Berliner Luft

Berliner Luft is a clear, minty herbal liqueur that takes its name and identity from the German capital. The brand was first produced in 1928 by the Nordhausen-based distillery Mack & Schühle, although the recipe was reformulated after the Second World War and the drink is now bottled at the original 18 percent ABV. Despite the peppermint-dominated nose, Berliner Luft is technically not a crème de menthe; it is built on a neutral grain spirit infused with a blend of mint, eucalyptus and a few other aromatics, then lightly sweetened and bottled in a tall, slim cylindrical bottle with the instantly recognizable "Berliner Luft" wordmark in script across the front.

The liqueur is served ice-cold in small chilled glasses, either neat as a digestif or poured over vanilla ice cream. In Berlin it also turns up in long drinks, mixed with club soda, bitter lemon, or a splash of white wine and tonic. Berliner Luft became a cult import in many countries outside Germany during the 1980s and 1990s, when students and young travelers would bring bottles home as souvenirs from weekend trips to West Berlin.

You will find Berliner Luft in nearly every German bar that takes its digestifs seriously, and especially in the late-night and club scene of Berlin itself, where it is poured straight from the freezer. Specialist German import shops, airport duty-free, and the bottle shops around Bahnhof Zoo and Friedrichstraße keep it on the shelf, and it is increasingly stocked in well-sorted delicatessens and online German grocers across Europe, North America, and parts of East Asia.

Berliner Luft, literally "Berlin Air," is a clear mint liqueur created in 1928 by the Nordhausen-based distillery Mack & Schühle. Despite its name evoking the German capital, the liqueur was produced in the Harz region, and its recipe—a blend of peppermint and neutral alcohol—has remained largely unchanged since its launch. The brand deliberately capitalized on Berlin's lively, modern identity of the 1920s, and the name "Berlin Air" playfully references the city's breezy, carefree character.

While Berliner Luft is the most famous German mint liqueur, it is not the only one; regional competitors like Pfefferminzlikör from other distilleries exist, but none achieved the same iconic status. The drink is closely tied to Berlin's bar culture and is often served ice-cold as a digestif or mixed into cocktails, and it has become a popular souvenir for visitors. Its cultural significance lies in its kitsch, affectionate tribute to Berlin's irreverent spirit—a sweet, minty nod to the city's famed "Berliner Schnauze" attitude—making it a recognizable symbol of both the capital and German liqueur tradition.