🥃 Finnish berry liqueur (Suomalainen Marjalikööri)
EU protected name for liqueurs made from Finnish berries and fruit such as cloudberry, bilberry, Arctic bramble, cranberry and lingonberry: at least 18% ABV and 130 g/l sugar.
Finnish berry liqueur (Suomalainen Marjalikööri) is an EU protected name for sweet liqueurs made in Finland from Finnish berries or fruit and ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin. The name also has the variants "Suomalainen Hedelmälikööri" (fruit liqueur), "Finsk Bärlikör" in Swedish and "Finnish berry liqueur" in English. Strength is at least 18% ABV, with at least 130 g of sugar per litre.
Berries and fruit. The technical file lists cloudberry, bilberry, Arctic bramble, cranberry, lingonberry and crowberry, as well as apples and pears. They must be picked in Finnish forests and bogs or grown in the country. Many of the berries are wild: Finnish law lets anyone pick them under "everyman's right". Depending on the berry, the liqueur ranges from dark blue to red and orange.
How it is made. The berries and fruit are extracted with alcohol and Finnish water, the mass is pressed and filtered, and the extract is rested in a tank. It is then blended with sugar and alcohol; natural flavourings or colourings may be added. After resting, the liqueur is filtered again and bottled. Taste, aroma and colour come mainly from the berries themselves.
History and protection. Finnish distilleries have made berry liqueurs since the 19th century: Lignell & Piispanen, for example, has produced its Arctic bramble liqueur since 1882. The name has been protected in the EU since 29 August 1994, before Finland joined the Union. Under EU law it is a liqueur (category 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787), which requires at least 15% ABV, but the Finnish name demands more.
Why this matters to you. The name "Suomalainen Marjalikööri" guarantees Finnish raw materials, not health benefits: it is a sweet drink of at least 18% ABV with a lot of sugar. Berries do not make a liqueur good for you. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | liqueur (cat. 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787); protected name |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | EU register since 29.08.1994 (PGI-FI-02041) |
| Raw material | Finnish berries and fruit, ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, Finnish water, sugar |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 18% ABV; at least 130 g/l sugar |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Finnish berry liqueur (Suomalainen Marjalikööri) → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- Made from
- 🥃 Ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 🌍 Northern Europe
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Crème de… liqueur, 🥃 Honey liqueur
Frequently asked questions
Is Finnish berry liqueur just juice mixed with alcohol?
No. The berries are extracted with alcohol and water, then the extract is pressed, filtered and rested before being blended with sugar; the liqueur has at least 18% ABV and at least 130 g of sugar per litre.
Which berries are used for Suomalainen Marjalikööri?
Finnish berries and fruit: cloudberry, bilberry, Arctic bramble, cranberry, lingonberry and crowberry, as well as apples and pears.
How strong is Finnish berry liqueur?
At least 18% ABV, which is more than the 15% ABV minimum for EU liqueurs.
Can this liqueur be made from imported berries?
No. The berries and fruit must be picked or grown in Finland, and the liqueur must be produced there too.
Since when has the name been protected?
The name has been in the EU register since 29 August 1994; today it is protected under Regulation (EU) 2019/787.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Maceration — Steeping the juice with the skins to extract colour, tannins and aroma.
- 🌍 Northern Europe — Scandinavia, Finland, Denmark and Iceland: a cold land of cows, Icelandic skyr, Norwegian brunost and Danish cheeses with protected names.
- 🍇 Crème de… liqueur — Crème de… (EU category 34): at least 250 g/l of sugar, from 15% vol., no milk products; crème de cassis — over 400 g/l.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Swedish punch (Svensk Punsch) · 🥃 Genepì del Piemonte · 🥃 Génépi des Alpes · 🥃 Wachauer Marillenlikör · 🥃 Mirto di Sardegna · 🥃 Mariazeller Magenlikör
⚠️ 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
- European Commission, eAmbrosia GI register — technical file PGI-FI-02041 'Suomalainen Marjalikööri / Suomalainen Hedelmälikööri / Finsk Bärlikör / Finsk Fruktlikör / Finnish berry liqueur / Finnish fruit liqueur' (Ares(2017)2398234): class 32 liqueur; Finnish berries and/or fruit (cloudberry, blueberry, Arctic bramble, cranberry, lingonberry, crowberry, apple, pear), min. 18 % vol., sugar min. 130 g/l; extraction in ethyl alcohol and Finnish water; Lignell & Piispanen Arctic bramble liqueur since 1882
- GOV.UK (Defra): Protected food and drink names — Finnish berry liqueur / Finnish fruit liqueur, spirit drink GI, Finland
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III (geographical indications) as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Finland — cat. 32 liqueur: Suomalainen Marjalikööri / Suomalainen Hedelmälikööri / Finsk Bärlikör / Finsk Fruktlikör / Finnish berry liqueur / Finnish fruit liqueur
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks: Annex I, cat. 33 liqueur (min. 15 % vol., sugar as a rule min. 100 g/l); Chapter III — geographical indications
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)