Liqueur · Explainer
What are boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes?
Boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes are fruits on brandy with sugar: raisins for boerenjongens, apricots for boerenmeisjes. Neither name appears in the Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen. The legal name on the label depends on the bottle: liqueur from 15 percent alcohol and 100 grams of sugar per litre, likorette from 12 percent alcohol and the same 100 grams of sugar.
In brief
The key figures
| Boerenjongens | Raisins in brandy, with sugar |
|---|---|
| Boerenmeisjes | Apricots in brandy, with sugar |
| Brandewijn, article 7k | At least 35 percent vol, at most 20 grams of sugar per litre |
| Liqueur, EU 2019/787 | At least 15 percent vol, at least 100 grams of invert sugar per litre |
| Likorette, Article 7m | At least 12 percent vol, at least 100 grams of sugar per litre |
| Exceptions to the sugar limit | 80 grams per liter for gentian liqueur, 70 grams for cherry liqueur |
| Reserved designation | No, boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes are not in the decree |
| Make it yourself | Brandy, fruit and sugar |
What is in boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes?
Boerenjongens are raisins steeped in brandy with sugar; boerenmeisjes are apricots preserved in the same way.
The fruit infuses into the brandy and the brandy infuses into the fruit. That is why you spoon both the liquid and the fruit out of the jar.
Brandewijn is a reserved designation in the Netherlands: practically colourless, made from ethyl alcohol from agricultural products, with at least 35 percent alcohol and at most 20 grams of sugar per litre.
Is boerenjongens a legally protected name?
Boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes are not listed in the Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen and are therefore not legally defined designations.
The decree does reserve korenwijn, advocaat, vieux, brandewijn, vruchtenbrandewijn and likorette. For those names, fixed limits on alcohol and sugar apply.
A jar of boerenjongens therefore usually carries a different legal name on the label, and which one follows from the alcohol and sugar content.
When is it called a liqueur and when a likorette?
According to the European regulation, liqueur requires at least 15 percent alcohol and 100 grams of invert sugar per litre; likorette requires at least 12 percent alcohol and 100 grams of sugar.
The regulation sets lower sugar minimums for a few types: 80 grams per litre for gentian liqueur and 70 grams for cherry liqueur whose alcohol is exclusively cherry distillate.
For likorette the Warenwetbesluit prescribes that, besides ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin and sugar, it also contains a distillate, infusion or extract of fruits, plants, seeds, herbs, fruit juice or dairy.
Can you make boerenjongens yourself?
You make Boerenjongens yourself with brandy, raisins and sugar; for Boerenmeisjes you replace the raisins with apricots.
Brandy is the classic base because it is almost colorless and brings little sugar of its own: at most 20 grams per liter.
How much sugar and how much fruit you use is up to you. We have brandy on the shelf and are happy to help think about the proportions. We do not sell spirits to people under 18.
Where are the boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes in the shop?
Boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes are in Bathmen with the other spirits, right next to the brandies and the Dutch liqueurs.
The ready-made jars come from Dutch houses. The label states the legal name, the alcohol percentage and the ingredients.
Next to it are the Dutch fruit liqueurs, with berries, cherries, orange and apricot. Feel free to ask at the counter what has come in.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which Dutch fruit liqueurs are there in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 48 Dutch fruit liqueurs from 16 different brands. Prices range from € 7.99 to € 49.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 12% to 38%.
- Achterhoekse Limoncello Mals Maatje 29% · 50 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Apricot Brandy 24% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Banana 17% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Blue Curaçao 21% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Cherry Brandy 24% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Crème de Cassis 17% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Maraschino 24% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Melon 17% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Parfait Amour 24% · 70 cl · Netherlands
- Bols Peach 17% · 70 cl · Netherlands
Related questions
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Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- What is the difference between boerenjongens and boerenmeisjes?
- The fruit. Boerenjongens are raisins in brandy, boerenmeisjes apricots in brandy.
- How much alcohol does brandy have?
- At least 35 percent, according to article 7k of the Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen.
- How much sugar must liqueur contain?
- At least 100 grams of invert sugar per litre, with 80 grams for gentian liqueur and 70 grams for cherry liqueur as exceptions.
- Is likorette the same as liqueur?
- No. Likorette starts at 12 percent alcohol and liqueur at 15 percent; both have at least 100 grams of sugar per litre.
The reasoning
Sources
- Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, artikelen 7k en 7m, Overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, versie 1 juli 2017, Overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Verordening (EU) 2019/787, bijlage I categorie 33 likeur, EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Brandewijn, Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek, Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal (accessed 2026-09-07)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 22 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.