Looking for a good time while on holiday? Like a free shot or two? Stop at the Old Vienna Brandy Schnaps Museum (Alt-Wiener Schnapsmuseum) to get a look behind the scenes at a working distillery that has been producing such tipples as Williams Pear Brandy, Wiener Blut Liquer and Absinthe Mata Hari since 1904. During the tour one can smell carafes full of different herbs, nuts, roots and even pieces of wood that fill the shelves. The family still uses not only the same equipment and family recipes, but also the same office, including a 1914 cash register where they will ring up souvenirs purchased to remember one’s special visit to the factory. And the people who work there (see the picture above) look like they drink on the job! So that’s a bonus.
Something I learned…in order for it to be genuine schnaps, there must not be any artificial aroma substances, which has the best quality with 38-45% alcohol content. So only when the description says ‘brandy’ or ‘spirit’, with the additional label on the bottle ‘100% distillate’, can you be sure that you are buying (and drinking) genuine schnapps. The American Schnapps is just a liqueur, never the real thing. So you probably shouldn’t drink it, unless you like the taste of artificial disappointment.
And yes, this isn’t good that I am writing a post about alcohol before noon. HELP!
