Everyone knows that Jägermeister comes in green bottle, tastes like liquorice, is the drink of choice for The Hangover’s “wolf pack” and can be consumed as a “Bomb,” but how many really know the true story behind the brand?
Ever hear that the label translates to “Oh Dear God”; the circle around the dear means “oh”…the deer is “dear” and the cross is “god” giving you, “Oh Dear God!”? How about that there is deer blood or opium in the mystery ingredients? FALSE
NOW FOR THE TRUTH….
Jägermeister is based on a secret recipe of 56 different herbs, blossoms and roots as well as fruits from the most varied countries of the world for example cinnamon-bark from Ceylon, bitter orange skins from Australia, santal from East India, ginger roots from southern Asia and of course, some secret herbs.
The name Jägermeister itself is German for “Master Hunter. In Germany today, there is a position called Jägermeister which is an employee of the district’s hunting authorities, responsible for the region’s hunting regulations.
All sizes are bottled in the distinctive square green bottle. The packaging has remained unchanged since its introduction in 1935.
The recipe for this herb liqueur has roots going back 500 years, which explains its ancient trademark.
Production – The herbs and spices are balanced following a secret recipe, ground to various degrees of fineness and mixed. These mixtures are macerated several times over a period of 5 months in large tanks, i.e. the herbs are soaked in an alcohol/water mixture for two to three days. This separates the herbs and infuses their aromas into the liquid. This produces the basic Jägermeister concentrate, which is then blended, filtered and stored in oak barrels for one year. The aged concentrate is then blended with alcohol, sugar, caramel and water to form the final product.
The old German writing around the Jägermeister label translates to “It is the hunter’s honor that he protects and preserves his game, hunts sportsmanlike, honors the Creator in his creatures”
Want the full Story? For centuries, St. Hubertus has been the patron saint of hunters. According to the legend, in his youth, Hubert was a wild and unrestrained hunter, without responsibility towards the creatures that he hunted and captivated by the drive to kill. Even on the holy day of Sunday, he set off into the forest with his dog and weapon and cared little about the day of the Lord. Until one holy day, emerging from the dark woods, a large white deer carrying an illuminated cross between his antlers confronted him. From the moment of his vision, he devoted himself to good works under the banner of the antlered stag. He died in 727 AD, and centuries later he was venerated as a patron saint. It is from this story’s inspiration that the Jägermeister trademark derives.
