🥃 Ostfriesischer Korngenever (East Frisian grain genever)
German protected name for East Frisian genever: alcohol only from grain distillate and moutwijn, juniper flavour by distillation only; at least 38% ABV, sugar up to 5 g/l.
Ostfriesischer Korngenever is a protected geographical indication of Germany for genever from East Frisia. According to the technical file, it is a genever made only in East Frisia whose alcohol consists solely of grain distillate and 'moutwijn'. The finished drink is at least 38% ABV, against 30% for juniper-flavoured spirit drinks in general, and holds no more than 5 g of sugar per litre (as invert sugar); no colourings are added.
Where it is made. The zone is East Frisia: the districts of Aurich, Leer and Wittmund and the city of Emden in Lower Saxony. Diluting to drinking strength, bottling and labelling may also take place outside the zone. The file says the name has been protected as a geographical indication in the EU since the first spirit drinks regulation, Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89, and in Germany by the amending ordinance of 8 December 2000. Locally the drink is called 'ostfriesischer Landtee' (East Frisian country tea).
How it is made. The grain distillate comes from a fermented mash of whole wheat, rye, barley, oats or buckwheat. Moutwijn is a distillate of fermented grain mash of 40–80% ABV, made from whole grain or from malt only; it must make up at least 1.5% of the alcohol in the finished drink. Dried juniper berries, sometimes with other plants such as coriander, caraway or rosemary, flavour the spirit by distillation only; sometimes the berries are first steeped in the spirit.
Ageing and labelling. After distillation the drink is often matured in wooden casks or other suitable vessels, for anything from 3 months to several years. Words such as 'gereift' or 'alt' may be used only after at least 6 months; 'ganz alter' or 'sehr alter' only after 3 years, with the real ageing time shown in the same field of vision. A more specific place in East Frisia, such as an island or a town, may be added next to the full name.
Why this matters to you. The drink is water-clear, or yellowish to brownish after ageing in wood; the file describes the taste as soft and harmonious, with a mild to strong juniper note. The WHO states that there is no safe amount of alcohol that does not affect health.
Facts
| EU category | 19 — juniper-flavoured spirit drink; PGI-DE-02050 1 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | technical file PGI-DE-02050 (BMEL, 2016); protected in the EU since Reg. (EEC) 1576/89 1 |
| Raw material | grain distillate (wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat), moutwijn ≥ 1.5%, juniper berries 1 |
| Distillation method | juniper and plants by distillation only; moutwijn 40–80% ABV 1 |
| Minimum maturation | none required; 'gereift' from 6 months, 'ganz alter' from 3 years 1 |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 38% ABV; sugar up to 5 g/l 1 |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Ostfriesischer Korngenever (East Frisian grain genever) → kind of → 🍸 Gin and juniper spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky, 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Dutch
- Part of
- 🥃 Genever, 🍸 Gin and juniper spirits
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🍸 Gin, 🥃 Steinhäger, 🥃 Balegemse jenever, 🥃 Emsländer Korn, 🥃 Genièvre de grains / Graanjenever, 🥃 Genièvre Flandre Artois, 🥃 Grain spirit
Frequently asked questions
Is Ostfriesischer Korngenever just German gin?
No. It is a separate protected name: a genever whose alcohol is only grain distillate and moutwijn, at least 38% ABV, with at least 1.5% moutwijn.
Where can it be made?
In East Frisia: the districts of Aurich, Leer and Wittmund and the city of Emden. Bottling and labelling outside the zone are allowed.
What does 'gereift' on the label mean?
That the drink matured at least 6 months in contact with wood or in another suitable vessel; 'ganz alter' means at least 3 years.
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.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 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.
Similar
🥃 Balegemse jenever · 🥃 Genièvre de grains / Graanjenever · 🥃 Genièvre Flandre Artois · 🥃 Hasseltse jenever · 🥃 Genièvre aux fruits / Vruchtenjenever · 🥃 Genever
⚠️ 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: technical file PGI-DE-02050 «Ostfriesischer Korngenever», category 19 juniper-flavoured spirit drinks (BMEL, 10.06.2016)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)