1. Schnapps: Sweeten up Your Cigar
As most people will agree, cigar smoking and alcohol go hand in hand. In fact, when you listen carefully, it's possible to occasionally hear a bottle of wine tell a hand rolled cigar, "You complete me." A lot of people enjoy their cigars with beer, whiskey, scotch, or cognac. But, for people who want something a little bit sweeter, there's always Schnapps.
A multi-personality alcohol, there are two types of Schnapps, German and American. German is known as the more traditional kind: these Schnapps are less sweet, more alcoholic, and don't believe in sex before marriage. In Germany, Austria and certain parts of Switzerland, the word "Schnapps" doesn't exist and is replaced by the word "Schnaps." Schnaps is often used to describe a distilled, unsweetened beverage. It can be used as a general term for liquor or as one for German fruit Brandy.
German Schnapps made in the traditional sense share many characteristics with vodka. The texture and consistency is similar but the flavor of the Schnapps contains slightly more fruit. It is made using fermented roots, fruit, and cereal. Because no sugar is added, German Schnapps is not usually overwhelmingly sweet.
The alcohol in German Schnapps is usually around 80 proof, or about 40 percent by volume. In Germany, traditional Schnapps is called Obstler, which is derived from the word Obst, meaning "fruit." The term "Obstler" is also used, in more specific manners, to describe a German fruit brandy made from apples and pears.
In America, Schnapps plays a slightly different role. Instead of resembling vodka, American Schnapps are liqueurs (sweetened alcoholic beverages) that are flavored with peach, peppermint, butterscotch, apple, blackberries and a variety of other flavors. These days, it seems that Schnapps can be flavored with almost anything: there is even Root Beer Schnapps and Banana Schnapps. Sugar is often added as well. Overall, American Schnapps are not as high in alcohol content as their German counterpart: they average around 40 proof, or 20 percent by volume.
American Schnapps is drank straight or mixed with other drinks. A common holiday drink, for instance, is mixing Peppermint Schnapps with hot chocolate. In the summer, peach schnapps is often mixed with lighter drinks, such as 7-Up, to provide a refreshing concoction.
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