stemmed, black, brown, red, whitish and even yellow. The distillates are called "water" because they mature in earthenware or glass containers and thus remain colorless. The sweet cherries that grow on tall trees are best for burning. Without a stem and still often picked by hand, the cherries are delivered to the respective distillery on the same day.
There they are mashed with the help of special equipment, whereby the added pure yeast ensures the conversion of the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide ( fermentation ) at a controlled fermentation temperature and fermentation process . After fermentation is complete, the mash is stored for a few more weeks so that the typical cherry aromas can develop. The fermented and stored mash contains between six and eight percent alcohol by volume. In practice, different types of fuel ports are encountered. The mash is poured into the still and heated to the boil. The hot vapors are passed through the helmet and the spirit pipe into the amplifier column with bubble trays. This is where the first separation of the high-boiling ingredients from lower-boiling alcohol and aromatic substances takes place. In the dephlegmator , the mixture is partly further purified and refined by condensation . The difficulty here lies in the clean separation of the inferior pre- and post-runnings from the main run, i.e. the heart of the distillate. The condensate from the dephlegmator runs back from bell bottom to bell bottom and finally back into the still. The vapors hatched through the dephlegmator go through the spirit pipe into the tube cooler, where they are completely condensed, i.e. liquefied. The liquid distillate now contains between 60 and 80 percent alcohol by volume.
For the production of high-quality Kirsch, the first part of the distillate, about ten percent when forward discarded and used as a technical alcohol. It tastes burning because it contains more methanol and acetaldehyde. With softened water, the distillate is then diluted back to the ready-to-drink cherry, which contains between 37.5 and 43 percent alcohol by volume (or even higher).
The type of cherries as well as the location and the different soils are decisive for the quality of the cherries. Only fully ripe, clean cherries that are free from stems, leaves and parts of branches are used. Partially cracked or otherwise damaged cherries are permitted, provided they are neither fermented nor rotted. Since 1997 a quality designation has been introduced on a trial basis. The Brix content is measured, a measure of the alcohol yield. The Brix content is a unit of measurement commonly used in sugar technology for the sucrose (sugar) content based on the specific weight. In contrast to wine, the kirsch is traditionally not stored in barrels, but in demijohns, glass or earthenware containers or tanks, where it matures slowly. Temperature fluctuations are desirable and contribute to the quality. For a few years now, barrel-matured Kisch brandies have also been found. Cherry brandies are also matured in bourbon and rum barrels. It is not yet clear whether these products will establish themselves on the market.
Swiss cherries
The majority of Swiss cherries still come from standard trees. However, their share is decreasing; they are increasingly being grown in low-stemmed cherry tree cultures. In 1971, 1,133,855 tall trees were counted, compared to 802,205 in 1991. To protect the landscape and to preserve certain species of birds and necessary insects, however, the tall cherry cultivation should continue to be cultivated. The most important production areas include north-west and central Switzerland ( Zug , Schwyz , Lucerne , Rigi ), but also the cantons of Bern , Aargau , Zurich and Thurgau . The Zuger Kirsch and Rigi Kirsch are among the most important cherry waters in Switzerland . Cherries, including cherries, are subject to strong weather conditions. The amount of cherries processed is between around 4,000 tons (1997) and 20,000 tons (1992). The annual consumption of cherries in Switzerland was 150,000 liters 100% vol. In 2005, which corresponds to only 2500 tons of Swiss cherries.
German cherries
In Germany , the cherry brandy from the fringes of the Baden Black Forest is particularly well known, where special high-stemmed sweet cherry varieties such as As the black cherry are grown, which usually in the region long ago selected were. The cultivation and utilization of cherries and the utilization is an important source of income for many farms. However, the importance is also decreasing here, as sales of kirsch are declining. The stock of cherry trees grown in orchards is less cared for and is therefore decreasing noticeably. Kirschwasser is also produced in other regions such as Franconia , Rheingau and Rheinhessen . In Saxony, all fruits of the old regional variety Franzens Wilde are processed into kirsch.
Austrian cherries
In Austria , Vorarlberg in particular is known for its fruit brandies and kirsch, which are mainly distilled in the Fraxern community .
literature
- Hans Joachim Pieper, Ernst-Erich Bruchmann, Erich Kolb: Technology of the fruit distillery . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1977, ISBN 3-8001-5814-0 .
Web links
- Kirschwasser in the database of Culinary Heritage of Switzerland