Fruit brandy is a distilled spirit produced from various fruits such as apples, pears, apricots, plums, and cherries. It typically has an alcohol content between 40% and 45% ABV and is known by different names across the world.
How it is made
Fruit brandy is produced by fermenting fruit juice or mash and then distilling the resulting liquid. In the United States, legal fruit brandy may include up to 20% pomace or 30% lees from the same fruit. In the European Union, these spirits are legally called 'fruit spirit' when distilled from fruits other than grapes, and often carry protected designations of origin that specify production methods, fruit varieties, and aging requirements.
Types and styles
There are approximately 80 different kinds of fruit spirits in the European Union with protected designations. Common types include Calvados (apple spirit from France), Pálinka (Hungarian fruit spirit), Rakia (Balkan fruit spirit), and Slivovitz (plum spirit). Other varieties include Kirschwasser (cherry spirit), Poire Williams (pear spirit), and Applejack (American apple spirit). Many are named after their region of origin and specific fruit ingredients.
How it is served
Fruit brandy is typically served chilled or over ice. It can also be used as an ingredient in cocktails such as Paradise, Rose, A Farewell To One's Witz, Aunt Emily, Blackthorn Cocktail #2, and Kirsch Cosmo, among others. In British usage, fruit brandy may refer to liqueurs made by macerating fruits in distilled spirits, which are commonly used in cordials and as flavorings in desserts.
Kinds of fruit brandy
Other styles
- Mahia (Morocco)
- Apricot brandy
- Pálenka (Czech Republic, Slovakia)
- Araqi
- Marillenschnaps
- Damassine (Canton of Jura)
- Coconut brandy