All The Facts About Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps
It's minty. It's sweet. The Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps is a festive alcoholic beverage, that is always a fan favorite around the holiday season. The Rumple Minze peppermint Schnapps is also known as the Rumplemintz, a pseudonym that incorporates the mint flavor into its name. Its strong minty flavor is enhanced by its sweetness, making this liqueur a versatile drink. A great standalone drink, this drink does just as well featured as one ingredient of several in a cocktail.
When first introduced to the drinking scene, Rumple Minze was a heavy hitter from the beginning. Right around the time cocktails that featured different kinds of schnapps were becoming popular in the U.S. the Rumple Minze started being imported. At 100 proof, it had more than double the amount of alcohol as many of its contemporaries. Other popular drinks at the time were much milder, such as the Dekuyper Peach Tree Schnapps at 30 proof.
With such a strong alcohol content, going easy with this liqueur is a wise move. Factor in its low price point at $10 for 750 mL, and it's easy to see why folks love to bring out this crowd-pleaser whenever there is a reason to celebrate.
How is peppermint schnapps made?
Schnapps is a type of liqueur (not to be confused with liquor) that is made by sweetening and adding flavor to a base spirit. There are a number of different schnapps flavors ranging from fruity flavors like apple, peach, and berry to cinnamon, butterscotch, and peppermint. To make peppermint schnapps in particular, the distilled grain spirit is flavored with the leaves or oil from the peppermint plant and then sweetened.
Neutral grain spirits are made by germinating, fermenting, and distilling grain. A variety of grains can be used for this purpose such as corn, rye, wheat, barley, and rice — just to name a few. Thoroughly and repeatedly distilling the grain alcohol allows it to take on desirable traits, making it a pure, clear, unscented yet highly concentrated spirit. The name "neutral spirit" means the alcohol has gone through the three steps of germination, fermentation, and distillation — with no additional processing.
Rumple Minze was developed in the 1980s
Although the Rumple Minze has become quite popular and is now produced the world over, its origin traces back to Germany, where the word schnapps actually refers to "any strong, dry spirit." The operations behind the popular liqueur are split between various cities. Diageo, the brand's London-based parent company is some distance away from Scharlachberg, the Bingen, Germany-based distillery that produces the peppermint schnapps.
Comparable brands of schnapps were not nearly as strong as the 100-proof Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps when the Paddington Corporation initially filed its trademark in 1981. Paddington Corporation had good timing, releasing the Rumple Minze drink around the same time that schnapps was becoming trendy with U.S crowds.
In fact, the Rumple Minze, has been such a hit in the United States that it paved the way for other schnapps beverages to be produced by its distillery. Scharlachberg followed up this initial success with berry and lime-flavored schnapps of equal strength.
Its alcohol content puts other pepperment schnapps to shame
Peppermint schnapps are available in three different ABV levels (alcohol by volume). The mildest ones start at 15% ABV or 30 proof. While there are stronger versions available at 30% ABV or 60 proof, the Rumple Minze at 50% ABV (100 proof) is certainly one of the most potent peppermint schnapps available on the market.
Given the minty flavor, drinking Rumple Minze is a bit like enjoying candy canes in a cup. That said, this drink is surprisingly strong, and its sugary taste is almost deceptively innocent. Its sweet flavor can easily encourage folks enjoying the Rumple Minze to indulge, downing the drink more and more, as one would with a non-alcoholic drink that you savor simply for the taste. Be mindful, however, that a drink this strong — with a proof of 100 (50% ABV) — can have you feeling buzzed or even tipsy much more quickly than you might expect.
Because peppermint schnapps are available in varying degrees of potency, one should take care when substituting different brands into various recipes. Instead of substituting one version for another at the same exact quantity as the original recipe, it might be a better idea to decide how much to add based on the flavor you are aiming for.
Peppermint is the trademark of its flavor profile
For a drink as strong as the Rumple Minze (with an ABV of 50%), this peppermint schnapps actually goes down pretty smooth. Its blend of flavors -– with an aggressively strong finish, sweet candy-like flavor, and minty freshness — make it a versatile drink that you can enjoy in a variety of ways. No matter how you choose to enjoy your Rumple Minze its combination of sweet and minty flavors, combined with its strong finish are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Reminiscent of peppermint patties and candy canes, the Rumple Minze is a great choice to drink straight, no chaser. Its minty flavor makes it quite enjoyable as a standalone shooter. Just remember to take a few breaks in between shots.
On the other hand, the Rumple Minze also has a strong biting finish, which makes it a good candidate for use in mixed drinks, where its biting finish can be softened by the other ingredients, all while contributing its minty freshness to the overall flavor profile of the drink.
How to drink Rumple Minze
Taken alone as a shot, this versatile drink is as refreshing as walking into an air-conditioned room on a simmering summer day. The Rumple Minze's invigorating wintry feel provides a welcome contribution to many cocktail recipes. Even though it may seem as though you can't go wrong with this peppermint liqueur, here are some recommended ways that can bring out all the potential this heavy hitter has to offer.
If you'd like to serve this stellar drink at a dinner party, chill the Rumple Minze for two hours beforehand and try breaking out the champagne flutes. A champagne flute shaped like a tulip is a solid choice if you'd like to savor both the scent and flavor of every sip.
You can also mix peppermint schnapps with other beverages based on the flavor profile you prefer, adding sweeter juices or more sour drinks according to whatever your palate prefers. This liqueur stars in so many cocktails and there's really no shortage of recipes to choose from. If you're in the mood for experimenting you could try making cocktails at home such as the Rumplesnuggler, Peppermint Patty Shots, Baileys Minty Mistletoe, Black Ice, or Junior Mint shots.
Use it in an extra boozy egg nog
Do you just love the winter holiday season? There's something special about gathering with friends and loved ones to celebrate during the darkest and coldest months of the year. And you know what? All of these festivities remind us that it's time for some eggnog, and Rumple Minze just so happens to work great with a classic eggnog.
This recipe is creamy, minty, and still retains the unique flavor of the eggnog classic. To get started, all you need are some eggs, a bit of sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, a bottle of Rumple Minze, your choice of creme de cacao, milk, cream and perhaps some chocolate shavings if you're feeling fancy.
To start, blend six egg yolks and add half a cup of granulated sugar and continue to blend for another half a minute or so. You'll also want to add some nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon, along with whole milk and some heavy whipping cream. For some chocolate flavor, consider adding creme de cacao and 3 ounces of Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps — the star of the recipe. Once all of these are added in, spend another 30 seconds blending your drink until all ingredients are uniformly mixed together. And that's it! Pour, garnish with chocolate shavings, and serve.
Make a thin mint shooter
This recipe is another holiday favorite. The Thin Mint Shooter is easy to make and even easier to enjoy. If you're a fan of the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, are a fan of chocolate, and enjoy refreshingly minty drinks, then you might want to try this recipe.
To make this drink, you'll need a few ingredients. Gather chocolate syrup or frosting as you prefer. You'll also need some cookies: you could try fudge-covered Oreo mint mini's, but really any mint cookies will do. And then you'll need two alcoholic drinks, the Rumple Minze (of course) and some chocolate liquor (think Baileys Chocolate Cherry or Godiva). Milk is another ingredient you can use, but it's optional.
To get started, pour your choice of chocolate syrup or frosting into a plate. Then, on another plate you'll place your crushed cookies. Coat the rim of the shot glasses in the chocolate, and then dip the rim into the crushed cookies so you get an even coating of cookie crumble all the way around. Mix the peppermint schnapps, chocolate liquor (and the optional milk) into a cocktail shaker.
Shake the cocktail to your heart's content, making sure that all the ingredients are well mixed together, and your drink becomes thick and creamy. Pour into your shot glasses that are decorated with chocolate, chill, and there you have it! A thin mint shooter that will help you celebrate the holiday season!
Rumple Minze works great with hot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a wintertime classic, and for good reason. It warms you from the inside out during the colder months and chocolate is an all-time favorite. What could be better than holding a cup of hot chocolate in your hands, you say? How about holding a mug of peppermint schnapps hot chocolate?
To start off, gather your ingredients. Namely, you'll need some cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, chocolate chips. Whipped cream is optional, but the peppermint schnapps is essential. Depending on how strong you want your hot chocolate to be, you may want to opt for a 15% or 30% ABV peppermint schnapps, so when using the Rumple Minze, adjust the amount called for and add according to your preferred taste.
While you can certainly make a mug of homemade hot chocolate, there's nothing wrong with opting for your favorite off-the-shelf grocery store brand for a quick treat. Last but not least, add your peppermint schnapps to taste. Don't forget to top your beverage with whipped cream and your hot chocolate is ready to be served!
Peppermint schnapps versus creme de menthe
Creme de menthe is a unique liqueur that is often compared to peppermint schnapps. While peppermint schnapps can be enjoyed as a shot, on the rocks, or as part of a cocktail. Crème de menthe on the other hand is rarely taken as a standalone drink, and is usually featured as an ingredient in a recipe.
There are a few significant similarities between peppermint schnapps and creme de menthe. Both have very sweet flavors and taste strongly of peppermint. The process of making the two is rather similar as well. Both require a neutral grain spirit, peppermint flavor, and sweetener. The main difference is that creme de menthe is aged for around a month before the bottling process.
There seems to be an active debate as to whether or not white creme de menthe is a good substitute for peppermint schnapps, because of the ways in which they differ. On the one hand, it could be said that white creme de menthe (rather than the green version) is a good substitute for peppermint schnapps due to its similar sweet and minty flavor. On the other hand, creme de menthe has a smoother taste than the schnapps. Where the peppermint schnapps has an aggressive and bracing finish, the creme de menthe is more mellow. Also, peppermint schnapps is a more potent alcohol, as the creme de menthe on average, only has a 15% – 25% ABV.
Comparable brands
If you are a fan of the Rumple Minze, you might be interested in other similar alcoholic beverages, and there is a sampling of other brands of peppermint schnapps that are reputable in their own right.
The Llord's Peppermint Schnapps is a good starter for folks who may be less familiar with this kind of schnapps because its simplicity allows you to see if this type of flavor is right for you. There are some other brands that offer variations of this adult drink, some with a higher alcohol content than others. The Arrow Peppermint Schnapps, at 27% ABV is milder, allowing the sweet, minty flavor to take the spotlight. On the other hand, Arrow Super Peppermint Schnapps has a 50% ABV, making it much stronger than its counterpart. While it's a stronger drink, it doesn't compromise on the peppermint flavor.
Another brand that offers peppermint schnapps of various proofs is DeKuyper. With a 30% ABV, the DeKuyper Peppermint Schnapps liqueur could be a good option for those who don't enjoy drinks that are too strong. It's a good standalone drink but also does well as one ingredient of many in a cocktail recipe.
The DeKuyper 100 Proof Peppermint Schnapps liqueur, on the other hand, is a heavy-hitting and potent alcoholic beverage with a 50% ABV. If you like Rumple Minze, and want to try another drink that's equally as strong, this might be a good choice.
You can actually make your own peppermint schnapps
Did you know you could make a homemade version of Rumple Minze? If you are a DIY kind of person who likes to try out new recipes at home, you might want to give this one a go. You'll need less than 30 minutes to make three quarts of your homemade schnapps.
As your first step, you'll need to gather together the various ingredients. Make sure to have water, sugar, peppermint extract, and Everclear on hand. Warm a large saucepan over medium heat, then mix in 10 cups of water and six cups of sugar. Stir thoroughly until they are well combined. Turn up the heat until your simple syrup is at a boil for about one minute. After your mixture has cooled completely, mix in one ounce of peppermint extract and one pint of 190 proof Everclear grain alcohol.
This alcoholic beverage does best when stored in airtight containers at room temperature. You'll now have three pints of your homemade peppermint schnapps to enjoy and share with friends the next time you have an occasion to celebrate.