Egg Liqueur with Elderberry Brandy

Egg Liqueur with Elderberry Brandy from Piekfeine Brände in Bremen

Egg Liqueur with Elderberry Brandy by Piekfeine Brände is an egg liqueur made from organic egg yolks, given a fruity and floral twist by their own distilled elderberry brandy. It is the more "Easter-like" of the house's two varieties, while the Xmas variety with plum brandy takes over for the winter.

Egg Liqueur with Elderberry Brandy is the fruity egg liqueur from Piekfeine Brände in Bremen, stirred by Birgitta Schulze van Loon using organic egg yolks from the region. The elderberry brandy comes from their own still, turning this Easter classic into something unique – 25% ABV in a 350 ml bottle.

Rich egg yolk with a floral twist

First comes the rich, vanilla-scented creaminess you’d expect, and then the elderberry settles over it like a bright veil.

Elderberry brandy smells like a meadow, a summer evening, and white elderflower clusters along the roadside. In this liqueur, the effect is disarming: creamy, fruity, floral, and suddenly it no longer tastes like something from your grandmother's cupboard, but like something fresh.

The 25% ABV does the rest. Many others in this category sit at 14 or 15% ABV, as allowed by law. This one has more backbone without becoming harsh – the alcohol carries the fruit instead of overpowering it.

Over vanilla pudding, rice pudding, or in a glass

It feels right at home poured over lukewarm vanilla pudding, and it’s almost essential on rice pudding with cinnamon. It belongs on the Easter table regardless.

It is equally good chilled and neat, ideally served over a single ice cube with a coffee bean on top. The liqueur loves anything milky: semolina porridge, panna cotta, or a scoop of yogurt ice cream. In summer, mixed with cold rhubarb juice, it becomes a long drink that catches almost everyone by surprise.

It also pairs well with strawberries, as elderberry and red fruit have always gone well together. A spoonful over the bowl is all you need.

You can bake with it, too: a splash in the cake batter, a spoonful in the buttercream, and during Advent, the Xmas Egg Liqueur with damson brandy takes the lead.

Why the elderberry is distilled rather than macerated

Elderflowers release their aroma easily but lose it just as quickly – which is why the brandy here is distilled in-house rather than bought as a syrup.

Working with house-made distillates instead of purchased neutral alcohol is a core principle for the brand, as Birgitta Schulze van Loon maintains for all her liqueurs. For the elderberry, this means the blossoms are processed while fresh, and what goes into the bottle afterward still carries the scent of the flower.

Black elderberry grows throughout Europe along roadsides and hedges, blooming for only a few weeks in June. Those who want to harvest during this time have a tight window, which explains why genuine elderberry brandy is rare. It is precisely this floral freshness that makes it the perfect Easter variety: it suits bright days, cake on the terrace, and the first coffee outside.

The egg liqueur itself remains equally consistent. Organic regional egg yolks, alcohol, sugar – no cream, which is why the egg yolk alone provides the binding, with at least 140 g in every liter. You can find the entire range from the open-view manufactory at Piekfeine Brände, and if you are looking for fruit without egg, try the Wild Raspberry Spirit.