German mineral water
German Sparkling Water Brands
Germany produces some of the world's most mineral-rich sparkling waters. Below: the flagship brands — Gerolsteiner, Apollinaris, Staatl. Fachingen, Rosbacher and Selters — compared on source, carbonation, minerals and where to find them.
What makes German mineral water different?
Germany sits on a network of CO₂-rich volcanic and sedimentary aquifers — most famously the Volcanic Eifel — where water rises through hundreds of meters of mineral-laden rock and emerges naturally carbonated and heavily mineralized.
The country's Mineral- und Tafelwasser-Verordnung enforces strict source protection, official recognition and labelling rules. Bottled mineral water must come from a single protected source and arrive at the bottle with its mineral composition essentially unchanged.
The cultural result: Germans drink more sparkling mineral water per capita than almost any other country, and the category is dominated by naturally carbonated, high-TDS waters rather than the still, low-mineral bottlings that lead in the U.S.
German sparkling water brands compared
| Brand | Source | TDS | Ca | Mg | HCO₃ | Na |
|---|
| Gerolsteiner | Volcanic Eifel, Gerolstein | ~2,500 mg/L | 348 mg/L | 108 mg/L | 1,816 mg/L | 118 mg/L |
| Apollinaris | Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler | ~2,650 mg/L | 90 mg/L | 130 mg/L | 1,810 mg/L | 470 mg/L |
| Staatl. Fachingen | Fachingen, Lahn valley | ~3,300 mg/L | 97 mg/L | 37 mg/L | 1,846 mg/L | 560 mg/L |
| Rosbacher | Rosbach, Wetterau | ~1,650 mg/L | 207 mg/L | 90 mg/L | 846 mg/L | 27 mg/L |
| Selters | Niederselters, Taunus | ~1,850 mg/L | 235 mg/L | 65 mg/L | 1,850 mg/L | 140 mg/L |
Mineral figures reflect each brand's published analysis (typically the Classic / sparkling product). Values vary slightly between batches and product lines.
Gerolsteiner
Source: Volcanic Eifel, Gerolstein · Carbonation: Naturally sparkling
The reference point for German sparkling mineral water — high calcium, high magnesium, very high bicarbonate. Widely exported.
Read the full Gerolsteiner review →Apollinaris
Source: Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler · Carbonation: Naturally sparkling (Classic) and Medium / Still
The historic 'Queen of Table Waters' — extremely high magnesium and bicarbonate, noticeably higher sodium than most German waters.
Staatl. Fachingen
Source: Fachingen, Lahn valley · Carbonation: Naturally sparkling (Classic) and Still (Medium / Naturell)
Marketed as a digestive 'Heilwasser' (healing water). Very high bicarbonate, high sodium — a niche, mineral-forward profile.
Rosbacher
Source: Rosbach, Wetterau · Carbonation: Sparkling (Classic / Medium) and Still (Naturell)
Calcium-magnesium-rich with a balanced 2:1 Ca:Mg ratio. Low sodium relative to peers — easy daily-drinking German mineral water.
Selters
Source: Niederselters, Taunus · Carbonation: Sparkling (Classic / Medium) and Still
The original 'seltzer' — the namesake source for the entire category. Classic Taunus profile: strong calcium and bicarbonate.
Sparkling vs still German mineral water
Most major German mineral waters are sold in three carbonation levels: Classic (highest CO₂, the traditional German default), Medium (lightly sparkling) and Naturell / Still (no added CO₂).
The mineral profile is the same across formats from the same source — carbonation changes mouthfeel and perceived acidity, not what the water contains. If you want the famous German mineral profile without bubbles, look for "Naturell" on the label (e.g. Gerolsteiner Naturell, Rosbacher Naturell, Apollinaris Selection).
Best high-mineral German waters
By total dissolved solids and overall mineral concentration, the highest-mineral widely available German waters are Staatl. Fachingen (~3,300 mg/L TDS, very high bicarbonate), Apollinaris (~2,650 mg/L, highest magnesium of the group) and Gerolsteiner (~2,500 mg/L, the most balanced Ca-Mg-HCO₃ profile of the three).
High-magnesium waters and highest-TDS waters both put German brands at or near the top globally.
Where to buy German sparkling water in the U.S.
Gerolsteiner is the easiest to find — Whole Foods, most major supermarkets, Total Wine, and Amazon all stock it in glass and PET. Apollinaris and Selters appear at German delicatessens, specialty grocers (Cost Plus World Market, Wegmans) and online importers. Staatl. Fachingen and Rosbacher are harder to source domestically and are mostly available through specialty European importers and direct-from-Germany shippers.
For broader options, see our European bottled water brands and best sparkling mineral water guides.
