Obstler

[jerseybounce_42]

Since this forum has a good deal of international participation and the beer thread seems to have generated fair interest, perhaps a few opines can be offered about obstler. Unfortunately it seems to cost much more here in the US but I've found that it can be pretty tasty, strong and many times without bad after effects.

[The Deacon]

Never tried it, actually never heard of it till I read your post. From what I've been able to learn on the web it appears to be an apple brandy or liqueur of some kind. Does it taste anything like hard cider or applejack?

[jerseybounce_42]

That's a very perceptive question, Paul. Because of the ingredients, most safely described as fruit, the flavor is a bit more complex than applejack. The crystal clear nature of this beverages somewhat assuages the mystery fruit nature of this orchard schnapps. Sounds like a question that would be asked by an analyst or designer rather than a programmer. I'm hoping our overseas bros can fill in more of the details. Unless you got into computers late in life, it looks like you, like I, may have 'enjoyed’ the decline of mainframe legacy systems and the ascendance of PC's as well as the effects of outsourcing.

I speculate that anyone who has the stomach for knife fighting, like the young fellow from Leverkusen, should have no problem with the condition of some of the fruit that is used to make obstler. I think the modest price of this stuff overseas is indicative of the ingredients; which is what irks me about the prices charged here.

[silverback]

I think the modest price of this stuff overseas is indicative of the ingredients; which is what irks me about the prices charged here.
Actually, only good fruit can be used in Obstler, otherwise it is ruined.
It's a clear, aromatic fruit brandy that is not sweet at all and can take getting used to, like some Whiskeys. It is mostly used as a digestive and for the occasional glass between beers during celebrations.
Like almost all spirits, there are expensive, high quality and cheap, crappy brands.
I put the german Wiki page on Obstler through Babelfish, but the result is between hilarious and confusing. :D Try to make some sense of it if you like:

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FObstler

btw.: "fruit fire" is fruit brandy, it's an unintentional pun in the translation ;)

[jerseybounce_42]

Thanks for the feedback, Silverback. I've never had a crappy tasting Obstler; even the ones sold in the supermarkets went down pretty well. I think an advantage of Obstler is that it's not sweet. Up north (Bremerhaven)I've seen guys drinking korn and beers where the beer glass was almost as small as the schnapps glass.

[dialex]

I am ashamed to admit that I never heard of this one either. When I read the title, I thought it's a typo of "Lobster". :o
...There's so much to learn, and life's soo short :(

[The Deacon]

Am going to have to see if any of the local hootch-mongers around here carry it. If it's available in pints I'll give it a try, hate to spring for a fifth or quart of something I might not like.

[jerseybounce_42]

Probably the closest thing available will be Slivovitz. It's a plum brandy that, when consumed in adequate quantities, makes Assembly Language read like COBOL.

[KSDbass]

Actually, only good fruit can be used in Obstler, otherwise it is ruined.
It's a clear, aromatic fruit brandy that is not sweet at all and can take getting used to, like some Whiskeys. It is mostly used as a digestive and for the occasional glass between beers during celebrations.
Like almost all spirits, there are expensive, high quality and cheap, crappy brands.
I put the german Wiki page on Obstler through Babelfish, but the result is between hilarious and confusing. :D Try to make some sense of it if you like:

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FObstler

btw.: "fruit fire" is fruit brandy, it's an unintentional pun in the translation ;)

yes, and we mustn't forget about the Branntweinfehler, because we won't be having any of that!
edit: I kept reading past that, and it's hilarious!