When I was handed a bottle of Schönauer Apfel, I was not optimistic. Why? Because it said "Finest Imported Apple Liqueur." To me, that meant "apple syrup," or since it is from Germany, "schnapps."
And as most of my readers know, I am not into the sweet stuff. As part of a well made cocktail (like orange liqueur in a classic margarita) no probs, but when it is meant to stand on its own, I'll pass.
I invited a friend over who likes the sweet stuff to get her take on it. Poured the Schönauer Apfel (apfel is German for apple) over ice as suggested and waited for the verdict. My friend exclaimed "köstlich!" and highly suggested I get over my prejudices and just try it.
So, of course I did. And am I glad I did. While it definitely exhibited sweetness, it was not artificial like most cordials on the market. In fact it tasted an awful lot like real apple juice with a slight kick.
A little research and it turns out I'm not far off from the truth. Schönauer Apfel is simply a mix of German apples and pure grain spirits with absolutely no artificial colors or flavoring. All its sweetness (and a balancing tartness) comes from the fruit itself. No syrup! No wonder it received 95 points from the Beverage Testing Institute. And, it is among the best selling brands of its kind in Germany.
It is 42 proof (about the same as most liqueurs) and although can be used in cocktails, tastes fantastic simply chilled or over ice. I tried it mixed with vodka, which made the best tasting Appletini I've ever had (not that I am a connoisseur of Appletinis) - and minus the fake green color.
Some of the reviews I found say Schönauer Apfel is a schnapps, but no where on the bottle or website is it designated as such. Maybe because here in the U.S., we immediately equate "syrup sweetness" with Schnapps and this product is far from that. Now I need to find another bottle because this one was gone fairly quickly.