Wildschönauer Krautinger *

Traditionally distilled spirit drink from stubble turnips grown in the Wildschönau, Tyrol.
 
Record Number: 47
 
Disclosure date
In the 18^th   century Empress Maria Theresia granted the farmers of the Wildschönau region the exclusive right to distil the turnip spirit drink “Krautinger”. 
 

Photo: BM...

Title
Wildschönauer Krautinger 
 
Abstract or claim
Traditionally distilled spirit drink from stubble turnips grown in the Wildschönau, Tyrol.
 
Name of product, product class
Spirit drinks
 
Name of region
Wilschönau, Tyrol, Austria
 
Field of search
Agriculture and Spirit drinks
 
Name of information provider
---
 
Name of applicant for title
---
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Of the original 51 farmers on whom the royal permission to distil Krautinger was bestowed only about 15 are still distilling the spirit drink today.
 
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
 
Descriptors
- History:
Empress Maria Theresia (1740-1780) granted the farmers of the Wildschönau region the exclusive right to distil the beet spirit drink “Krautinger” in order to allow for an additional income for the farmers.  All in all 51 farmers were granted the right to distil the fermented turnip juice.The farmers were poor and fruits were rare in the Kitzbühler Alps.
It was only in the Wildschönau and nowhere else in the territory of the Austrian monarchy that it was permitted by royal decree to distil the turnip brandy Krautinger. Even the Third Reich confirmed this right in Berlin in 1942.
Of the original 51 farmers on whom the royal permission was bestowed only about 15 are still distilling the brandy today.
 
- Region:
Tyrol. Wildschönau is a 24 km long high valley, to the South of the Unterinntal (lower Inn valley).
 
- Stoppelrübe (Stubble turnip):
Turnip (Brassica rapa ssp. Rapa) belongs to the family Brassicaceae and is a traditional agricultural crop. The German denominations Mairübe (May beet) and Herbstrübe (autumn beet) refer to the fact that the plants are grown twice per year. The denomination Wasserrübe and the vernacular term Soachruabn (literally pee beet) may be due to the plant’s diuretic effect.
 
Turnips are tolerant to soil and climatic conditions and are therefore well suited for high valleys such as the Wildschönau.
 
Production of seeds:
The turnip seed is very carefully chosen; most of the farmers harvest the seed themselves and refuse to use industrial seed.
For this purpose, turnips are covered with a thick layer (about 30 cm) of dung in autumn. In the next year, end of May to beginning of June, the plants bear beautiful yellow blossoms. The ripe seeds are harvested and then dried on balconies or attics on linen sheets.
 
Sowing:
The seeds are sown manually at the beginning of May (Mairübe) of the following year and the turnips are harvested end-July. After that the second sowing takes place and the crops are harvested in October (Herbstrübe).
After harvesting, turnips are first clamped and then the leaves are removed from the roots. The roots are thoroughly cleaned, washed and finely chopped mechanically in a “Ratzmühle”(centrifugation mill with adjustable stainless-steel sieves, ideal for mashing for distillation).
 
- Utilization:
The mash is pressed in a baler in the same way as apple mash in order to separate pomace from juice. The remaining beet pomace is used for feeding game. The obtained turnip juice is heated in big kettles until the mass is reduced to a third. Then the brew is chilled to 37^o  C and filled into fermentation barrels. Today, pure culture yeasts are added. In former times, the “Gmachtl” was used which was made by mixing yeast with a litre of lukewarm brew. The dough was left to prove for 48 hours and then added to the chilled brew. The fermentation process lasts for 1.5 to 2 days.
The Krautinger is distilled twice and then diluted to have an ethanol content of 39-49% vol.
Traditionally the boilers are heated with beech wood.
 
The Krautinger is characterized by a very peculiar taste which reminds very much of vegetables.
 
Farmers in the Wildschönau produce about 2,000 litres of turnip spirit drink, solely for their own consumption. A limited amount of Krautinger is available for sale in the villages Niederau, Oberau, Thierbach, and Auffach, at various markets (e.g. the Museum of Mountain Farms) or right at the farmhouses.
 
The Wildschönauer Krautinger is considered to be a (Wildschönau) folk remedy which not only aids digestion and cures flue, but also eases depression (according to regional "experience").
 
- Protection:
“Wildschönauer Krautinger“ is protected for the geographical area Wildschönau/Tyrol in Codex Alimentarius Austriacus Chapter B 23: Spirits. Annex 1: Protected Designations.
 
Key words
Spirit drinks and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Tyrol, region, Krautinger, Wildschönau, Niederau, Oberau, Thierbach, Auffach, Mairübe, Herbstrübe, Wasserrübe, Soachruabn,turnip,Krautrübe, Stoppelrübe, Wildschönauer Krautinger, beet spirit drink, stubble turnip 
Brassica rapa ssp. Rapa
 
Bibliography/ References
- Codex Alimentarius Austriacus Chapter B 23: Spirits. Annex 1: Protected Designations.
- JUEN W, WIESER J, BÖHM T. Der Krautinger. In: Das Tiroler Schnaps Buch- Edelbrände mit Tradition,
  Verlagsanstalt Tyrolia, Innsbruck, 2002; 103-114.
- Ein Wundermittel - der Wildschönauer Krautinger
  http://www.wildschoenau.com/besonderheiten/sommer/de/detail.aspx  
- Sonstige Brände 
  http://www.schnapsnase.at/lexikon/lexikonsonst.html
- Krautinger- an Elixir of Life from the Wildschönau
  http://www.tyrol.com/xxl/_articleId/489077/_area/414512/_subArea/456573/_subArea2/456599/_subArea3//_lang/en/index.html - Wildschönauer Krautingerrübe 
  http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/15121 
- Ratzmühlen 
  http://www.seema.de/index.php?id=451  
 
Language code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
 
Regional contact
Tourismusinfo Wildschönau
6311 Oberau 337
Phone.: 05339 8255
Fax: 05339 8255- 50
E-Mail: t.lerch@wildschönau.com
www.wildschönau.com
 
Authors: Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 
* revised version in preparation
 

01.03.2010, Lebensministerium III/4