PLUMS – BRANDY

Round plums, raisins, damsons

The cultivation of plums and damsons as descendants of the domestic plum has played a very important role throughout Europe and also in Austria since time immemorial. In Austria, plum forms are an economically important species, followed by plums in the narrower sense.

The domestic plum, a smaller, elongated shape, is the most popular type for brandy production. The plums are usually large-fruited, ovoid to roundish in shape and have a rather soft flesh, yellow, blue-violet to reddish in color.

Which variety is used for brandies usually depends on what is available in the orchard. Stone fruits are distilled without or with very few stones in order to avoid an overly loud and stony aroma. The sugar content is high and so is the yield, approx. 10 to 15 liters per 1 HL of mash.