40 years of Küstennebel – Northern Germany's cult aniseed schnapps looks back on a long success story

The misty white liqueur owes its name to the typical natural phenomenon on the coast when thick sea fog suddenly rolls in. This association is reflected not only in the look, but also in the character of the spirit: a finely balanced recipe combines sweet and spicy aromas of star anise with selected herbs and spices. The whole thing is rounded off with a dash of Köm, the traditional North German caraway schnapps, which gives this classic its unmistakably tart, Nordic soul.

The success story of Küstennebel begins with an unexpected discovery: “Our distiller at the time had been experimenting with anise and herbs in a creative moment – the result was a cloudy schnapps, which he presented to my father for tasting,” recalls Rüdiger Behn, managing partner of Waldemar Behn GmbH. Bottled in small swing-top bottles, the new specialty was initially sold to vacationers on the coast.

The demand was far greater than expected: “We received letters from people asking for larger bottles because they had not only given the contents away as gifts, but had also enjoyed drinking it themselves.” Küstennebel received a decisive boost in popularity shortly afterwards through targeted radio advertising on the newly launched private station R.SH, at a time when private radio was still uncharted territory in Germany.

An unexpected discovery, a keen sense for trends, and the courage to be unconventional marked the beginning of a regional success story and the rise to a national cult brand. Today, Küstennebel is known far beyond northern Germany and remains a symbol of authentic taste, distinctive identity, and northern German drinking culture with character.