Peppermint Schnapps

Peppermint Schnapps: A New Twist On An Old Tradition

Schnapps is a form of distilled alcohol that has been around for centuries. It is believed to have been introduced by monks. The word Schnapps comes from the German "schnapps" which is used to refer to a strong alcoholic beverage, but specifically those that contain at least 32% ABV or 64 proof. Because it is a beverage that is highly sweet and has a very high alcoholic content, in American, it is considered a liqueur. Although Peppermint Schnapps is rarely drank straight up, if it is, it is typically considered an after dinner or "sipping" drink.

Peppermint schnapps is an alcoholic beverage that is flavored with herbs and then additional sugar is added. It is extremely sweet, and can be considered to some somewhat syrupy. It is best served as with a cocktail, mixed along with other flavors to diffuse the strong flavor, or to spice up another drink. It is a drink that can be added to many things, like hot chocolate, to cold cocktails.

When drinking schnapps, or peppermint schnapps, you have to be careful. Because of its sweet nature, you may be fooled into thinking that you are drinking something much less ominous than you are. Because of its high alcoholic content, you need to be careful when consuming it. It may seem like you are not drinking something with alcohol in it, but the morning after, if you partake too heavily, will be undeniable. Nothing can leave you with a bigger hangover than overdoing your schnapps intake. It takes good going down, but not so much on the head the following day.

There are several major manufacturers, or popular brands of Peppermint Schnapps

Arrow
Avalanche
DeKuyper
Hiram Walker
Ice 101
Phillips
Rumple Minze
Yukon Jack

On the average Peppermint schnapps has about 83 calories per 1 oz and 7.3 grams of sugar. There are some real tried and true cocktails containing this little piece of heaven. They never disappoint:

Alpine Recipe

2 oz peppermint schnapps
12 oz sprite soda

Blue Glory recipe

2 oz peppermint schnapps
1/2 oz blue curacao liqueur
5 oz lemon-lime soda

Candy Cane

3/4 oz peppermint schnapps
3/4 oz creme de cacao
1/4 oz grenadine syrup
half and half
7-up soda

DewPepper recipe

6 oz peppermint schnapps
Mountain Dew

Iceberg recipe

1 oz white creme de menthe
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps
1/2 oz Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps
milk

There are other drinks referred to as a "shot". Most distinctly, these are miniature cocktails that usually can fit inside of a shot glass. Although they are tiny, they are packed with a high alcohol content and usually are very deceiving. There are many favorite "shooters" that contain Peppermint Schnapps.

After five recipe