TASTE THE REVOLUTION: The Secret Behind The Most Premium German Brandy | WELT Documentary

TASTE THE REVOLUTION: The Secret Behind The Most Premium German Brandy | WELT Documentary Inside Germany’s Secret World of Fine Spirits How German Distillers Are Reinventing Schnaps The art of distilling schnapps is a centuries-old tradition in Germany, but fruit brandies and grain brandies often struggle with a bad reputation. The search for unique aromas and flavors is an exciting and educational journey. Some master distillers have achieved world fame, while others have averted the threat of bankruptcy with effort and ingenuity. This reportage sheds light on how the young generation of master distillers is doing away with the old prejudices about booze. 00:00 Intro 00:48 Black Forest Cherry Brandy: A Regional Treasure Small black cherries are the secret behind the region’s aromatic, sugar-rich schnaps—distilled with or without stones to achieve signature marzipan notes. 05:20 Alexander Stein and Monkey 47: A Global Gin Icon Monkey 47 revolutionized German gin with its 47 botanicals, elevating the Black Forest to international fame and launching a craft boom. 08:52 Biologist-Turned-Distiller: The Rise of Turmeric Gin Hauke Günther’s scientific approach created a new class of gin, using vacuum distillation to isolate complex flavors, earning global recognition. 13:48 Schnaps Revival in Münster: Aging Corn in Barrels The Sasse family revived their 300-year-old distilling tradition with innovative wood-barrel aging, bringing complexity and richness to classic grain spirits. 21:32 Distilling Meets Sustainability and Style Customs oversight and tax pressures push distillers to optimize yield while crafting spirits with tradition, transparency, and taste. 34:45 Cocktails with a Twist: The Fruit Brandy Renaissance Distillers introduce fruit schnaps in bar menus, promoting its use in cocktails and challenging gin’s dominance with local orchard-to-glass flavors. German schnaps and gin: Black Forest cherry brandy revives tradition and taste German distillers are fighting for respect. Once mocked as hooch, schnaps now stands for quality. In Oberkirch near Offenburg, the Hatta family has distilled cherry brandy for five generations. Small black cherries from the Black Forest give the Kirsch its aroma. Rules are strict: no sugar, at least 40 percent alcohol. Alexander Stein changed the image of German spirits with Monkey 47 gin. In 2008 he combined 47 botanicals from the Black Forest. The gin went global. Stein later sold the brand to Pernod Ricard and now develops Jacobi 1880 brandy and Armagnac in Gascogne. In Münsterland, the Zasa family revives Korn. Stored in wooden barrels, the clear spirit turns golden, smooth, and fruity. Young distillers like Magdalena Wangler and Daniel Buda continue the tradition. Wangler produces apple brandy under the eye of customs officers. Buda experiments with whisky and barrel-aged schnaps. Craft distillers also test gin, vodka, and elderflower liqueur. Awards prove their skill. From Baden to Hamburg, Germany’s new spirits unite tradition and innovation. Schnaps, gin, and Korn are back on the world stage. #schnaps #gin #blackforest #brandy #whisky #armagnac #spirits #distillery #tradition #weltdoku #dokumentation #doku 📺 Watch more documentaries https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-5sURDcN_Zl8hBqkvZ6uXFpP3t55HU9s 🔔 Subscribe to our full documentary channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBAeFXaLV1ZqKqc-Uf3pKaA?sub_confirmation=1