Beerenburg

Beerenburg is a Frisian alcoholic drink, made by adding herbs to jenever. It has an alcohol percentage of around 30%. The original Beerenburg was made halfway through the 19th century with a secret mixture of spices of the Amsterdam spice merchant "Hendrik Beerenburg", to whom it owes its name.

Soon local Beerenburg varieties emerged, each with its own recipe. These were, however, not allowed to use the name Beerenburg, which is why there are to this day variations on the spelling such as Berenburg and Berenburger.

Despite the Amsterdam (North-Holland) origin of Beerenburg, the drink became the most popular in Fryslân and (to a lesser extent) in Groningen.

Brands

Two famous brands of Beerenburg are Weduwe Joustra and Sonnema Berenburg. Sonnema is the most famous of the two, but most experienced drinkers prefer the slightly spicier Weduwe Joustra.