Geist (
German for 'spirit') is a
distilled beverage obtained by
maceration of
unfermentedfruit or other raw materials in
neutral spirits, followed by
distillation.[1] This differs from
fruit brandy, where the alcohol comes from fermenting the fruit's naturally occurring sugars. As such, geist can be made from a much wider range of materials, as it is not limited to fruits with sufficient fermentable sugars.
Geist can be produced from a single material (like Himbeergeist) or a combination of multiple ingredients.
Akvavit, most
gins and white
absinthes legally meet the description to be considered a geist, although they have more specific legal definitions.
Geist must contain at least 37.5%
alcohol by volume, it cannot contain added colours or flavours, and it may not contain more than 10 grams of sweetening products per litre (expressed as invert sugar).[1]
Spirit obtained by maceration and distillation
Geist can also be named "
Spirit obtained by
maceration and
distillation"[2] only if it has been produced from the following fruits, berries or nuts: