🥃 Killepitsch
Herbal liqueur from Düsseldorf, 42% ABV; over 98 herbs, berries and fruits; made by the family firm Peter Busch, which has produced spirits since 1858.
Killepitsch is a herbal liqueur from Düsseldorf with 42% ABV. According to the producer, it is made from over 98 herbs, berries and fruits from around the world, and the recipe is a closely guarded family secret. It is made by the liqueur company Peter Busch, which has produced spirits in Düsseldorf since 1858.
History. According to the producer, Peter Busch and his wife Johanna opened a shop for wine, spirits and spices on Bolkerstraße and later moved the business to Hohestraße 50. After the Second World War, the brothers Hans and Willi Busch rebuilt it. In 1955 the wine and liqueur tasting room Et Kabüffke opened at Flingerstraße 1.
The name. According to the producer’s story, Willi Busch and the writer Hans Müller-Schlösser were in an air-raid shelter when the name “Killepitsch” was born. It is a family story rather than a documented fact.
How it is made. According to the producer, the herbs, berries and fruits are kept in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
Why it matters to you. 42% ABV is more than many vodkas, so the strength is easy to underestimate. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | spirits produced in Düsseldorf since 1858 (Peter Busch); Et Kabüffke opened 1955 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787: liqueur |
| EU category | 33 — liqueur |
| Raw material | over 98 herbs, berries and fruits (secret recipe) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 42% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Killepitsch → similar → 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 🌍 Central Europe
- Similar and different
- 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits, 🥃 Jägermeister, 🥃 Becherovka
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that the name Killepitsch was invented in a bomb shelter?
That is the producer’s account: the name was born when Willi Busch and the writer Hans Müller-Schlösser were in a shelter during an air raid. It is a family story.
What is the strength of Killepitsch?
42% ABV, according to the producer.
How many herbs are in Killepitsch?
The producer mentions over 98 herbs, berries and fruits; the full recipe remains secret.
Who makes Killepitsch?
The family liqueur company Peter Busch GmbH & Co. KG in Düsseldorf.
Where is Killepitsch served in Düsseldorf?
The tasting room Et Kabüffke at Flingerstraße 1 opened in 1955, according to the producer.
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.
- 🌍 Central Europe — Curd cheese (quark), cheeses and butter in peasant cooking.
- 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits — Bitter spirits: bitters from 15% vol.; gentian is a distillate of gentian root; bitter liqueurs are sweeter.
- 🥃 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.
Similar
🥃 Minttu · 🥃 Beirão · 🥃 Strega · 🥃 Pisang Ambon · 🥃 Goldschläger · 🥃 Hpnotiq
⚠️ 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
- Killepitsch (producer, Likörfabrik Peter Busch GmbH & Co. KG): Über uns — spirits produced since 1858; Bolkerstraße, Hohestraße 50; Hans and Willi Busch; Willi Busch and Hans Müller-Schlösser; Et Kabüffke, Flingerstraße 1, 1955
- Killepitsch (producer): Unsere Produkte — herbal liqueur from Düsseldorf, 42 % vol., over 98 herbs, berries and fruits, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, family secret recipe
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 33 (liqueur)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)