🥃 Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör
Bavarian herbal liqueur from the municipality of Benediktbeurer: an EU PGI since 1989, from 38% ABV, sugar at least 200 g/l, golden yellow, with edible gold leaf.
Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör is an EU protected geographical indication for a herbal liqueur from the municipality of Benediktbeurer in Upper Bavaria. It is made from spirit of agricultural origin with herbs and spices, sweetened with at least 200 g/l of sugar, and finished with edible gold leaf. Strength is from 38% ABV, colour golden yellow.
Protected name. The name has been protected in the EU since 1989, from the first spirit drinks regulation (EEC) No 1576/89, and confirmed in 2008. Under Regulation (EU) 2019/787 it is a liqueur, category 33. Germany submitted the technical file PGI-DE-02002 on 29 December 2017. The liqueur is prepared in Benediktbeurer; dilution, bottling and labelling may take place elsewhere, but only in Bavaria.
Raw materials and production. The main herb is Cretan dittany (Origanum dictamnus); the extract also includes bitter orange, clove, peppermint and anise. The extract is obtained by maceration, hot infusion, percolation or distillation, mixed with other plant extracts, wine distillate or spirit, and matured for at least six weeks in vessels of over 50 litres. The colour is stabilised with saffron extract and caramel, and the gold leaf is added at bottling.
History. Monastic life in Benediktbeurer probably began in the 760s; the Benedictine era ended with secularisation in 1803, and since 1930 the monastery has belonged to the Salesians of Don Bosco. According to the technical file, the monks grew medicinal herbs for centuries, took up liqueurs roughly from the 16th century, and the recipe is traced back to the 13th century. Bavarian spirit producers bottle and sell the liqueur today.
Why this matters to you. Monastic history and herbs do not make the liqueur a medicine: health claims on drinks above 1.2% vol. are banned in the EU. Gold flecks are edible gold leaf, not a mark of quality. What you have in front of you is a sweet, strong spirit from 38% ABV. WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | liqueur (category 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787); EU protected geographical indication since 1989 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787; technical file PGI-DE-02002 (2017) |
| Raw material | spirit of agricultural origin, herbs and spices (Cretan dittany, bitter orange, clove, peppermint, anise), sugar, edible gold leaf |
| Minimum maturation | at least 6 weeks of maturation in vessels over 50 litres |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 38% ABV; sugar from 200 g/l |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Anise
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 🌍 Central Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör, 🥃 Bénédictine, 🥃 Jägermeister, 🥃 Ettaler Klosterlikör
Frequently asked questions
Is monastery liqueur really a herbal remedy?
No. The herbs were once gathered for medicinal use, but health claims on drinks above 1.2% vol. are banned in the EU; this is a strong spirit from 38% ABV.
Why does Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör contain gold?
According to the technical file, edible gold leaf is added at bottling: it gives golden glints and does not change the taste.
How does it differ from Bavarian herbal liqueur?
Bayerischer Kräuterlikör is a broader name for all of Bavaria; Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör is made only in Benediktbeurer, with at least 200 g/l sugar, from 38% ABV and with gold.
What is the main herb in Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör?
Cretan dittany (Origanum dictamnus); the extract also includes bitter orange, clove, peppermint and anise.
Are there other protected monastery liqueurs in Bavaria?
Yes: Chiemseer Klosterlikör and Ettaler Klosterlikör are separate EU geographical indications.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🌍 Central Europe — Curd cheese (quark), cheeses and butter in peasant cooking.
- 🥃 Jägermeister — German herbal liqueur from Wolfenbüttel: 56 herbs, flowers, roots and fruits are steeped in alcohol, and the base then ages for about a year in oak casks.
- 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör — Protected EU geographical indication for herbal liqueurs of Bavaria: spirit infusions of herbs, roots, flowers and spices, sweetened with sugar or honey; at least 15 % vol.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Chiemseer Klosterlikör · 🥃 Ettaler Klosterlikör · 🥃 Bayerischer Blutwurz · 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör · 🥃 Cantueso Alicantino · 🥃 Genepì del Piemonte
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — EU geographical indications register: Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör (EUGI00000014213), spirit drink, Germany; GI, product category liqueur, file PGI-DE-02002, EU protection date 12.06.1989, status registered
- eAmbrosia: technical file 'Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör' (PGI-DE-02002, submitted 29.12.2017, Ref. Ares(2017)6385394): municipality of Benediktbeuern; min. 38 % vol.; sugar min. 200 g/l; gold leaf; main herb dittany of Crete; maturation min. six weeks in containers of at least 50 l; dilution and bottling only within Bavaria
- Kloster Benediktbeuern: Geschichte — monastic life probably from the 760s, Benedictine period ended with secularisation in 1803, Salesians of Don Bosco since 1930
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Germany, 32. Liqueur — Berliner Kümmel, Hamburger Kümmel, Münchener Kümmel, Chiemseer Klosterlikör, Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör, Ettaler Klosterlikör
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I: cat. 23 caraway-flavoured spirit drink or Kümmel (min. 30 % vol., caraway predominant), cat. 33 liqueur (min. 15 % vol., sugar from 100 g/l)
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, Art. 4(3): no health claims on beverages over 1.2 % vol.
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)