Underberg
The 2 cl bottle in brown paper that appears after a heavy dinner. Everything about the herbs, the alcohol percentage, why the serving is so small and how best to drink Underberg.
One serving, 44 percent, since 1846
Underberg was created in 1846 by Hubert Underberg in Rheinberg, on the Lower Rhine. He married on June 17, 1846, and launched his herbal bitter on that same day. The recipe has never changed and is still kept within the family; the fifth generation is now in charge. The herbs come from 43 countries and infuse in alcohol for months before aging in oak barrels.
Underberg is sold only in 2 cl bottles, wrapped in its distinctive brown straw paper. This is not a marketing trick but a protective measure: the paper keeps out light, and the small portion is exactly the amount you drink after a meal. There is no large bottle; there is no light version either. However, the bitter is sugar-free and gluten-free.
In brief
What Underberg packaging is available?
There is only one Underberg. The difference is in the packaging: from a strip of three to a gift tin.
Underberg 3-pack
The familiar strip of three bottles in brown paper. Just enough for a meal for three.
Underberg 12-pack
The twelve-bottle multipack. For those who serve it more often or have a table full of guests.
Underberg gift tin
Twelve small bottles in a metal tin. The best-known Underberg gift and a handy storage box afterward.
Start with the strip of three; the tin is the gift.
Intensely herbal, dry and sugar-free
Herbs & roots
A dense bouquet of bitter herbs, roots and spices, with anise, gentian and an earthy undertone.
Dry and bitter
Immediately bitter and very herbal, without the sweetness of Jägermeister. It contains no sugar, and you can taste it.
Warm and long
A long, warm finish with herbal notes and a slightly menthol-like cooling effect. Exactly what you look for after a heavy meal.
Underberg flavor profile. For comparison: Jägermeister scores about 3/5 for sweetness and is 35% alcohol, while Underberg is 44% and contains no added sugar.
Three ways to drink Underberg
Underberg is a digestif: you drink it after a meal, all at once, at room temperature. The entire bottle is one serving.
Neat after a meal
Pour the 2 cl bottle into a small shot glass and drink it in one or two sips. At room temperature, not ice-cold: that is when you taste the herbs best. This is what the drink was made for.
Glass: shot glass →In a highball
One bottle of Underberg with tonic or ginger ale over plenty of ice, with a slice of orange. Surprisingly refreshing, and much more approachable than drinking it neat.
Glass: tumbler →In hot tea
One bottle in a cup of hot herbal or black tea with honey. In Germany, a well-known way to drink it on a cold day.
Hot Toddy recipe →Bitter drinks to try alongside Underberg
You drink Underberg neat, not in a cocktail. If you like that bitter, herbal character, these are the recipes that go with it.
Americano
Campari, sweet vermouth and soda over ice. Bittersweet and low in alcohol.
Negroni
Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal parts. The best-known bitter cocktail.
Jägerbomb
A shot of herbal bitter in a glass of energy drink. The party version of the herbal liqueur.
Boilermaker
A small glass of genever next to a beer glass. The Dutch counterpart to the German shot.The right glass for Underberg
A small shot glass holding a few centiliters is just right for one bottle, and a tumbler if you pour it with tonic or ginger ale. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Underberg
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
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