BÄRENJÄGER

Barrenfang is a German honey-flavoured liqueur based on vodka. It is usually called Barenjäger in English-speaking countries.

Barenfang means “bear trap”; Barenjäger means “bear hunter.”

Most homemade Barenfang is based on vodka, but some recipes with a higher alcohol content are based on neutral spirit.

Barenfang is always made with honey from nectar because honey from honeydew may
have a bitter aftertaste.

Barenfang was first developed in East Prussia in the 15th century. It was the first commercial brand of this liqueur that was produced in the capital city of Konigsberg; it is now produced by the Teucke & Koenig company in the town of Steinhagen, Germany. A picture of a fur trapper trapping a bear is shown on bottles of Teucke & Koenig’s Bärenjäger.

Today, Teucke & Koenig is owned by Schwarze & Schlichte, located in the town of Oelde in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Schwarze & Schlichte also make another brand of Barenfang that is bottled at 33% ABV (66 proof).

The Barenfang produced by Teucke & Koenig is widely exported. It is usually sold under the brand name Bärenjäger outside of Germany. There are other producers of Barenfang in Germany, but their products are less often available in other countries.