🥃 Grain spirit
EU category 3: a strong spirit made only by distilling fermented mash of whole cereal grain, keeping the taste of the raw material; at least 35% ABV (German Korn — 32%), no flavourings.
Grain spirit is EU category 3 of spirit drinks: a drink obtained only by distilling fermented mash of whole cereal grain, which keeps the taste of the raw material. No other spirit is added and it is not flavoured. The minimum strength is 35% ABV, and for German Korn it is 32%.
Rules. Regulation (EU) 2019/787 allows only caramel for colour and sweetening of up to 10 g per litre to round off the taste. If the spirit is distilled below 95% ABV, it may be called “grain brandy”. The word “grain” in the name can be replaced by the name of the cereal if the drink is made from that cereal alone.
Korn. The best-known grain spirit in the EU is German Korn. The technical file “Korn/Kornbrand” requires at least 32% ABV for Korn, 37.5% for Kornbrand and 38% for Doppelkorn. Local names are protected separately, such as Emsländer Korn, Haselünner and Münsterländer.
How it differs. Vodka is purified to a neutral taste, can also be made from non-grain materials, and is at least 37.5% ABV. Whisky is also made from grain, but must mature for at least three years in wooden casks and be at least 40% ABV. A review in a scientific journal from Łódź records small distilleries returning to rye, barley and malt and to traditional methods.
Why this matters to you. The words “grain spirit” or “Korn” mean a drink with the taste of grain, not neutral vodka; Korn can be weaker than the usual vodka. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | 3 — grain spirit |
|---|---|
| Raw material | only fermented mash of whole cereal grain |
| Distillation method | no limit for “grain spirit”; “grain brandy” — below 95% ABV |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 35% ABV; Korn — at least 32%, Kornbrand — 37.5%, Doppelkorn — 38% |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 3; technical file “Korn/Kornbrand” |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Grain spirit → similar → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🥃 Column still
- Made from
- 🌾 Common wheat, 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🌾 Vodka and grain spirits
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🍸 Vodka, 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Emsländer Korn, 🥃 Ostfriesischer Korngenever (East Frisian grain genever), 🥃 Genever
Frequently asked questions
Is Korn just German vodka?
No. Korn belongs to category 3, grain spirit: it keeps the taste of grain and can be at least 32% ABV, while vodka is at least 37.5%.
What is grain spirit made from?
Only from fermented mash of whole cereal grain: wheat, rye, barley and others; no other spirit may be added.
What is “grain brandy”?
A name for grain spirit distilled below 95% ABV that keeps the taste markers of the raw material.
Can grain spirit be flavoured?
No. Only caramel for colour and up to 10 g of sweetener per litre are allowed.
How is grain spirit different from whisky?
Whisky must mature for at least three years in wooden casks and be at least 40% ABV; for grain spirit, ageing is not required.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🥃 Genever — Juniper spirit of Belgium, the Netherlands, northern France and western Germany (GI): from 30% vol., at least 1.5% grain distillate.
Similar
🥔 Potato vodka · 🍸 Vodka · 🍸 Flavoured vodka · 🥃 Blended Grain Scotch Whisky · 🥃 Corn whiskey · 🥃 Irish Single Malt Whiskey
⚠️ 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
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I as adopted (legislation.gov.uk): cat. 3 grain spirit — whole grain cereals only, min. 35 % (except Korn), not flavoured, caramel for colour only, ≤ 10 g/l sweetening, 'grain brandy' if distilled < 95 % vol., 'grain' may be replaced by the cereal
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: category 3 — grain spirit; category 2 — whisky; category 15 — vodka
- eAmbrosia (EU GI register): technical file 'Korn/Kornbrand' (updated 29.12.2015): Korn ≥ 32 %, Kornbrand ≥ 37.5 %, Doppelkorn ≥ 38 %; Emsländer, Haselünner, Hasetaler, Münsterländer, Sendenhorster as separate GIs
- Kuta A., Balcerek M. New trends or return to traditional methods in the production of grain spirits? Folia Biologica et Oecologica 16 (2020) — review: return to traditional raw materials (rye, barley, malted and unmalted) in small distilleries
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)