The ingredients in St Germain include fresh elderflowers of the Sambucus nigra variety, sugar, and a grape spirit made from Chardonnay and Gamay grapes. The fresh elderflowers infuse the grape eau-de-vie before sugar is added to sweeten the liqueur. Per 1 liter of spirit, 180 grams of pure sugar are added. St Germain is a liqueur that’s made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. With its beautiful vintage bottle, it looks like a liqueur that’s been produced for centuries by French monks like Chartreuse. But turns out, it’s a lot more modern than you might expect. Although it’s a bit labor intensive, it’s important to cut the flowers off with as little stem as possible attached. This is because the stems contain a toxic compound and can cause stomach upset in large amounts in some people. Elderflowers appear before elderberries, and they arrive anytime between May through July, depending on your location and climate.

If you’re interested in learning more about elderflower, we have a complete guide on it where you’ll learn where it comes from, how it’s made, what it tastes like, and more.Are there any substitutes?Look for elderflower syrup at the store or online. You can also make homemade elderflower liqueur or syrup if you have access to fresh elderflowers. (We don’t, but they’re more common in Europe!) For a non-alcoholic substitute, try elderflower juice: it’s available at IKEA stores or online. Why we like it St Germain is a liqueur that’s made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. Here are a few frequently asked questions about this popular liqueur:

Soon after, he tried to create an alcoholic product that captures this flavor - equally good as the syrup did. To focus on his elderflower liqueur, Rob Cooper had to leave the family business where he had been working up until then, and which produced and sold Chambord among others. -At least he remained within the industry. How do you say St Germain?Don’t say “Saint”. It’s actually pronounced “Sahn-jer-MAHN.” But however you want to say it to not sound too pretentious with your friends, go for it! What does St Germain taste like? Elderflower season is an exciting but short lived time. Every year I try to find some way to preserve the elderflower harvest so that I can enjoy them for a longer period of time. I’ve been wanting to try making elderflower liqueur (also known as St. Germain) for some time now. This year the local elder trees were absolutely loaded with elderflowers, so I decided to make this delicious elderflower liqueur! The sweetening requirement is what makes cordials distinct from dry flavored spirits such as gin. In the United States, where “cordial” and “liqueur” are used interchangeably, regulations require that they contain at least 2.5 percent sugar by weight and be made from “fruits, flowers, plants, or pure juices therefrom, or other natural flavoring materials, or with extracts” of those materials. In Europe, cordials refer to non-alcoholic drinks. We use the terms based on U.S. regulations.In 2012, Cooper sold St. Germain to the Bacardi Group. Sadly, four years later, at only 39, he did in his Santa Barbara home. Harvesting & Processing Elderflowers Simonson, Robert (29 December 2009). "A Decade of Invention, and Reinvention". The New York Times . Retrieved 11 March 2014.

Processing the flowers turned out to be a nightmare. Pressing the pedals too hard created a bitter taste. Dehydrating or freezing them killed their aroma and flavor. The only way was to use freshly harvested blossoms and let them infuse in alcohol. But, in the end, Copper got it right and St. Germain became a tremendous success. Drillaud elderflower liqueur vs. St Germain vs. Fiorente When ready to use, strain out the elderflowers with a fine mesh sieve, then add the optional honey or sugar and stir well or shake to combine. The Story Behind St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur". News18. 10 September 2017 . Retrieved 25 December 2021.

St-Germain Elderflower Liquor Acquired By Bacardi, Plans To Go Global". www.huffingtonpost.com. Huffington Post. 8 January 2013 . Retrieved 12 December 2014.