Shopping Schmider distillery

Schmider distillery

Description

True miracle drops - The show distillery "Zum Messerschmied" in Ebbs.

Albert Schmider is not only an expert in fine spirits, but also a mountain hiking guide, skiing and paragliding guide, as well as a vacation room rental agent. In his show distillery "Zum Messerschmied" in the center of Ebbs, he explains the traditional method of producing high-proof spirits and not only that: during the subsequent tasting, he sharpens the senses of his guests so that they can rediscover the taste and smell of the region in the schnapps.

He who makes a journey - Albert Schmider takes you on a journey into the world of fine spirits
Farmhouses of this kind have become rare, which is why people keep asking Albert Schmider if he would make his facade available as a photo motif. The old farmhouse dating from 1536 has been lovingly renovated by the native of Ebbs: He replaced the rear, former economic part of the farm with a new building, but left the former living area in its original state. Here, the charm of bygone days is palpable. This is where Albert Schmider has set up his show distillery "Zum Messerschmied".

Family business: tradition and transformation
He took over the house - together with a home dating back to 1765 - from his ancestors. In the meantime, the ensemble is a real gem, but the traditional was not always appreciated in Ebbs. In 1989, a local newspaper ran the headline: "eyesore to be torn down", but thankfully this never happened. Albert Schmider's father had already begun the gradual renovation of the house. Albert Schmider also took over the distillery from his father. He died "suddenly and unexpectedly," explains Albert Schmider, "as suddenly and unexpectedly as one dies at 87.

The experienced distiller left behind a large quantity of mash. Albert Schmider, who had a successful career behind him - as a long-time employee of Siemens, he had traveled all over the world - did not want to let the mash go to waste and bought a book without further ado. Because the father withheld the "distilling knowledge" from the son. So Albert Schmider first had to learn how to distill fruit. In the meantime, he has mastered this art like no other and does not hide his knowledge. He welcomes his guests to an enjoyable experience for all the senses.

Experience the mountain world: Outdoors and indoors
Albert Schmider has developed his own personal tourism concept: In the previously mentioned home, he has set up several vacation rooms. He offers his guests not only comfortable accommodation, but experiences of nature: As a mountain hiking guide he climbs the highest peaks with his guests, as a paragliding guide he leads them through the air, as a schnapps distiller he appeals to the senses of smell and taste. All activities are accompanied by stories from the area.

The area extends around the farmhouse - as far as the eye can see - and is thus pretty much mapped out. Because the mountain hiking guide knows his own homeland like the back of his hand. The experience in nature is followed by enjoyment in the farm's own schnapps distillery. But this enjoyment must first be learned. Because the way people order schnapps in stamperln to down it in one go is completely wrong, explains the master distiller.

Schnapps distilling: Then and now
Centuries ago, Tyrolean schnapps was distilled to make use of fruit, not to refine it. All fruit that was not fit for consumption was converted into alcohol. No wonder, then, that the taste of these early fruit schnapps left much to be desired. It was not until much later that a change in thinking set in. The aroma of the fruit does not improve on its way into the bottle, so it is especially important to use aromatic, ripe fruit. This is the only way to give the schnapps its fruit-typical aroma.

To give this aroma a chance to find its way to the nose - the aroma of the noble brandies is at least as important as their taste - the noble brandy should not be drunk ice-cold, but at about 18 degrees. As with wine, the glass is also of great importance for the noble brandy. If you want to try it out, fill schnapps in a stamperl and in Edelbrand glass and do the self-test. It is hard to believe that the same product is in both vessels.

Schnapps tasting: smell and taste
During his schnapps tastings, Albert Schmider gives a historical overview, he explains what the distilling right after Maria Theresia was all about and why the teetotal Arabs, of all people, invented schnapps. In a second part, Albert Schmider explains the difference between a spirit and a noble brandy. Only the third part of the tasting deals with sensory analysis. Only now is it all about the experience in one's own body: the enjoyment of the noble spirits.

Anyone who goes on a journey has a lot to tell. This is the case with Albert Schmider, who has seen a lot and yet was drawn back to the place of his childhood. And so it is with the guests who visit Albert Schmider's show distillery "Zum Messerschmied" in Ebbs: "Whenever a schnapps is served to us in a glass, we have to think of your words," a customer recently told Albert Schmider. Because after visiting the show distillery, you will enjoy and appreciate the noble brandy differently. That much is certain.