Jägerthee: making jagertee with tea and herbal bitter

Jagertee is a hot drink based on black tea and strong spirits, known from winter sports in the Alps. The name comes from the Austro-Bavarian pronunciation of Jäger (hunter) and Tee (tea). In Europe, Jägertee, Jagertee or Jagatee is a registered geographical indication of Austria. The technical file that Austria submitted for it places the drink in the category liqueur. It is therefore not a herbal bitter and not a separate category in the list of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787: it is a protected name within liqueurs. According to that file, the base is ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, with black tea or tea extract and Inländerrum as fixed components, extracts of at least orange and lemon, a minimum of 100 grams of sugar per litre and an alcohol content of at least 22.5 percent. It may be made anywhere in Austria. German producers sell a comparable drink under names such as Hüttentee.

The difference lies in the drink that goes into it. The Austrian Jagertee revolves around rum, tea, citrus and sugar, ready-made in a bottle. In the Netherlands many people mean something else by jägerthee: hot tea with a splash of herbal bitter, often a brand with jäger or jager in the name, such as Jägermeister. Under the European rules a herbal bitter falls under category 30, spirit drink with a bitter taste: alcohol from agricultural products, flavoured with herbs and other flavourings, with at least 15 percent alcohol. A bitter with sugar may also be listed as a liqueur. Both drinks are served warm, but the label Jagertee may only be used on the Austrian liqueur. Anyone who mixes tea with herbal bitter at home is therefore making their own house variant and not a protected Jagertee.

First make black tea and let it steep for three to four minutes. After that it goes like this:

• Warm a heatproof glass or mug with hot water and pour it away again.
• Pour 150 ml of hot tea into the glass and, if you like, dissolve a teaspoon of sugar in it.
• Add 3 cl of herbal bitter. Do not let the tea boil any more, so that the alcohol does not evaporate and the drink stays drinkably hot.
• Finish with a slice of lemon and, if you like, a cinnamon stick or a clove.

If you want to steer it towards the Austrian taste, you can replace part of the bitter with dark rum, but keep it to a total of 3 cl of spirit per glass. One glass is more than enough.

Yes, you can make an alcohol-free version with the same base, without the spirit. Brew black tea, let it steep with a cinnamon stick, two cloves and a strip of orange peel, and sweeten to taste with a teaspoon of sugar or honey. A slice of lemon finishes it off. That gives you the spices and the citrus that also belong in the Austrian Jagertee, without alcohol. This version is handy for anyone who still has to drive, or when part of the company does not drink alcohol. Serve it in the same glass or mug, so that nobody has a different drink in their hand than the rest of the table.

In the shop on the Brink there are 11 bottles of herbal bitter with jäger or jager in the name, the drink with which you make the Dutch house variant. In the online shop you will find them by searching for jager. Besides the bottles for the tea, we can also help you think about a suitable rum for the Austrian side of the recipe, and about glasses or mugs for hot drinks. Not sure which bottle suits your recipe or how much you need for an evening with guests? Feel free to call 0570 541 278 or drop by at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.