September 9, 2003
Grappa
I should probably discuss grappa (plural is grappe) in general terms first. Oh well, it will have to come second. As it is virtually unknown among non-Italians and much maligned, let me offer an introduction to it.
Grappa is grape brandy (more or less, but that will suffice for a definition here). Generally it is unaged and clear, although sometimes you will encounter amber-colored grappa aged in oak. I prefer the unaged clear stuff, so I will primarily discuss that. If you are in France it will be called Marc.
Grappa varies considerably in quality. Some of it tastes like a cross between gasoline and rocket fuel, and some of it is a complex explosion of flavors: floral, fruit, spice. It is always strong and is not to everyone's taste. Unless it is used as the base for a liquer it is bone dry with no residual sugar. Due to its potency, like other brandies grappa is "tasted" by pouring a small amount on the taster's hand, rubbed and smelled. Otherwise a taster would maybe get to do three intelligent tastes in a session and have to call it quits.
I have seen grappa made out of chardonney, pinot noir, malvasia, moscato, zinfandel, sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, prosecco, concord grapes, and others. Different grapes impart different flavors to the stuff.
Grappa is generally served in two contexts: as an after dinner digestivo or in caffè corretto, or corrected coffee. Sometimes it is served with a shot of espresso, sometime the two are mixed. Grappa is often served in what looks like a tall shot glass, but there are stemmed glasses with flared bowls (sort of an exaggerated tulip) that are quite good for drinking grappa (Riedel makes them, natch). Grappa should be sipped and savored. One should never quaff grappa (or anything else) to get drunk, although if your judgement slips and you do overindulge, a grappa hangover is not as gentle as a true tequila hangover, but not as ugly as a cognac hangover. Some folks dip their cantucci in grappa, but I am a strict vin santo cantucci dipper.
The Veneto region leads Italy in grappa consumption, as well as in UFO sightings. I am not drawing any conclusions, but you may, if you wish. Some of the best grappe are homemade and completely unavailable except from the proud farmer who will pour you a glass of it just to see his grappa appreciated. If you encounter a farmer like that, you will never want to leave Italy, because the chances are that you will be invited to lunch, and have just about the best meal you ever had, and met some great people, etc.
Recommending grappe is as difficult as recommending single malt scotches. Some folks like one set of traits, others like others. For a good, starting bottle, the Clear Creek distillery in Oregon makes a fine grappa (as well as a great Williams Pear eau-de-vie), as does Bonny Doon vineyard in California. Of the Italian brands I like a whole bunch, but have been drinking Nardini recently to great satisfaction. Inga makes some decent grappe, and Grappa Julia, which is found in just about any Italian restaurant, is a bit rough, but not altogether unpleasant. You have to realize that I have a fondness for some of the rougher grappe, though.
Other than that, it would be easier for me to make recommendations if you tell me one you like, and I can think of something similar. Or if you are thinking about buying one and would like to know if it is rotgut or decent, I will be happy to tell you.
You may also encounter grappe with herbs in them: rue is a common addition. I like them for variety, but generally stick with the straight stuff. One exception is technically a liquer, because it has been sweetened, but is a favorite of ours (Melanie is especially fond of it) is chamomile grappa. You can buy it, although it is expensive, or you can make it by steeping chamomile blossoms in a decent grappa, filtering it, sweetening it, bottling it and letting it sit for a few months. However, before you do that, you should taste either the commercial variety or mine, so you get an idea of how sweet to make it and what flavor profiles to look for. So, next time you are in the Bay Area, holler!
Posted by erik at September 9, 2003 1:43 PM | TrackBackHey Bob,
thanks for the information on grappe. My grandparents (non-Venetians - southern Italians) used to make grappa from the leftovers from the wine making.
I'm making my own chamomile grappa with an over abundance of chamomile blossoms in my garden (I'm in the castro in SF).
Is the chamomile grappa always sweetened? I'm thinking I'll just steep the blossoms and filter. Basta. Your thoughts?
Federico Bove
Posted by: Fred at May 24, 2008 5:08 PMcan you please teel me what sites to go to to get recipes for grappe thank you bob
Posted by: bob at March 30, 2008 1:51 PMYou might want to irrigate the fermented pressings with distilled water, and then press that to extract all the liquid. Then distill that, discarding the heads and tails. Then dilute with distilled water to drinking proof.
However, I am not the best for this sort of advice. There are some excellent websites I have found that give explicit directions.
Remember, when I made grappa last, it was with a still made from an electric pressure cooker, and we were already pretty well oiled with gin, wine, beer, and tequila, and it ended up being pretty good grappa.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at September 24, 2007 8:54 PMi will be pressing 64 cases of grape in two weeks and would love to attempt grappa. from START to FINISH.... how do i make it from the left over pressings?????
ps- i purchased a copper still. it looks like it holds a gallon or maybe a little less.
Posted by: at September 22, 2007 10:02 AMRay,
Good for you! You are among the civilized among the non-Italians. As for these non-pasta eating Italians, what can I say? They would starve in our house.
If you are going to make grappa, you will need a still. I don't know what the regulations are in Australia, but in the United States, such things are illegal and have to be done clandestinely. If you have a still, then start experimenting with different varietals. I think that a fitting starter for an Australian grappa would be one of your magnificent shirazes. It should contribute a pleasant fruitiness as well as notes of leather and spice. Of course the distillate is different than the wine, and it will take some experiment to get it right.
I would discard the tail and heads on the distilate, especially if you are dealing with a homemade wine. Then dilute with pure water to a suitable strength for drinking. If the final product is not the most exciting in flavor, then you might consider steeping herbs like chamomile in it, then sweetening it to make a nice liqueuer.
Keep me posted as to your experiments.
-Erik
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at August 17, 2007 9:43 AMDear sir/Madam
pease I am quite anoyed with you , when you say,
. "As it is virtually unknown among non-Italians and much maligned". I am an australian brought up by a woman who had two other sons, that were half Italian
that wouldnt even eat pasta let alone drink Grappa where as me, beeing all ausie is the only one that eats dinks and is happiest in april when his wine has started maturating in his brewing barrel.This is all in good faith,Im now interested in how to also make Grappa,If you can assistPlease do, Ray Dare.
I have never heard of it, but it sounds great. Sort of like a mimosa with an extra kick. I will have to experiment with this. Thanks for posting it!
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at June 24, 2007 8:14 PMI visited Bassano del Grappa in the Vicenza region of Italy last year. Very friendly locals offered me what they called a spritzer made up from locally produced grappa (Poli), prosecco wine and something else which was orange in colour. Not sure if it was cointreau or orange juice or both but the stuff was great. Any ideas?
Posted by: at June 24, 2007 2:57 PMif you distil basic alcohol (sugar water yeast) then carbon filter you have the most basic 'grappa' or moonshine to be more exact. Make syrup ( 5 : 1 sugar : water) mix it 4:1 grappa:syrup add dried fruit (whatever takes your fancy) no preservatives (eg sulphur dioxide etc. seal (not airtight) & heat in hot bath (pot of hot water kept a few degrees below boiling) for 2 hrs mimimum. allow to cool can be consumed straight away but will improve immensely once the dried fruit has regained its shape & size
Posted by: at June 21, 2007 3:49 AMPeggy (Sep. 06 posting) I would think by now you found the wooden bowl, but if you haven't, or for anyone else who wants to experience a wonderful European mountain experience (from whence the bowls come) among friends, you can order them from italianfoodsdirect.com. They are reasonable, about $30, but the shipping is $50. Nevertheless, they are worth it for a special present to friends. I recommend the "steinbock" version (found under "handicrafts and wooden artifacts"). They ship with instructions and take about a week and a half (despite their claim of 2 days international). I first experienced the "Grolle" as they are called on a ski vacation in Val D'Isere, and ever since have shared with friends this unique coffee drink. My own preference is after a dinner of beef and/or cheese fondue, plenty of white wine, and good friends. The piping hot bowl of coffee, grappa, cointreau, sugar and lemon rind is a fantastic finish (or start) to an evening!!!
Posted by: steve at December 29, 2006 5:13 PMI recently had Grappa served in a wooden bowl with holes all around the bowl. The bowl had coffee with some lemon and organge peels and a bit of sugar. Grappa was added onto the top slowly and then a fire was lit. It was a delicious drink!I would like to find one of these unique bowls to serve Grappa in. Any idea where to find one? An web link would be great. Thanks,
Posted by: Peggy at September 1, 2006 5:57 PMTo make grappa you will need a still. Obviously the ideal would be a copper pot still, but if you want to go cheap, get an electric pressure cooker (do not use a stove top model, as there is a significant fire/explosion risk). Where the valve is, you will need to hook up some surgical tubing. The tubing then connects to a coiled copper tube in a bucket filled with ice water. The copper coil pokes through a hole in the side, where a glass catches the distilate.
Generally you will want to throw out the heads, the first part of the output (first quarter inch or so), because if the wine you used wasn't fermented properly (rare, but can happen), you can get toxic methanol in your brew. The tails (when too much water gets in, also gets thrown out, as it tastes less than ideal). Many distillers put the heads and tails into the next batch.
Of course, in America, you are not to even attempt to make your own grappa, as it is illegal, unless you have a bonded, licensed distillery. Of course, I do not write this from experience, but only from theoretical conjecture. If you happen to live in a place where this is legal, you should probably find a more experienced person to set up your still and to help you with the first few batches.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at May 8, 2006 9:28 PMI would just like a to make a basic grappa, for myself of course, my ex boyfriend was italian and his grandfather used to make a mean grappa that i enjoyed, really basic instructions on how to do so would be so appreciated. Mel Australia
Posted by: at May 8, 2006 8:47 PMHow should Grappa be stored (before and after opening)? Can it be consumed slowly, that is not all at once?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, grappa is like any brandy in that it keeps indefinitely in a tightly sealed bottle. Of course alcohol is volatile, so when the level gets low, a higher percentage exists in vapor form, which then escapes whenever the bottle is opened, so as the bottle gets lower, the alcohol content (and some of the organic compounds that contain the aromas, too, unfortunately) diminishes slightly. Not enough to make me worry, though. I have some brandies and grappe that I have nursed along for years, and they are still tasty.
Posted by: sygyzy at March 22, 2006 12:34 AMI just wanted to broaden your knowledge about the drink grappa. Not so many people know, but grappa is quite popular on the Balkans- Bulgaria, Serbia, etc. Pretty much every household makes it's own grappa, which is called RAKIA.
I'm Bulgarian. My favourite rakia is from muscat. The difference b/w the one made in Bulgaria and in Italy is that the one in Bulgaria is most of the times aged in oak or cherry. That's where it gets its yellowish color from. Because of the way it's made, the Bulgarian grappa is usually milder and much smoother than it's Italian cousin, albeit the same alchoholic content (40-50%). I personally prefer the Bulgarian, because I generally like smoother alchoholic drinks.
The way to consume it is the same- you sip it little by little and enjoy the flavors in your mouth. It is never drunk alone by itself, you should have salad. Drinking grappa by itself only is a very rare occurence. It is usually drunk along with the salad before the main course.
Rakia is also made from other fruits- plums, peaches, pears (rare), etc. The "technology" is the same, just different fruit is used to fermentate. The plum grappa is called SLIVOVITSA, or SHLIVOVITS, that's how I've seen it in alcohol stores in New York.
It is a very nice drink, but it gets you very fast. The muscat is.... how to say.... mamma mia~! :) One thing you should remember- never do it in shots like tequila. There's no point. Grappa/Rakia is made so rich of flavors so that you can enjoy it. That's its purpose. If you gulp it, then you bypass the main reason it exists.
A friend just gave me a bottle of Monovitigno Chardonnay Grappa. Also on the label is the word "Toschi". I enjoy fine wines, and do not (usually) drink a shot of pure alcohol. Any suggestions as to how I can use this without sipping? Aside from the Grappatini recipe, any others? Also, am I in possession of a quality product?
Posted by: Boscoe at January 22, 2006 3:26 PMhow to make peach grappa
Posted by: at January 1, 2006 9:13 PMHi, im looking to buy some Grappe Julia for my dad for christmas but cant seem to find it anywhere, help?!
Molly
Norwich
UK
This comment was inadvertently deleted, but I had the email that the software sent, so I was able to repost it:
I am a Grappa hound and have recently discovered an Italian (US Bottler/Distributor) of Castello Banfi of Tuscany. I find it to be just a hair more staunch than a ultra-fine grappa but certainly worthy of US consumer attention.
At a price point of 30.00 (+/-)USD., I found it to be a quite pleasing and reasonable substitute for Tuscan perfection. I am so glad to have stumbled upon this site. Grappa fans---UNITE!!!!
MW Savant
savvyplanners.com
Grappatini Recipe
2 oz. Vodka
1/4 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. Grappa
Shake with ice, toss in a red grape!
Posted by: at July 26, 2005 10:15 AMI am looking for a recipe for Grappa. I live in Australia so if anyone can help it would be great.
Posted by: at May 26, 2005 5:07 AMI am also looking to make some peach brandy.Can someone give me directions when to put what where?
Posted by: at February 17, 2005 12:58 PMAnyone know of a non alcolohic Grappa? Al
Posted by: at January 26, 2005 2:59 PMAnyone know of a non alcolohic Grappa? Al
Posted by: al at January 26, 2005 2:59 PMI have recipe for a cake that requires Grappa Liquer. My husband tasted it once & said it tasted like kerosene, he didn't like it. I asked him what flavor could I substitute and he was at a loss. In Maine we do not have liquor stores. Well, we used to have state run liquor stores but our brilliant governor sold the rights to individual stores like Shop N Save. They know nothing at all about ANY kind of liquor except what comes out of a sack. So of course when I asked about Grappa they looked at me as if I had 2 heads.
This cake recipe has a chocolate base with pine nuts & raisins & chocolate ganache in it. It is iced with more chocolate ganache. Both the cake & the icing is flavored with grappa. Any suggestions as to what I can use as a substitute? Please respond asap because I need to serve it at a dinner party this Sat.1/8/5
I have a bottle of Bocchino Sigillo Nero grappa that someone brought back from Italy as a gift, and I was trying to figure out if it's any good and how I should drink it. Then I stumbled over your page. Ever heard of this stuff? I haven't actually tried it yet, but if I don't like it, have I given grappa a fair shake or should I hold out for something higher-quality?
Posted by: Ben Phillips at January 11, 2004 6:55 PMAlicia,
To make a peach brandy you will need to make or buy a still, which is, of course, illegal.
However unjust laws are not laws at all, so I leave it to you to know the individual circumstances and to discuss it with your confessor.
A still may be made with an electric pressure cooker, some surgical tubing, a bucket full of ice, and an instant read thermometer. I have had some excellent grappe made this way.
You will need to make a wine out of the peaches (mash them up, put them in a vat with yeast and let sit a few days) and then distill it. You can double distill it, but that might lose some of the peach flavors. If you bottle it you will have a nice Eau de Vie de Pêche. If you age it in an oak barrel it will be amber and more like a calvados. If you sweeten it, you will have a pleasant after dinner drink. Whatever you do, you will probably want to cut it with distilled water, as it comes out of the still at full proof.
Otherwise, you will have to enjoy the brandied peaches (putting them up in Grappa is nice, too), or purchase peach brandy, which is expensive for the good stuff.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at September 11, 2003 12:16 PMI used to buy some wonderful grappa at Trader Joe's.......loved that stuff! Clear Creek in OR has a lot of great (if somewhat pricy) alcoholic beverages - the pear brandy with the whole pear in the bottle comes to mind.
I am still looking for a good recipe to alcholize the 1/2 bushel of peaches in my kitchen. I have put up 4 jars of brandied peaches, but I really am looking for a peach brandy!