St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
France
Hand-picked elderflowers macerated in a grape eau-de-vie at 20%. Published sugar figures conflict, from Difford's 180 g/L to 376 g/L on Systembolaget.
- Ingredients / botanicals
- Elderflower, Grape-based neutral spirit, Sugar
- Congeners
- Low
- Histamines
- Low
- Polyphenols
- Low
- Sulfites
- Low
- Tannins
- Low
- Sugar
- Very High
- Additives
- Low
In its favor
- ✓Flavour comes from macerated elderflower
- ✓Used in small measures in cocktails
What to watch
- !Very sweet, and no consistent published sugar figure to rely on
Factor by factor
Congeners Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very High ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
St-Germain is elderflower petals macerated in a grape-based neutral spirit and sweetened, at 20%. Difford’s Guide gives 180g of sugar per litre, Systembolaget lists 376 g/L, and a forum post quotes 15.2g per 1.5oz from the US site, so no sugar figure is shown here.
If the higher monopoly value is right, a 1.5oz pour carries around 16g. In a cocktail the measure is usually closer to half an ounce.
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur questions
What is St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur made from? ▾
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is made from grape-based neutral spirit macerated with elderflower. Its botanicals include Elderflower, Grape-based neutral spirit, Sugar.
What proof is St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur? ▾
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is 40 proof, which is 20% alcohol by volume.
Does St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur give you a bad hangover? ▾
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur scores 5/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 7/10 for liqueur overall. The main drivers are its sugar.