Bärenfang

Bärenfang, also Petzfang, is a native of East Prussia liqueur made from honey, spices and hard alcohol. Bärenfang has an alcohol content between 20 and 45 % vol

History

The Bärenfang originated in 15th century East Prussian households. In some parts of East Prussia the Bärenfang was also referred to as Meschkinnes ( meškinis of MESKA, lithuanian f Bear). Since 1945, this specialty spread worldwide.

The first commercial provider of Bärenfang was the company Teucke & King from Königsberg, with their brand bear hunters whose original bottle labels were graced by a hunter with a captured bear. Large export successes made ​​the liqueur known internationally, so that the German label Bear hunters or Barenjager naturalized in the sequence ( without diacritics ) for this liqueur specialty in the English language.

In Poland and Lithuania, the drink is also popular and is enjoyed there since the 16th century as Krupnik. In Russia, a similar drink made from vodka, honey and 24 different herbs and spices under the name Okhotnichya ( lit. " Hunter Vodka" ) is marketed by the company Stolichnaya.

Due to the ease of preparation Bärenfang in Germany can also be prepared at home.

Recipe

Honey is dissolved in vodka or hard alcohol. To this are, for example, vanilla pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, lemon peel and other spices and can pull the whole few days. Then the Bärenfang is filtered through a fine sieve and possibly filled the tire in a dark vessel. The liquor must not be kept too cold, otherwise the honey crystallizes again. For the production of Bärenfang circulating countless simple or complicated recipes. Bärenfang is mostly made ​​of honey, since the use of forest honey (honey from honeydew ) can cause a bitter taste.