Steenborger Lötwater is a regional North German spirit sold under the Elbschluck brand and presented as an “aromatic aquavit”. The product is bottled at 32% vol in 700 ml format – a strength that classifies it as a flavored spirit but not as true aquavit under EU regulations, which require a minimum of 37.5% vol for the legal designation “Aquavit”.

The name and story reference a local Plattdeutsch anecdote from 1899 involving three craftsmen from the Steenborg district – Hein Dittmann, Julus Nöhrn and Max Lohs – who met in Lohs’s workshop in Itzehoe. As the tale goes, Lohs offered his colleagues a homemade Kümmel-based drink (“een ganz feinen Kööm”), which became known among them as the “best Steenborger Lötwater.”

This historical guild-associated tradition was later revived in 2009 during a Schleswig-Holstein plumbers’ union gathering, where a new commemorative batch was produced. A portion of each bottle’s price was reportedly donated to support education for apprentices.