What is Becherovka and how to drink it

Karlovy Vary is famous, first of all, for its 12 healing springs, but there is also a 13th. They are jokingly called the Becherovka liqueur, which is the real pride of the Czech Republic. There was even a funny case when the Czechs discovered another healing spring, the same one, the 13th. But everyone is used to considering golden liquid from green bottles as such, therefore, in order not to spoil the image, the Czechs renamed the 8th spring into 8a, and the newly minted one was called 8b. Even the next deposit of healing water was named not 13 or even 14, but 15 sources. Czechs love Becherovka.

Good afternoon, readers and passers-by who, by chance, found themselves on the Rum Diary. Today, as you probably already guessed, we will talk about the wonderful drink Becherovka. I seriously intend to tell you about the history of its appearance, touch on the composition a little, and also tell you how to use healing spring No. 13 correctly. Let’s start with history.

Becherovka: a worthy story of a worthy drink

Josef Becher was a rather enterprising man. In addition to pharmaceutical activities, he maintained the Three Larks Hotel, which brought him a tangible income. One day, Count Plettenberg-Mittingen, an English judge, stayed at his hotel. He came to Carlsbad to heal his health, and therefore he took with him a doctor named Frobig. The doctor and pharmacist became friends thanks to their passion for healing tinctures. When leaving, Frobig left Becher a piece of paper on which a recipe for some kind of tincture was written in careless handwriting. The pharmacist found the recipe commercially viable.

Experimenting with the new tincture, Becher developed a formula for bitter bitter, which he began selling in 1807 as a remedy for nervous disorders and stomach ailments. At first, the novelty was called English Bitter, as a tribute to the English comrade. Later, modern Becherovka was named Original Karlsbader Becherbitter (Original Becher beater from Carlsbad). After Josef’s death in 1841, the family business passed to his son, Johann Becher. Johann disposed of the inheritance wisely, instructing his brother-in-law Karl Laub to develop the form of bottles for his father’s tincture. Since then, the shape of the Becherovka bottle has remained unchanged.

Son of Johann Gustav, founded the trademark Becherovka in 1890. Gustav’s brother Rudolf, thanks to his commercial talent, spread the family drink throughout Europe. Since 1915, the production of Becherovka was carried out under the direction of the next Becher – Alfred. He introduced the tincture to America. Further production of the drink was a big question because of World War II. After the defeat of the Nazis, the name of Johann Becher disappeared from the bottle of Becherovka – he was replaced with Jan. In the 50s, the plant was going to be closed altogether, but Vaclav Lupinek prevented this – we owe him the presence of Becherovka in almost any supermarket.

The composition of Becherovka and its production

Of course, the composition of the liquor is strictly classified (according to tradition, only 2 people know the entire production stage). It is known that it includes about 20 herbs, which are placed in a canvas bag and immersed in containers with alcohol (experts suggest that Becher contains: coriander, cloves, chamomile, wormwood, honey and lemon). Alcohol is obtained on the basis of water from the springs of Karlovy Vary, therefore, non-Czech-made Becherovka has not received much popularity. Herbs in alcohol are infused for about a week, after which the resulting product is poured into oak barrels and water with sugar is added. Barrels have a unique shape that allows alcohol to interact with the oak walls as fully as possible. Becherovka is infused for about 2-3 months, after which it is bottled.

Becherovka varieties

For two centuries, the Becher family did not limit themselves to the production of only a classic tincture, the recipe of which has not changed since 1807. To date, you can purchase the following varieties of Becherovka:

• Becherovka Original – a classic bitter with a strength of 38%, the recipe has not been changed since 1807.
• Becherovka KV 14 (Aperitif KV 14) – Becherovka with less sugar and red wine. It appeared on the market in 1966. Fortress – 40%. The abbreviation KV stands for Karlovy Vary.
• Becherovka Cordial – herbal liqueur with the addition of lime blossom and white wine. It has a strength of 35% and has been produced since 2008.
• Becherovka Lemond – also produced since 2008. The composition of the liqueur includes citrus fruits. The strength of the drink is the lowest in the family – 20%.

Only the original Becherovka and Lemond are exported, the rest can only be purchased at the factory.

How to drink Becherovka

First I want to say that Becherovka is a digestif, that is, a drink that should be consumed after a meal. Aperitifs improve appetite, and digestifs speed up digestion. Therefore, Becherovka should be drunk after meals. The exception is Becherovka KV 14 – this liqueur belongs to aperitifs. As a rule, Becherovka is consumed in its pure form, chilled to 5-7 degrees, in small glasses. Drink should be in small sips, savoring, enjoying the unique taste of tincture. It is not supposed to have a snack, but if you really want to, then an orange slice sprinkled with cinnamon will do – very harmoniously. The taste of the drink is sweetish, with bitter notes and a long spicy aftertaste. You can also drink warm Becherovka, but it becomes much tougher.

In Slovakia, Becherovka is washed down with light beer. It turns out a unique combination of taste, but frequent use of liquor in this way leads to rapid intoxication. It is worth remembering that Becherovka was created as a healing drink, so it is very often added to tea or coffee in 1-2 tablespoons. This combination has a beneficial effect on health: improves digestion, tones and strengthens the immune system.

Cocktails with Becherovka

Not everyone likes the sharp taste and aroma of Becherovka, so the liquor began to be used as an ingredient for cocktails. The most popular today is cocktail “Concrete”, Becherovka with tonic. The proportions can be anything, but most often 1 part tonic is added to 1 part of the tincture. The cocktail is prepared with ice and garnished with a slice of lime or lemon. Also, the unique taste of Becherovka is revealed in combination with various juices, especially with apple and currant. No less popular is Cocktail «Red Moon»: fill a glass with ice, add 40 ml of Becherovka, 10 ml of currant juice and add soda to the brim. An orange slice is perfect as a decoration.

There are several more proven recipes in which Becherovka is mixed with other alcoholic beverages, I will tell about them later. I do not recommend mixing – there are so many impurities in the liquor, which are nothing more than a serious blow to the liver. Actually, I also do not recommend abusing the drink in its pure form: the hangover will be severe, and the liver from the constant use of Becherovka can lose ground. In general, think about what and how you drink. Cheers! Be healthy!