A Closer Look: Bierschnaps

What is Bierschnaps? A question we get a lot here at Rhine Hall, and one we're all too happy to answer. The short story is that it is distilled beer. You could also consider Bierschnaps or Bier Brand as another form of unaged whiskey. We distill a finished beer, which most generally is produced from grains & hops, and condense and carry over the complexities of that beer into the distillate. Typically 10x the alcohol content!

Over the years we've been enjoying this experimental spirit category as a way to continue to work with our community of breweries. But we're not the first to do this! Some long time epic breweries like German, Schneider Brewery (Aventinus), Japanese, Kiuchi (Hitachino), and more have been doing this for years.

Many breweries throughout town end up with leftover beer. For us, it's something that's already been fermented, and can be distilled as soon as it gets to Rhine Hall. In the last few years we've distilled a few things that we love sharing in the tasting room. Each distillate is unique to the beer it is made from. Stop in to try a saison, doppelbach, strong ale, or barrel aged stout! Or pick up a bottle for your home bar today!