Advocaat

Advocaat is a liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar, and alcohol: thick, yellow, and sweet; under European law, it can only be called Advocaat if it contains at least 140 grams of pure egg yolk and 150 grams of sugar per liter, and has a minimum alcohol content of 14 percent by volume.

Eierlikör is a liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar, and alcohol: thick, yellow, and sweet. According to European law, it can only be called Eierlikör if it contains at least 140 grams of pure egg yolk and 150 grams of sugar per liter, and has a minimum alcohol content of 14 percent by volume.

The Duden dictionary summarizes it in one sentence: a thick, yellow liqueur made from alcohol, eggs, and sugar. The EU spirits regulation recognizes it under four names—Eierlikör, Advocaat, Avocat, and Advokat—and the Dutch name reveals its origin. The Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection traces it back to the Amazon: there, indigenous people drank a beverage called abacate made from the soft pulp of the avocado; colonists added rum and cane sugar, calling it advocaat, and the Dutch brought the recipe to Europe in the 17th century. Avocados were not available here, so they were replaced by something just as creamy that could be found in every pantry: egg yolk.

What is the basis of Eierlikör?

Egg yolk, sugar, and alcohol, in that order of importance and with fixed minimum thresholds. The regulation mandates at least 140 grams of pure egg yolk per liter of finished product, at least 150 grams of sugar or honey (calculated as invert sugar), and at least 14 percent by volume. Egg white is permitted, and milk and dairy products have been allowed since June 8, 2019; beyond that, only flavoring foodstuffs, flavorings, and flavoring extracts are permitted. The egg yolk is therefore not just one ingredient among many, but the substance that defines the liqueur: it binds fat and water, provides the color, and makes it thick without the need for cream. Anyone weighing out 140 grams on a kitchen scale has roughly seven yolks in front of them for a single liter. That is how much egg is in every bottle that bears this name. Honey instead of sugar is permitted but rare; and because the regulation explicitly specifies high-quality egg yolk, the origin of the eggs is the first thing a good label will communicate.

What kind of alcohol is in Eierlikör?

Three methods are permitted: ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (which authorities call neutral alcohol), a distillate from agricultural raw materials, or a finished spirit—or a combination thereof. The chosen method is stated on the label and shapes the flavor. Rübbelberg in Berlin-Kreuzberg makes its organic Eierlikör using a grain spirit distilled at a family distillery in the Black Forest; NORK in Bremen also relies on grain spirit. Marzadro in Trentino makes its Bombardino from Trentino milk, egg yolk, and rum. Piekfeine Brände in Bremen stirs in their own house-distilled elderberry brandy, or a plum brandy at Christmas, while Lantenhammer adds an orange spirit made from Sicilian oranges to its Raritas. If such an ingredient is highlighted on the label, its percentage must be stated; quantity labeling requirements demand this, and it is worth looking for. The strength rarely stays at the 14 percent by volume minimum; the bottles in this text range between 15 and 25 percent by volume.

Does Eierlikör contain raw egg?

Yes. The egg yolk is not heated, but stirred cold with sugar and alcohol, which is exactly why the law requires the 14 percent by volume lower limit: alcohol and sugar act as preservatives, allowing the raw yolk to keep for months. Rübbelberg notes that their liqueur does not need to be refrigerated for shelf-life reasons, even after opening—only for taste—and if the egg separates from the grain spirit after a while, a good shake will help. The flip side of the raw egg is the reason why small distilleries love working with it: you can taste an egg laid yesterday. The Bavarian State Office describes Eierlikör as a product that is often artisanally produced according to proprietary recipes and sold directly at the farm, frequently using eggs from their own operation. If eggs other than chicken eggs are used, the label must state this. A best-before date is not mandatory for spirits; if one appears on the bottle anyway, the producer has given careful thought to the egg.

What else is in Eierlikör?

Read the ingredient list from back to front to see the house style. At Piekfeine Brände, it lists organic egg yolk from the region, alcohol, sugar, and nothing else, plus the elderberry brandy. Rübbelberg lists organic egg yolk, organic grain spirit, almost a whole vanilla bean per large bottle, and a hint of lime, omitting milk and cream, and has significantly reduced the sugar compared to standard Eierlikör; the house wanted less pudding and more liqueur. Lantenhammer derives the creaminess of its Raritas solely from fresh egg yolk, without cream. The Ehringhausen distillery takes a different approach, stirring cream and Bourbon vanilla into organic eggs according to a family recipe. Bellabomba by Marzadro is a mountain liqueur made from milk, egg yolk, and rum with 17 percent by volume, which is drunk warm in Trentino, topped with whipped cream and bitter cocoa. Two details on the label reveal more than one might think: the alcohol content is provided in the prescribed format, e.g., 16% vol, and under the Food Information Regulation, it may deviate by no more than 0.3 percent by volume from the actual content; anyone using milk or cream must declare them as allergens. Where both are absent, the liqueur is made without milk, as with Rübbelberg, Lantenhammer, and Piekfeine Brände.

On the plate, it is more than just an Easter liqueur. A dash in the cake batter makes it moist, a spoonful over vanilla ice cream or in coffee serves as a dessert, and in winter, there is the Bombardino: heat Bellabomba in a water bath, pour into a thick-walled glass, add whipped cream on top, and dust with bitter cocoa. Served straight, it belongs in a small glass, cold, not icy, because too much cold masks the vanilla and the egg; and the bottle should be turned once before pouring so that the yolk and grain spirit find each other again.