Editing Schnapps (section)

===''Obstler''===
{{main|Fruit brandy}}
An ''Obstler'', or ''Obstbrand'' (from the German ''Obst'', fruit and ''Brand'', brandy),<ref>''Wahrig: Deutsches Wörterbuch'' (Munich: Bertelsmann, 2006). See ''Obstler'' at p. 1087, "aus einer Obstsorte hergestellter Branntwein."</ref> is a traditional type of schnaps made by fermenting macerated fruit and distilling to produce a clear, unsweetened fruit brandy. ''Obstler'' is traditionally produced in Austria, Switzerland, northern Slovenia, southern Germany, and the culturally German regions of [[Alsace]] and [[Lorraine]] in modern-day France. ''Obstler'' is mainly associated with the southern part of the German-language area; in northern Germany, almost all traditional distilled beverages are grain-based.

The main kinds of fruit used for ''Obstbrände'' are [[apple]]s, [[apricot]]s, [[cherry|cherries]], [[pear]]s, plums (both [[mirabelle plum|mirabelle]] and [[prune plum|purple plums]]), and [[quince]]s. Fruits other than these are rarely used. Apples together with pears produce ''Obstwasser'' (fruit water); pears are used to produce ''Birnenbrand''; when made from the [[Williams pear]], it is known as [[Poire Williams]] or ''Williamsbrand''. Several types of plums make ''{{interlanguage link|Zwetschgenwasser|de|Zwetschgenwasser}}'' ("plum water"); cherries make ''[[Kirsch]]wasser'' ("cherry water"); and apricots are used to make Austrian ''[[Marillenschnaps]]'' (apricot brandy).

The different kinds of ''Obstler'' are similar to the varieties of ''[[Rakija]]'' found in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. ''[[Slivovitz]]'' is a popular schnapps made from [[Damson]] plums found throughout the region; ''[[pálinka]]'' is a traditional distilled beverage made of any fruits grown in Hungary.