Grappa is a uniquely Italian drink that has been around since the Middle Ages. For generations, Italians have sipped this ‘firewater’ after meals and even added a little to their morning espresso, to ‘correct’ it.
Traditionally, grappa is made from pomace, the discarded grape seeds, stalks, and stems that are a by-product of the winemaking process.
Grappa was originally made in Bassano Del Grappa, a town of around 40,000 residents in Italy's northern Veneto region. It is from this town that Grappa gets its name. Grappa started as a by-product of the Italian winemaking trade, a rough drink made with what was available, potent enough to get the farmers through the cold winter months. It was good for warming up the body, but not particularly tasty, similar to the grain alcohols of the Midwestern United States. Grappa, largely, remained a drink of the poor workmen and farmers until the 1960s.
Once considered an acquired taste, popular only in Italy, Grappa, today, is making itself known around the world. Away from Italy, distilleries from Australia to Oregon are trying their hand at making Grappa, with surprisingly good results.