Kirsch

Kirschwasser (/ˈkɪərʃvɑːsər/ KEERSH-vahs-ər, German: [ˈkɪɐ̯ʃvasɐ], German for “cherry water”) is a clear, colourless fruit brandy traditionally made from double-distillation of morello cherries, a dark-coloured cultivar of the sour cherry. However, the beverage is now also made from other kinds of cherries.

The cherries are fermented complete (that is, including their stones).^[1]

Kirschwasser is often simply called Kirsch in both German- and English-speaking countries.

Unlike cherry liqueurs and so-called “cherry brandies”, Kirschwasser is not sweet. The best Kirschwassers have a refined taste with subtle flavors of cherry and a slight bitter-almond taste that derives from the stones. Kirschwasser is used in many mixed drinks, such as the Lady Finger, the Florida Cocktail, and Black Forest.

Kirschwasser is usually drunk neat. Traditionally, it is often served cold in a very small glass and is taken as an apéritif. However, people in the German-speaking region where Kirschwasser originated usually serve it after dinner, as a digestif.

High-quality Kirschwasser is often served at room temperature and may be warmed by the hands, as with brandy.

Because morellos were originally grown in the Black Forest region of southern Germany, Kirschwasser is believed to have originated there.

Kirschwasser is colourless because it is either not aged in wood or is aged in barrels made of ash. It may have been aged in paraffin-lined wood barrels or in earthenware vessels.^[1]

Clear fruit brandies made from distilled, fermented fruit are very popular in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France. In France and in English-speaking countries, these beverages are known as eaux de vie. The European Union sets a minimum of 37.5% ABV (75 proof) for products of this kind; Kirschwasser typically has an alcohol content of 40%–50% ABV (80–100 proof). About 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of cherries go into the making of a 750 ml bottle of Kirschwasser.

Also featured in the Steely Dan song, Babylon Sisters: "...drink kirschwasser from a shell,"

Kirsch is an essential ingredient of Swiss cheese fondue and of some cakes.^[2]

It is used in traditional German Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Gateau, which is believed to have originated in the 16th century) and in other cakes — for example in Gugelhupf cake.

Kirsch can also be used in the filling of chocolates. A typical Kirsch chocolate consists of no more than one milliliter of Kirsch, surrounded by milk or (more usually) dark chocolate with a film of hard sugar between the two parts. The hard sugar acts as an impermeable casing for the liquid content and also compensates for the lack of sweetness that is typical of Kirsch. Swiss chocolatiers Lindt & Sprüngli and Camille Bloch, among others, manufacture these Kirsch chocolates.

• Distilled beverage
• Eau-de-vie
• Fruit brandy
• Himbeergeist
• Liqueur
• Schnapps

• Kirsch in the online Culinary Heritage of Switzerland database.