Eau de vie

Eau de vie (French for Water of Life ) is the French term for distilled from fruit or pomace brandies. Handles a variety of fruits, most commonly apples, pears, mirabelle, plums, cherries and raspberries.

If the fruit brandy is exclusively made from a type of fruit, it is called with the given name of the fruit, such as " eau de vie de poire " ( double bulb). The same applies in the event that during the distillation of the marc marc exclusively a grape variety was used. The distillate from wine pomace is also called marc and is comparable with the Italian grappa.

Distillation

Before the burning process to be processed fruit is fermented, partially with the addition of sugar and yeast. After fermentation, that is, when the sugar contained in the must has completely converted to alcohol, this is partially distilled several times.

The distillation takes place either via direct flame, but also in a water bath ( bain-marie ) to work out the partially refined and volatile fruit aromas better. Furthermore, different types of internal pistons of the various distilleries used. Decisive for the quality of booze is - regardless of the trade or industrial processing - always the quality of the fruit used. From a damaged fruit, only a rather " rough " brandy can be produced.

Production area and classification

The regional focus of the production are for fruit brandies in France in Alsace, Jura and the Franche -Comté, Burgundy and Normandy. Within defined regions of Normandy apple fruit brandies bearing the name Calvados, outside of this they are allowed to wear only the name " Eau de vie" or " eau de vie de pomme " (French for apple).

The production of pomace brandies is distributed with varying intensity in all wine regions, especially in Alsace, Burgundy and Champagne. The Eau de vie manufacturing enterprises are very different; there are both artisanal, small rural businesses, also known as ambulatory wall earth silence Rien are part way, but also to large beverage companies belonging to large enterprises.

The booze mentioned are available in a wide variety of packaging, quality levels and price ranges. It is important that, in order to get the fruit flavor to be enjoyed either at room temperature or in a swung- glass with ice cubes and in no way should be stored in a refrigerator before.

Eau de vie is drunk usually as a digestif. However, it is also enjoyed as a pousse café for coffee or used as a flavoring in the production of baked goods and cakes.