Egg Cream Liqueur

Egg Cream Liqueur made with a family recipe and Bourbon vanilla

The Egg Cream Liqueur from the Ehringhausen distillery is made according to a family recipe using fresh organic eggs, cream, and real Bourbon vanilla. At 20% ABV, it is creamy but not stickily sweet. Not an "old lady's drink," as the house itself puts it.

Egg liqueur (Eierlikör) is an egg- and cream-based liqueur, and this one clears up the category's reputation. In Werne, it is prepared according to a family recipe with fresh organic egg yolk, milk, and cream, plus real Bourbon vanilla instead of flavoring. The label states "liqueur with egg addition," which is how the spirit regulations classify this method of production.

Not an old lady's drink

Not an "old lady's drink" – that is how the distillery describes its own liqueur, and the phrase hits the mark.

What many people have in mind when they think of egg liqueur is too sweet, too heavy, and tastes like vanilla extract from a packet. This one is creamy, flavorful, and balanced, and the Bourbon vanilla provides that dark, slightly resinous depth that artificial flavoring never achieves.

In the glass, it is a rich yellow and viscous, but it doesn't leave a stringy residue. On the palate, it remains creamy without becoming cloying, and the 20% ABV ensures that the sweetness has a counterpoint. The finish tastes of egg and vanilla, not sugar.

Organic eggs, cream, and real vanilla

The list of ingredients remains straightforward, and that is exactly where the quality lies. Fresh organic egg yolk, milk, and cream, plus real Bourbon vanilla and the distillery's own fine spirit.

The eggs are sourced from organic farms and are added fresh to the batch, which is no small feat for a liqueur with egg, as fresh egg yolk forgives no sloppiness. This is why the bottle belongs in the refrigerator after opening.

A liqueur made from fresh eggs is simply not a product you can make once and then forget, and how Theres and Georg manage this can be seen in the storage instructions. Anyone working with powder and emulsifiers instead saves all that trouble, but loses exactly the freshness that this is all about.

Bourbon vanilla is the second point where producers differ. It costs many times more than synthetic vanillin, and you can taste the difference immediately as soon as both are placed side-by-side. "Good taste never gets old" – that is how the house titles its liqueur collection, and with this classic, the phrase should be taken literally.

Shake before pouring

Shake well before enjoying, then store in a cool, dark place, as recommended by the distillery.

This is not a formality. In a liqueur without emulsifiers, the egg yolk settles over time, and if you don't shake it, you get a thin pour first and then one that is far too thick. A vigorous swirl before pouring is sufficient. The 500 ml keep well in the refrigerator, and such a bottle rarely lasts long once opened anyway.

Served well-chilled, it is delicious neat in a small glass, poured over vanilla ice cream, or as a glaze on a warm chocolate cake. It also works well in coffee, and it does half the work when making zabaglione. It is just as good for baking, because an egg liqueur cake with glaze never goes out of style, and if you are making waffles, simply add a splash to the batter. It gets fruitier with the Orange Egg Cream Liqueur; further bottles can be found in our egg liqueur selection.

It is made in Werne, where the family has been distilling since 1962 and where Theres and Georg have been running the business in the third generation since 2012. You can find the entire house in the Ehringhausen Distillery collection.

And if anyone should still turn up their nose: pour it, set it down, and wait.

Organic inspection body DE-ÖKO-005 – German Agriculture