KIRSCHWASSER

'Kirschwasser', German for "cherry water", (pronounced ), often known simply as 'Kirsch' (from German "Kirsche" for "cherry"), is a clear brandy made from double distillation of the fermented juice of a small black cherry. It is colorless because either it is not aged in wood or it is aged in barrels made of ash. The cherries used recently can be either sweet or sour, but in the past the sour morello cherry was used with the pit crushed down. As the morello cherry was originally grown all around the Black Forest in southern Germany, the drink is believed to have originated there.
Clear alcoholic beverages made from distilled fruit juices are common in southern Germany, western Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. In addition to Kirschwasser, typical drinks of this sort include ''Obstler'' ("fruity", distilled from apple, or a mixture of apple and pear), ''Zwetschgenwasser'' ("plum water") and ''Himbeergeist'' ("raspberry spirit", made from grain spirit with unfermented raspberries added later, as fermented raspberries do not produce a good spirit). Such spirits are also distilled in France and French-speaking Switzerland, where they are known as ''eau de vie'' ("water of life", the same term that is the root of the words akvavit and whisky).
Unlike cherry liqueurs, Kirschwasser is not sweet. The best Kirschwassers have a highly refined taste with subtle flavors of cherry. Kirschwasser can be found in such mixed drinks as the Lady Finger, Florida Cocktail, and Black Forest.
Kirschwasser is sometimes drunk by itself. Traditionally, it is served cold in a very small glass and taken as an apéritif. However, people in the German-speaking regions where Kirschwasser originates would more usually serve it after dinner, and high-quality Kirschwasser would more likely be served at room temperature or warmed by the hands, like other brandies.

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Usage in foods

Usage in foods

"Kirsch" is an essential ingredient in Swiss cheese fondue recipes. The European Union sets a minimum of 37.5% alcohol by volume for eau de vie, including Kirsch, but most Kirschwasser has an alcoholic content of 40%-50% ABV (80-100 proof). About ten kilograms (about 22 pounds) of cherries go into making a 750 ml bottle of Kirschwasser.
It is also used in traditional German ''Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte'' (Black Forest gateau) that is believed to have originated from the 16th century.
Kirschwasser is also used in some recipes, for example in Kugelhopf, Black Forest and Black Russian Cakes.
Kirsch can also be found as filling for chocolate products. A typical piece of kirsch chocolate will consist of no more than 1 milliliter of Kirsch, surrounded by milk chocolate, with a film of hardened sugar between the two. The sugar acts as a stronger casing for the liquid contents than the usually soft chocolate, it also compensates for the lack of sweetness typical of Kirsch. Swiss chocolatiers Lindt and Camille Bloch, among others, have such a product.