In 2009, while working for Winifred’s in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I was first introduced to St. Germain. I remember seeing the bottle and thinking how amazing it looked. I hadn’t seen anything like that before.
The unique shape and the plaque let you know the year the elderflower was harvested for that specific bottle.
Our chef ordered because of the unique bottle. He had heard it is a unique liquor that can do some fantastic things to cocktails.
When we got it in, I remembered the fantastic aroma and taste. It was, for sure, something I hadn’t tasted before. Granted, this was within my first year of bartending, so I had yet to learn what was in store.
Who Created St Germain?
Rob Cooper, a third-generation distiller, created the bottle of St Germain himself, and the company was launched in 2007.
The name St Germain comes from Saint-Germain-des-Prés, an iconic district in Paris where free-thinking artists could express themselves.
How is St Germain Made?
In France, the elderflower tree is grown. The flowers of this tree are picked once a year, usually in the early morning, around late May, in a three—to four-week window.
This will ensure that the aroma and flavor of the fresh elderflower blossoms are at their best for this French liqueur.
The method of French savior-faire is used by their master of botanicals and master liqueurists. These decades of experience have given St Germain its unique taste.
Does St Germain Have a Nickname?
The most popular nickname for St Germain is the Bartender’s Ketchup because anything you put in it will make it taste good.
What kind of Alcohol is St Germain?
St Germain is an elderflower liqueur with an ABV of 20% and a higher sugar content than leading spirits like bourbon, rum, gin, etc.
With the lower ABV, it is a very well-balanced liqueur.
Can you Drink St Germain Liqueur Straight?
You can enjoy St Germain straight or over ice. It makes a great after-dinner drink, similar to Baily’s Irish Cream.
It offers sweet, balanced, floral notes with hints of fruit you might want instead of coffee or chocolate.
Do Most Bars have St-Germain?
If the bar or restaurant makes craft cocktails, you will unlikely see a bottle of St Germain on the shelf.
With the vast versatility and the surge of Hugo Spitizs these past years, it’s a bottle every bartender will use.
What is Similar to St-Germain Liqueur?
There are several other types of elderflower liqueur. Some brands are Drillaud, St. Elder, and Bols.
I have tried a lot of these, and they do not come close to the taste and aroma that St Germain offers.
Although the price point of these other brands is lower, St Germain offers much more.
It’s more balanced and doesn’t have a synthetic taste from all the other brands I have tasted.
3 Cocktails I Love Using St Germain, Elderflower Liqueur
Hugo Spritz
Parisian Daiquiri
Bazinga
This is one of the three cocktails that won me my first Iowa’s Top Mixologist award in 2013. It’s a two-ingredient cocktail that is great as an after-dinner drink that combines honey whiskey and St Germain.