Kölsche Kopfnuss Hazelnut Spirit 500 ml. Hazelnut spirit with 40% ABV, roasted nut and caramel – the large bottle for your home bar.

Kölsche Kopfnuss Hazelnut Spirit 500 ml is a hazelnut spirit from the Cologne region: a hazelnut distillate made from roasted hazelnuts with caramel, 40% ABV, 500 ml. It is milder and smoother than a schnapps, but not as sweet as a liqueur. In the glass, you will find roasted nut and delicate nuances of chocolate and nougat, to be enjoyed neat, in coffee, or with dessert.

Hazelnut Spirit 500 ml from Kölsche Kopfnuss is the bottle that stays in the cupboard for when things get spontaneous. It’s Sunday afternoon, the doorbell rings, guests with cake arrive. The espresso is already brewing, and the Kopfnuss is ready in the home bar. A hazelnut spirit is a distillate that tastes of roasted hazelnuts and lies in sweetness between a schnapps and a liqueur. The Kopfnuss is very popular with us. The 500 ml bottle lasts the longest: at 2 cl per glass, that's around 25 servings.

Roasted hazelnut up front, followed by chocolate, nougat, and caramel

The Kopfnuss tastes primarily of roasted hazelnuts. Behind that come fine nuances of chocolate, nougat, and caramel. The aroma is delicately sweet, the color a rich golden yellow.

The base is a hazelnut distillate made from roasted hazelnuts, with caramel added. The composition is aged until the aroma and taste are distinct and, according to the manufacturer, the alcohol is harmoniously integrated. It remains, however, a spirit with 40% ABV and belongs in small glasses.

Roasting defines the character: anyone who has ever roasted hazelnuts in the oven knows this warm, slightly sweet scent. That is exactly what the Kopfnuss draws on. Smell the glass before you take your first sip. The delicately sweet aroma will show you what to expect. When drinking, the roasted nut note is at the forefront, while chocolate, nougat, and caramel follow more quietly.

If you are expecting a sweet liqueur, you will get something else here: a delicately sweet, clearly nutty spirit. The manufacturer explicitly markets it for hazelnut purists for whom a classic liqueur is too sweet. Compared to a schnapps, it is milder and smoother.

Neat at room temperature, chilled, or as a Kölsche Mélange

The easiest way to drink the Kopfnuss is neat: 2 cl in a small glass, at room temperature or chilled. It is a spirit with 40% ABV and is for those aged 18 and over.

The manufacturer's serving suggestion is called Kölsche Mélange: espresso with Kölsche Kopfnuss and milk foam. It goes as well with Sunday cake as it does at the end of a meal when the coffee is served. A regular filter coffee can also handle a small splash, just without the foam. If you like coffee with milk, add the Kopfnuss to the cup first and fill it up afterwards.

For dessert, a small splash works well over vanilla ice cream or next to a piece of chocolate cake. Nut, chocolate, and caramel belong together anyway, and the Kopfnuss brings all three. A glass goes well with a bowl of roasted nuts on an Advent afternoon, and a splash can be added to the whipped cream for a nut cake in the kitchen. The dough for nut cookies can also take a splash.

Because the bottle lasts a long time, you can try the variations one after the other. One week neat after dinner, one week in coffee, and during Advent over ice cream.

Our tip: Warm the cup before making the Kölsche Mélange and briefly stir the Kopfnuss and espresso together. Only then add the milk foam on top so that it sits neatly.

Christmas market idea, in small batches since 2015

The story of the Kopfnuss began with an idea for the Cologne Christmas markets. Founder David Beil wanted to develop a drink for them, a hazelnut spirit with 40% ABV from the Cologne area. The idea became concrete after an evening in his favorite bar, after which he spent months working on the recipe.

Since 2015, the Kopfnuss has been produced in small batches in collaboration with a regional distillery. The company is located at Brauweilerstraße 49c in 50259 Pulheim. Small batches mean manageable quantities per production run. According to the manufacturer, the aging period is determined by when the aroma and taste have fully developed, rather than by a fixed date. The spirit is available in three sizes: 500 ml, 200 ml, and as a 40 ml shooter for tasting.

The 500 ml bottle is the size for anyone who already knows the Kopfnuss and pours it regularly. If you are trying it for the first time, you will find the matching smaller format below. For the Advent season, for which the idea was originally intended, the large bottle is the practical choice.

For the home bar: a supply of around 25 glasses

The 500 ml bottle is for households where the Kopfnuss is regularly served. This applies after dinner, with Sunday coffee, and as an ingredient for Christmas dessert. Expect around 25 glasses of 2 cl each. That is enough for an Advent season with guests and for a supply that will still be in the cupboard afterwards. If you often have guests over for coffee, keep it within reach next to the cups. A glass to go with an espresso is quickly poured, and a coffee gathering is rounded off with a nutty note.

The large bottle also suits people who love to entertain. A glass with coffee after dinner, a splash over dessert, along with the story of the Christmas market idea: that is a conversation starter that the guest gets right along with their drink.

If you first want to know if the roasted nut note is for you, start with the Hazelnut Spirit in the 40 ml format. The Hazelnut Spirit in the 200 ml bottle is more convenient as a souvenir or gift. You can find all sizes in the range on the Kölsche Kopfnuss page.

The Kopfnuss is not suitable for those looking for a very sweet liqueur for a long drink. It is a spirit with 40% ABV and a distinct nutty note that belongs in a small glass.

Hazelnut spirit with 40% ABV, 500 ml from the Cologne region – roasted nut, nougat, and caramel as a supply for the home bar, neat, in espresso, and for dessert.