Berliner Luft
The crystal-clear peppermint liqueur from East Berlin, served icy cold. Everything about its alcohol percentage, history and the glass that goes with it.
An East Berlin classic that survived the Wall
Berliner Luft is a Pfefferminzlikör: a crystal-clear liqueur made almost entirely from peppermint. It is made by the family-owned company Schilkin, whose distillery is in Kaulsdorf, on the eastern side of Berlin. The first batch of peppermint liqueur came off the production line there in 1952, in the middle of the GDR era, and the drink soon became a fixture in East Germany.
After the fall of the Wall, the company struggled for years, but the bottle endured and has actually grown more popular in recent years, including outside Germany. At 18%, Berliner Luft sits between a cream liqueur and jonge jenever. The producer advises against using it in cocktails: its flavor is so distinctive that little remains of anything else you add.
In brief
Berliner Luft and other bottles from the fridge
There’s one bottle of Berliner Luft. These other herbal liqueurs are usually stocked alongside it in the fridge and served the same way.
Berliner Luft Peppermint
Crystal clear and almost entirely peppermint: fresh, slightly sweet and icy-cool in the mouth.
Jägermeister
Germany's best-known herbal liqueur, nearly twice as strong. Dark, bittersweet and herbal rather than fresh.
Kleiner Feigling
German fig liqueur, sweet and rounded. Just as approachable as Berliner Luft, but from the sweeter side.
Underberg
Not a convivial shot, but a digestif in a 2 cl bottle. Strongly bitter and much higher in alcohol.
Berliner Luft when you want something fresh and cooling; Jägermeister if you prefer herbal and bitter flavors.
Fresh peppermint, and little else
Peppermint
Pure, fresh peppermint, like a peppermint candy but without the powdery taste. There's little else to it, and that's the point.
Cool and slightly sweet
Cool and slightly sweet, with a refreshing sensation that spreads across the whole mouth. At 18% ABV, the alcohol stays in the background.
Long-lasting and cooling
The menthol lingers remarkably long and leaves your breath feeling cool. Exactly what you'd expect from a peppermint liqueur.
Flavor profile of Berliner Luft Pfefferminz. Jägermeister scores higher in herbal notes and strength; Kleiner Feigling scores higher in sweetness and fruitiness.
How to serve Berliner Luft
This bottle belongs in the freezer. At 18% ABV, the liqueur won't freeze and becomes thicker and more refreshing.
Ice-cold from the freezer
3 cl in a small shot glass, straight from the freezer. The cold makes the liqueur a little syrupy and the menthol hits even harder. This is how it's served in Berlin itself.
Glass: shot glass →As a digestif after a meal
4 cl in a small glass after a heavy meal. Peppermint has traditionally been used to relieve a feeling of fullness, and this bottle is better suited to that than most sweet liqueurs.
Glass: digestif glass →With sparkling water over ice
4 cl in a highball glass full of ice, topped with sparkling water and a sprig of mint. A surprisingly refreshing summer drink, and at 18% ABV, there's little alcohol in the glass.
Glass: highball glass →Cocktails with Berliner Luft
The producer honestly says this liqueur wasn't made for cocktails: the peppermint overpowers almost everything. So use just a little, or none at all.
Grasshopper
Crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream. The only classic where peppermint naturally fits.
Making shots
The complete collection of shot recipes, from layered to ice-cold from the freezer.
B52
Layered shot of coffee liqueur, cream liqueur, and triple sec. Peppermint also works as the top layer.
Warm version
A splash in hot tea with honey and lemon. The menthol comes through even more strongly when warm.The right glass for Berliner Luft
A small shot glass that can handle the freezer, or a stemmed liqueur glass for serving after dinner. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Berliner Luft
Can’t find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →What percentage of alcohol does Berliner Luft contain?
Where does Berliner Luft come from?
What does Berliner Luft taste like?
How do you drink Berliner Luft?
Can you mix Berliner Luft?
Does Berliner Luft need to be refrigerated?
Buy Berliner Luft
Want the bottle at home right away? Order Berliner Luft online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can see the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it costs you nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.
