If you’ve ever come across Goldschlager in the liquor aisle, this gold-infused spirit is sure to have caught your eye. While Goldschlager had its moment in the 9at 0s, today, it’s not so widely known. So, what is Goldschlager exactly? Are gold flakes even safe to drink? Is it worth picking up a bottle?
We’re here to answer your burning questions and show you how Goldschlager can indeed turn your next cocktail hour into an opulent affair.
Key Takeaways
- Goldschlager is a Swiss schnapps liqueur that’s high in alcohol and has a sweet-spicy cinnamon taste.
- While Goldschlager does contain real gold leaf, it’s only a tiny amount.
- Gold flakes are safe to consume, but they’re strictly for aesthetics and don’t add anything to the taste.
- Goldschlager can be used to make stunning cocktails that will add an elegant touch to any occasion.
What Type of Alcohol is Goldschlager?
Goldschlager is a Swiss cinnamon schnapps with a particularly flashy appearance. Give the bottle a shake, and you’ll see 24-carat gold flakes floating inside the clear liquid. While definitely striking in terms of appearance, we can’t say the touch of gold adds anything to the taste.
Goldschlager is very cinnamon-forward — sweet yet deliciously spicy. Its taste is reminiscent of the popular cinnamon whiskey, Fireball, yet its texture is more syrupy. Additionally, Goldschlager has a high alcohol content at 43.5 percent ABV compared to Fireball’s 33 percent.
While the origins of Goldschlager are not totally clear, the name comes from the German word for “gold beater,” referring to gold leaf makers who craft delicate flakes of gold like the ones we find in Goldschlager bottles.
Production was based in Switzerland until the 1990s when the UK brand, Diageo, bought Goldschlager and moved operations to Italy. In 2018, the New Orleans-based beverage company, Sazarac, acquired the brand, and recently they came out with a new variety called Goldschlager 107. It’s even higher in alcohol than the original at an eye-watering 53.5 percent ABV.
How much Gold is in Goldschlager?
There’s much speculation out there on how much gold is in Goldschlager, and there’s no official answer from its maker. The common consensus, however, is that there are around 13 milligrams of real gold flakes in a one-liter bottle.
It’s safe to say you won’t get rich extracting the gold out of your bottle of Cinnamon-flavored schnapps. May as well enjoy your golden elixir in cocktail form.
In fact, we can estimate that a one-liter bottle contains about $0.82 worth of gold, considering one gram of gold is valued at $62.89 as of June 2023. Surely, the exact quantity of gold varies from bottle to bottle, but in any case, it’s a very tiny amount.
Are the Gold Flakes Safe to Drink?
They say all that glitters is not gold, and you might be wondering if it’s dangerous to consume this precious metal. There was even an urban legend going around that gold flakes were added to Goldschlager because they make tiny cuts on your insides and, therefore, make you drunk faster by facilitating alcohol absorption.
Luckily, this theory is totally bonkers, and it’s considered safe to ingest gold flakes. After all, people have been ingesting gold since ancient Egypt for its supposed divine and purifying powers.
In reality, gold is one of the most nonreactive metals, and it isn’t absorbed by the digestive system. So, we can’t say Goldschlager has any purifying powers or nutritional value — it is an alcoholic beverage, after all.
But you can enjoy these exquisite cinnamon schnapps knowing the gold flakes are safe to drink.
How To Use Goldschlager in Cocktails
Goldschlager is delicious, served chilled, and thrown back as a fiery shot. It’s also an exquisite ingredient that can add an element of glamor and bold flavor to cocktails. Here are some Goldschlager cocktails we absolutely adore!
Gold Royale Cocktail
Champagne-based cocktails are a top choice for celebrations, and this Gold Royale Cocktail recipe adds gilded Goldschlager for extra extravagance. We love the idea of dipping the rim of each glass in gold and decorating sugar to match their sparkling contents.
Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail Recipe
by KimspiredDIY
This delicious Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail is perfect for the holidays. It’s packed with spices and bold flavor thanks to butterscotch schnapps, Baileys, Goldschlager, and vanilla. Milk and cream get added for an extra indulgent texture — a drink and dessert all in one!
Black and Gold Martini
This dramatic martini is a class act that will definitely turn heads at your next cocktail party. With only two ingredients, the recipe could not be easier. You will need, however, a special black vodka called Blavod.
Shake it over ice and pour it into a chilled martini glass. Top with shimmering Goldschlager for a sinfully lavish black and gold cocktail.
FAQs
Why do they put gold in Goldschlager?
Precious metals aren’t typically found in alcoholic drinks, but Goldschlager contains gold for its impressive appearance. The gold doesn’t affect the taste of the cinnamon schnapps at all.
Is gold in Goldschlager real?
Yes, Goldschlager contains real gold. It contains a small amount of gold leaf, which is gold that has been flattened into thin sheets.
Is Goldschläger the same as Fireball?
Goldschlager is a Swiss Cinnamon schnapps, while Fireball is a cinnamon-flavored whiskey. While the taste is similar, Goldschlager has a more syrupy texture and is stronger in alcohol.
What is Goldschlager used for?
It’s often consumed chilled as a shot. It also can also be used to make stunning and delicious gold-flaked cocktails.
