Schladerer Williams Birne Pear Brandy
Schladerer Williams Birne Pear Brandy is a clear German pear eau-de-vie distilled from 100% sun-ripened Williams (Bartlett) pears, bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) in a 750mL bottle — and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA. Made by Alfred Schladerer Alte Schwarzwälder Hausbrennerei of Staufen in the Black Forest — family-owned since Sixtus Schladerer founded it in 1844 — it is genuine fruit distillation: cooled fermentation, small traditional copper pot stills, no wood aging, no added sugar, no coloring, no artificial flavoring.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Fruit: 100% Williams pears — Markgräflerland and alpine valleys, harvested at peak
- Style: Unaged eau-de-vie — bottled clear, no wood, no added sugar
- Origin: Staufen, Black Forest, Germany — 6th-generation family distillery, est. 1844
Since 1844: Pear, Copper, Nothing Else
Sixtus Schladerer started making fruit brandies for guests at his own restaurant in 1844 — "handcrafted and served to close friends" — and six generations later the house still distills the same way. The Williams pears are harvested at peak ripeness and processed without delay; a cooled fermentation protects the intensive fruity aromas before distillation in small copper pot stills. It is the authenticity play in the eau-de-vie category: real fruit, real distillation, nothing added — rated 92 points by Tastings.com. Try it slightly chilled as a digestif, with sparkling wine and a pear garnish, or add an ounce to coffee. Explore more in the Brandy collection, or browse the distillery at Schladerer.
Tasting Notes
Ripe Williams pear and soft floral notes on the nose, with a touch of pepper and allspice. The palate is dry and aromatic — juicy pear with peppery spice and a satiny body, bone-dry with a glycerous pear mid-palate, a whisper of mace, and a long clean finish of lingering pear juice and pear skin.
How to Enjoy
Excellent slightly chilled, neat, as a digestif. It also lifts sparkling wine or champagne with a pear garnish, and a one-ounce pour transforms a cup of coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Williams Birne a liqueur or a brandy? A brandy — a true unaged pear eau-de-vie distilled from 100% Williams pears. Do not confuse it with Schladerer's pear liqueurs.
What pears are used? 100% Williams (Bartlett) pears from the Markgräflerland and alpine valleys, per the importer's official specification.
How old is the Schladerer distillery? Founded in 1844 by Sixtus Schladerer in Staufen, Black Forest — still family-owned in its sixth generation.
Stock Schladerer Williams Birne at Del Mesa Liquor — six generations of Black Forest pear brandy, delivered in San Diego, CA.