Jagermeister Prices & Buyers’ Guide

Most people know Jägermeister as the frat fuel for bad decisions in college, but it’s so much more than that. Jägermeister is a German digestif that is actually quite similar to other eastern European liqueurs and many Italian Amari. Technically, it is referred to as a type of Kräuterlikör and is slightly thick and sweet, with a rich dark color. This herbal liqueur comes in an iconic green bottle with a stag and a cross as the logo. The logo is a reference to the German patron saints of hunters.

Jagermeister Price List 2022

Below is the list of Jagermeister prices along with ABV and bottle sizes:

Alternatives to Jägermeister at Comparable Prices

Many European cultures share a tradition of bittersweet herbal digestive liqueurs, whether it’s Amari, Kräuterlikör, or schnapps. As with many of these liqueurs, there is no true alternative to Jägermeister. The unique and complex blend of herbs, fruit, and spices makes it difficult to replace. However, if you enjoy Jägermeister, then here are a few similar products you should try.

If you like Jagermeister, the entire category of Amaro is right up your alley. I would recommend checking out Amaro Montenegro, Averna, and Ramazotti as starting points and going from there. They are all similar in price range to Jager, and while no two Amari are completely interchangeable, they often overlap in some key flavors. There is almost always a solid cocktail or two that you can make with any given amaro.

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• Fernet Branca

The bartender’s handshake, Fernet Branca, is bold, bitter, and beautiful. Fernet Branca features a blend of herbs and other botanicals such as chamomile, peppermint, aloe vera, and Chinese rhubarb. It is bottled at 39% ABV. The Argentinians drink it mixed with Coca Cola, but it’s great in cocktails as well.

• Averna

Hailing from Sicily, Averna is a dark, bittersweet Amari that isn’t quite as aggressive as Fernet. It is bottled at 29% ABV and sweetened with caramel. It is flavored with herbs, spices, and citrus fruits.

• Becherovka

This Czech liqueur is bottled at 38% ABV and many describe it as peppery, with a strong taste of ginger, cinnamon, citrus peel, and cloves. Originally intended as medicine, the bitter liqueur is now found behind the bar.

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• Underberg

Underberg is another dark herbal liqueur from Germany. It is most often found in small bottles that appear to be wrapped in a paper bag. Bottled at 44% ABV, it hits a little harder than its cousin, Jäger.

Reviewed: Jägermeister Product Line

The original Jägermeister is now also sold in airplane sized bottles and in a 375ml “cool pack” bottle designed to keep it well chilled for longer periods of time. In addition to the original, Jägermeister now offers two additional flavored products.

• Jägermeister Cold Brew Coffee

Starting at $16.99, the classic Jägermeister recipe gets a caffeinated kick with this offering. Jägermeister Cold Brew Coffee uses Arabica coffee and cacao to add another layer of flavor to its classic product. Drop a shot of this in Red Bull if you don’t feel like sleeping tonight.

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• Jägermeister Manifest

A new Jägermeister recipe, dubbed “Manifest,” is now on the market for a price of $54.98-$59.99 for a 1L bottle. Bottled at 38% ABV, it boasts a more noticeable oak flavor, as well as notes of cocoa, vanilla, baking spices, mint, and fruit. Manifest starts with the classic recipe but then undergoes a second maceration and a second aging period in oak barrels.

Cocktails with Jägermeister

There’s nothing wrong with a jäger-bomb, but if you’re looking for other ways to enjoy it, try these.

Jägeroni

• 30 ml Jägermeister
• 30 ml London Dry Gin
• 30ml Sweet Vermouth
• Stir, strain over fresh ice, and garnish with an orange or lemon twist.

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The bittersweet jager works well as a substitute for Campari in the classic negroni. Make sure you use a gin with a powerful flavor profile, as more delicate gins will be overwhelmed.

Jägermeister Manhattan

The Black Manhattan and Toronto are two wonderfully dark takes on the classic Manhattan, using Averna and Fernet, respectively. You can do the same thing with Jägermeister.

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• 60 ml Rye Whiskey
• 22.5 ml Jägermeister
• 2 dashes fee brothers black walnut bitters (or bitters of your choosing)

Stir and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry or a lemon twist. Don’t be afraid to adjust the amount of Jägermeister if you like yours more or less bitter.

The History and Production of Jägermeister

Jägermeister was created in Wolfenbuttel, Germany in 1934 by Curt Mast. Jägermeister became popular at the same time that notorious Nazi Hermann Goring was the third Reich’s official hunt master, and so Jägermeister was often referred to as Goring-Schnaps. Rumors claim that Curt Mast named the product “Jägermeister” in Goring’s honor. During the war and into the post-war years, Jägermeister became a favorite of older, working-class, conservative Germans. It was often enjoyed as an after-dinner drink, served neat or over ice.

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In the 1980s, liquor importer Sidney Frank imported Jägermeister and marketed it towards young people and college students, portraying the drink as an exciting European party drink. The strategy worked, and the mysterious liqueur with a hard to pronounce name became an icon of American college culture, to the degree that false rumors claiming the alcohol contained deer blood and other illegal ingredients that enhanced its intoxicating effects became widespread.

Currently, liqueurs with a bitter flavor profile are growing in popularity among US consumers. I’d attribute that to the rise of interest in craft cocktails and the availability of information accessible online and in books for home cocktail enthusiasts.

Jägermeister is still made following the original recipe. It starts by steeping a blend of fifty-six roots, herbs, fruits, and spices in a mixture of water and alcohol. Some of the confirmed ingredients in the blend are saffron, ginger, ginseng, citrus peels, juniper, anise, licorice, and poppy. The mixture is then strained and barrelled in oak for a year. It is then strained again, and caramel, sugar, and more water and alcohol are added. Jägermeister is still produced in Wolfenbuttel and has become the area’s leading business and tourist attraction.

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