The German name for fruit distillates such as those from the Ziegler distillery is Edelbrand, meaning a fine eau de vie. By this we mean a spirit distilled from pure, best-quality fruit without the addition of other substances. Some producers add aromas and sugar to spirits which they describe as Brand; at Ziegler, however, the aroma of an Edelbrand is derived entirely from the fruit, and no sugar is added.
The word schnapps, a term known in the English-speaking world, is also used by some producers to refer to their fruit distillates. However, to avoid confusion with the German word Schnaps, which often denotes spirits of little refinement made from grain or potatoes, we find the French expression eau de vie more fitting for an Edelbrand made by true craftsmen to the highest Ziegler standards.
The difference between eau de vie and Geist (literally meaning ghost or spirit) is that the latter is distilled from a preparation of fruit steeped in alcohol.
A Ziegler liqueur (German Likör) is made in the same way as a Geist, except that it is sweetened by the addition of sugar to the fruit and alcohol. After fermentation the liquid is filtered, and the whole process of fermentation and filtering is performed a second time.

Fruit
Ziegler eaux de vie are made using many kinds of fruit: pome fruit, that is fruit with a core and pips such as pears and apples; stone fruit; and berries. In addition to the well-known fruits, some of our products are distilled from less usual sorts:
Mirabelle An aromatic type of yellow plum
Vogelbeere A type of rowan berry from Scandinavia
Weichsel Wild sour cherry
Zibarte Wild plum, now rare but still harvested in southern Germany and the Alpine region
Zwetschge Type of small plum with an intensive flavour