Receding glaciers, lots of rainfall, volcanic ground and Alpine mountains provided Germany with ample water reservoirs and pristine aquifers all across the country. Some wells have already been in use since the Romans settled along the Rhine River. Today, you will find hundreds of great tasting mineral waters brands in grocery stores and restaurants. Most are only to and consumed by the local population. But some brands rose to prominence as early as the 19th century all over the world:
Globally known
APOLLINARIS. When Georg Kreuzberg purchased a hill near Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler (North of Koblenz) in the South-East Eifel in 1852, he expected to produce fine Rhineland wines, as many of his neighbors. Instead, he stumbled during excavations upon a natural water spring with natural carbonation. It tasted phenomenal. So he established a hand filling and bottling operation and named it after the patron saint of wine “Apollinaris.” By 1870 he sold over 2 million stoneware jugs of this luxury liquid to royal courts, wealthy mansions, hotels and restaurants all over Europe. The British judged it the “Queen of Tablewaters. Clear as cristal, smooth as silk and effervescent like champagne.” Soon Apollinaris made its way across the Atlantic and became a staple in fine American restaurants, even popular among Members of Congress and Washington lobbyist. In fact, the “Joe Rickey” (borbon or gin with Apollinaris) became a staple drink at Shoemakers, a well-known Washington bar, named after Colonel Joe Rickey, a well-known Democratic lobbyist. Over the next century, national and international sales ebbed and flowed. In 2006, the Coca Cola Company purchased this venerable brand, abandoned exports all together and now sells Appolinaris only in Germany.
GEROLSTEINER. In the South-West Eifel town of Gerolstein (North of Trier), mineral water has always been the beverage of choice, as early as the stone age. In the early 1700s, water from Gerolstein gained some regional importance when Count Manderscheid cultivated one of the oldest spring, and selling mineral water jugs as far as Cologne. Over 150 years later, municipal and private corporations exploited the mineral-rich area around Gerolstein to extract carbonic acid, a vital ingredient in the burgeoning chemical industry during the industrial revolution. In 1887, Wilhelm Castendyck, a prominent mining manager and geologist purchased one of the mineral water springs, established a bottling factory as well as a red star and lion logo: the Gerolsteiner Water brand was born. Soon, grocers all over Germany, in the UK and the US offered Gerolsteiner water, liked by many for it’s robust flavor and strong carbonation. Owned by the Bitburger Beer Holding group (Bitburg is a nearby town), Gerolsteiner water is exported all over the world and can be purchased at many large US retailers.
ROSBACHER. The Taunus mountains north of Frankfurt is equally well known for tasty mineral water. Here, the Rosbacher mineral spring became popular among Celtic and Roman settlers and written records from 1584 establish Rosbach as a favored non-alcoholic drink in the Renaissance. Spotting the late 19th century bottled mineral water boom in Germany, whiskey magnate Lord Dewars purchased the Rosbacher mineral spring and brought Rosbacher to the British Royal court in the early 20th century. The unique mineral composition of 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium and a large amount of sodium bicarbonate gives Rosbacher water a smooth, lightly sweet taste with low sodium and carbonation. A perfect water for mixed drinks and sports professionals. Rosbacher was a favorite of Tony Schumacher, the world famous race car driver who replenished the essential minerals of calcium and magnesium with Rosbacher water. Today, Rosbacher water belongs to the family-owned Hassia Mineralwater group and is exported as far as Japan, the US and all over Europe. Travellers from Europe will be served Rosbacher water on all United and Lufthansa flights.
SELTERS. If you ever wondered about the orgin of the word Seltzer water (which is carbonated soda or tap water in the US), here is the answer: it derives from the Taunus mountain town of Selters (North West of Frankfurt), which came to fame as a natural mineral water spa in the Bonze Age and boomed in the 17th century. The mineral water’s high concentration of sodium bicarbonate, as well as elevated levels of calcium, chloride, magnesium, sulfate and potassium made it well suited as medicinal or healing water known to cure and prevented diseases. A drinkable version of Selters water was sold all over Germany and exported all over the world in the early 18th century, long before the Appolinaris, Gerolsteiner and Rosbacher made it abroad. It did not take long that the word “Selters” became generic for all carbonated mineral waters, especially in North and East Germany; the slightly altered version of “seltzer water” established itself in the US and British language and the famous headache pill Alka Seltzer (Bayer) also derives its name from the historic town. Today, only one mineral spring in Selters is still active. It belongs to the SELTERS Mineralquelle Augusta Victoria GmbH, a subsidiary of the Radeberger Beer Group. Worthwhile is a visit to the Selter Water Museum.
The German Mineral Water Regulations and Classifications
Mineral water is the only food and beverage regulated by the federal government and the wells are controlled on an annual basis by federal inspectors. The companies that own mineral water springs and bottle the water must not add anything to the water. Thus, all mineral waters have slightly different mineral content and carbonation, which greatly influences the taste, texture and healthy properties of the water.
Hundred German Mineral Waters
- Aachener Kaiserbrunnen, Aachen
- Abenstaler Quelle, Elsendorf
- Adelheidquelle
- Adelholzener Alpenquellen, Siegsdorf
- Aegidiusbrunnen, Bad Honnef
- Alaska, Bad Liebenwerda
- Alasia Perle, Ebersburg
- Altmühltaler
- Alt-Bürgerbrunn, Moers
- Alvara, Bochum
- Alwa
- Amandus Quelle, Bad Rilchingen
- Apollinaris, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
- Aqua Montana
- Aqua Nordic, Husum
- Aqua Römer
- Aqua Vitale, Sachsenheim-Spielberg
- Aquella, Bochum
- Aquintéll, Walsum
- Aquintus, Walsum
- Ardey, Dortmund
- Arienheller
- Artesia Quelle
- Artus
- Auenwald, Wöpse
- Azur, Frankfurt am Main/Berkersheim
- Bad Brambacher
- Bad Brückenauer (Staatl. Mineralbrunnen AG), Bad Brückenau
- Bad Driburger Naturparkquellen, Bad Driburg
- Bad Dürrheimer, Bad Dürrheim
- Bad Harzburger
- Bad Kissinger, Bad Kissingen
- Bad Lauchstädter Mineralbrunnen, Bad Lauchstädt
- Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda, Bad Liebenwerda
- Bad Liebenzeller, Bad Liebenzell
- Mineralquellen, Horn-Bad Meinberg
- Bad Pyrmonter
- Bad Suderoder Mineralbrunnen, Bad Suderode (Harz)
- Bad Vilbeler
- Bad Wildungener Georg-Viktor-Quelle, Bad Wildungen
- Bad Wildungener Helenenquelle, Bad Wildungen
- Barock Quelle, Dresden
- Basinus, Krönungsquelle Bad Windsheim
- Bellaris, Bellheim/Pfalz
- Berg Quelle, Schwollen
- Black Forest still, Peterstaler Mineralquellen GmbH, Bad Peterstal
- Brillant Quelle, Schwollen
- Brohler, Brohl-Lützing
- Burg-Quelle, Plaidt
- Burgwallbronn, Duisburg
- Caldener, Calden bei Kassel
- Carolinen Brunnen, Bielefeld
- Christinen Brunnen, Bielefeld
- Dauner Sprudel, Daun/Eifel
- Del Bon, Schwollen
- Diamant Quelle, Schwollen
- Dietenbronner Quelle
- Dreiser Sprudel, Dreis-Brück
- Eichensteiner, Naila
- Eisvogel
- Eifel-Quelle, (siehe Tönissteiner Privatbrunnen) Andernach
- Emsland Quelle
- Elisabethen Quelle, Bad Vilbel
- Ensinger Mineralquelle, Vaihingen an der Enz-Ensingen
- Eugenie, Bad Imnau
- Extaler
- Externstein Quelle
- Felsensteiner
- Filippo, Bad Imnau
- Fiorelino/Erftstadt
- Fontanequell, Kloster Lehnin
- Fortuna Quelle, Fulda-Eichenzell
- Förstina, Fulda-Eichenzell
- Forstetal Mineralquelle, Horn-Bad Meinberg
- Franken Brunnen, Neustadt a.d.Aisch-Bad Windsheim
- Frische Brise, Rhens
- Freyersbacher, Bad-Peterstal-Griesbach
- Fürst-Bismarck-Quelle, Reinbek
- Fürstenbrunn, Kloster Lehnin
- Gänsefurther
- Geotaler
- Gerolsteiner (siehe Gerolsteiner Brunnen, Gerolstein)
- Gerri
- Glashäger, Bad Doberan
- GMQ, Bad Rilchingen
- Göppinger Sprudel, Göppingen
- Gräfin Mariannen Quelle, Bad Rilchingen
- Granus, Aachen
- Grafenquelle, Osterode am Harz, Förste
- Güstrower Schlossquell
- Haaner Felsenquelle, Haan
- Harzer Grauhof, Grauhof (Harz)
- Harzer Kristall Mineralbrunnen, Langelsheim
- Hassia, Bad Vilbel
- Hella
- Helenen-Quelle, Rinteln
- Herzog-Quelle, Bochum
- Herzog Wigbert Quelle, Homfeld
- Herzogin Augusta, Husum
- Hirschquelle, Bad Teinach
- Hochwald Sprudel, Schwollen
- Höllensprudel, Naila-Hölle
- Hubertus
- Husumer-Mineralbrunnen, Husum
- Imnauer Apollo, Bad Imnau
- Imnauer Fürstenquelle, Bad Imnau
- Kirkeler Waldquelle, Kirkel
- Kondrauer Mineralwasser, Waldsassen-Kondrau
- König Otto-Sprudel, Wiesau
- Kronenquelle, Moers
- Krumbacher Mineralwasser
- Lesmona aus der „St. Rimbert-Quelle”
- Labertaler Heil- und Mineralquellen, Schierling (Oberpfalz)
- Lichtenauer, Lichtenau (siehe Hassia Mineralquellen)
- Löwensteiner
- Lohberg-Quelle Bochum
- Monta Essen Altenessen
- Marienbrunnen
- Margonwasser
- Mephisto-Quelle, Aachen
- Minaqua
- Mühringer Schlossquelle, Bad Imnau
- Nassauer Land, Emstaler Brunnen
- natürlich blau, Teamblue, Bad-Münder
- natürlich aktiv, Teamblue, Bad-Münder
- natürlich quell, Teamblue, Bad-Münder
- Neuselters
- NOÉ-Quelle, Erftstadt
- NordQuell, Trappenkamp
- Nürburg Quelle, (siehe Dreiser Sprudel)
- OberSelters, Bad Camberg-Oberselters
- Odenwald-Quelle (siehe Actris)
- Okertaler Mineralbrunnen, Oker (Goslar)
- Oppacher (siehe Actris)
- Ottilien-Quelle, Randegg (Hegau)
- Perling, Rhens
- Peterstaler, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach/Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach
- Pfälzer Silberbrunnen, Medard (Glan)
- PurBorn, (siehe Dreiser Sprudel)
- Reginaris, Mendig
- Remus Quelle, Niederrieden
- Rhenser, Rhens
- Rheinfelsquelle, Duisburg-Walsum
- Rhodius, Burgbrohl
- Rietenauer Heiligentalquelle,Aspach Rietenau
- Rhön-Sprudel, Ebersburg-Weyhers (Landkreis Fulda)
- Rilchinger, Bad Rilchingen
- Rohrauer
- Roisdorfer
- Römerwall
- Rosbacher, Rosbach (siehe Hassia Mineralquellen)
- Rottenburg Obernau
- Rudolfquelle (1,49)
- Salvus, Emsdetten
- Saskia Quelle (Lidl), Leißling
- Sawell, Emsdetten
- Schloss Quelle, Essen
- Schwarzwald-Sprudel, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach
- Schwollener Sprudel, Schwollen
- Selters
- Siegsdorfer Petrusquelle
- Silberbrunnen, Reutlingen
- Sinziger, Sinzig
- Spessart-Quelle, Biebergemünd
- Spreequell
- Staatl. Fachingen, Fachingen
- Staatlich Bad Meinberger, Horn Bad-Meinberg
- Staatl. Mineralbrunnen AG, Bad Brückenau
- Steigerwald, Oberscheinfeld
- St. Jakobus, Kloster Lehnin
- St-Medardus, Medard (Glan)
- Steinbronn-Quelle, Bochum-Wattenscheid
- Steinsieker-Brunnen, Löhne-Westfalen
- St.-Margarethen Heilwasser, Löhne-Westfalen
- St. Gero (siehe Gerolsteiner Brunnen)
- Stifts Quelle, Essen
- St.-Leonhards-Quelle
- Syburg Quelle, Dortmund
- Sylt Quelle, Sylt
- Taunusquelle
- Teinacher, Bad Teinach-Zavelstein
- Teusser Mineralbrunnen, Löwenstein
- ThalQuell, Schwollen
- Thüringer Heidequell, Pößneck
- Thüringer Waldquell, Schmalkalden
- Tönissteiner, Andernach
- Überkinger, Bad Überkingen
- Ü-Motion
- Urbacher (siehe Coca-Cola Company)
- Ursteiner
- Vilsa, Bruchhausen-Vilsen
- Vogelsberger Mineralbrunnen
- Weisensteiner Quelle, (siehe Schwollener Sprudel)
- Wiesentaler-Mineralbrunnen Waghäusel
- Wittenseer Mineralbrunnen
- Wüteria Mineralquellen
- Vivre, Naila
- Vulkania Heilwasser, (siehe Dreiser Sprudel)
Source: Wikipedia “Mineralwasser”
