Spirited Virginia Q4 2017 - 9

FEATURED SPIRITS

European Delights

Virginia ABC carries several varieties of
these spirits.

ägermeister is a German liqueur
beloved around the world. Curt
Mast, the first distiller of the drink, was
an avid hunter, and Jägermeister means
"master hunter" in German. It came on
the market in 1935, a Kräuterlikör (herbal
liqueur) similar to the digestifs Unicum
from Hungary and Gammel Dansk from
Denmark.
Jägermeister is made from 56 roots,
spices, herbs and fruits, including anise,
poppy, juniper, ginseng and saffron. At
70-proof, it's a low-alcohol spirit that's
meant to be kept in the freezer and served
cold. There are many urban legends

surrounding Jägermeister. One claims
that it has traces of elk blood, but that's
pure myth. Popular cocktails include
the Jägerbomb, which is a shot glass of
Jägermeister dropped into a glass of
Red Bull.
Bärenjäger (meaning bear hunter) is a
variety of German Bärenfang (bear trap),
a honey liqueur. Made from all-natural
honey sourced in the Yucatan, this is a
vodka-based drink that smells and tastes
like honey and even has the same rich
texture.
The recipe comes from the 18th century
when fur trappers and hunters would use
it to lure bears out of their caves and into
the open. You can drink Bärenjäger on the
rocks, use it in a hot toddy or pour it over
ice cream. Bärenjäger Honey & Bourbon
is also made from all-natural ingredients.
The bourbon is a great companion for
the vodka and honey, balancing the
sweetness with notes of oak and vanilla.
Goldschläger is a cinnamon-flavored
premium schnapps, 87-proof, with a
unique selling point. If you look closely,
you'll see tiny gold flakes floating in the
otherwise clear liqueur-approximately
13 milligrams of 24-carat gold in each
liter. Some say this tradition goes all the
way back to ancient Egypt. What we do
know is that successful miners, during the
California Gold Rush, would sometimes
top their drinks with gold dust.
Made in Switzerland, Goldschläger is a
German word meaning "gold beater." This
refers to the work of gold leaf makers, who
pound gold bars into thin, delicate sheets.
Goldschläger is a drink with a little bite-
the taste is both sweet and spicy. Many
people enjoy it as a chaser with beer.

-Andrew Madigan

T HE

Original
HONEY

LIQUEUR

A N 1 8 TH C E N T U RY R E C I P E

Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur 35% Alc./Vol. (70 proof). Niche W&S, Cedar Knolls, NJ. Drink Responsibly.

JEB INGE

Jägermeister, Bärenjäger and Goldschläger all
have old-world ties and distinctive tastes.

SPIRITED VIRGINIA | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017 9

http://www.barenjagerhoney.com/

Spirited Virginia Q4 2017

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