🥃 Kräuterlikör
Kräuterlikör is the German word for herbal liqueur: a sweet spirit drink flavoured with herbs, roots and spices. Under EU law it is a liqueur: at least 15% ABV, as a rule 100 g/l of sugar.
Kräuterlikör is the German word for "herbal liqueur": a sweet spirit drink flavoured with herbs, roots and spices. It is a descriptive name, not a legal category. Regulation (EU) 2019/787 has no category called Kräuterlikör, so such a drink is a liqueur (category 33) or, if its taste is predominantly bitter, a bitter-tasting spirit drink (category 30).
Legal rules. A liqueur is a sweetened spirit drink of at least 15% ABV with at least 100 g of sweetening products per litre, expressed as invert sugar; liqueurs flavoured exclusively with gentian or a similar plant or wormwood need only 80 g per litre. A bitter-tasting spirit drink must also be at least 15% ABV, and the word "bitter" may be used for bitter-tasting liqueurs too.
A Bavarian example. "Bayerischer Kräuterlikör" is a spirit name protected under Regulation (EU) 2019/787. According to GenussErbe Bayern of the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry, herbs, roots, flowers and spices are weighed, ground and mixed, then made into extracts with ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin by maceration, digestion or percolation. The extracts are filtered, sweetened with sugar products or honey and bottled, some after ageing in casks.
Why this matters to you. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, health claims are not allowed on drinks above 1.2% vol., so herbs on a label do not make a drink medicinal. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | liqueur (cat. 33 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787); there is no separate “Kräuterlikör” category |
|---|---|
| Raw material | herbs, roots, flowers, spices, peel; spirit of agricultural origin; sugar or honey |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 15% ABV; sugar usually from 100 g/l |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Kräuterlikör → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Digestif, 🌍 Central Europe
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Bayerischer Kräuterlikör, 🥃 Jägermeister, 🍸 Bitter (bitter-tasting spirit drink), 🥃 Amaro, 🥃 Magenbitter, 🥃 Magenbitter, 🥃 Mariazeller Magenlikör, 🥃 Mariazeller Magenlikör, 🥃 Trauktinė Dainava, 🥃 Trauktinė Palanga
Frequently asked questions
What does the word Kräuterlikör mean?
In German it means "herbal liqueur". It is a descriptive name; EU law has no separate category with this name.
What are the minimum strength and sugar content?
A liqueur is at least 15% ABV and as a rule has at least 100 g of sweetening products per litre; for gentian or wormwood liqueurs it is 80 g.
Is there a protected name for herbal liqueur?
Yes, for Bavaria: Bayerischer Kräuterlikör 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.
- 🌍 Central Europe — Curd cheese (quark), cheeses and butter in peasant cooking.
- 🍸 Bitter (bitter-tasting spirit drink) — Spirit drink with a predominantly bitter taste: flavoured alcohol or distillate from 15% vol.; EU category 30.
- 🥃 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.
- 🥃 Digestif — A small serving of brandy, grappa, amaro or liqueur at the end of a meal; French digestif, Italian digestivo. A custom, not an EU category.
Similar
🥃 Rosolio (Italian botanical liqueur) · 🥃 Goldwasser · 🥃 Orahovača · 🥃 Mirto · 🥃 Génépi · 🥃 Pelinkovac
⚠️ 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: category 30 bitter-tasting spirit drink or bitter; category 33 liqueur
- GenussErbe Bayern (Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry): Bayerischer Kräuterlikör
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods, Art. 4(3)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)