What Is Underberg? A Complete Guide to the German Herbal Digestif

Underberg is a German herbal digestif bitter, produced since 1846, made from botanicals sourced in 43 countries and bottled at 44% ABV in a single-serving 20 ml bottle wrapped in straw paper. It is traditionally drunk in one go after a large meal.

That is the short answer. Everything below is what people actually ask us next, roughly in the order they ask it. We ship Underberg across the United States from our warehouse in Austin, Texas, so most of these questions arrive in our inbox several times a week.

Underberg at a glance

• Category: Herbal digestif bitter, or Kraeuterbitter in German
• Alcohol content: 44% ABV, which is 88 proof
• Bottle size: 20 ml, unchanged since 1949
• Botanicals: Sourced from 43 countries
• Made in: Rheinberg, Germany
• Founded: 1846, by Hubert Underberg
• Sugar: Approximately 0.1 g per bottle
• Calories: Roughly 50 to 53 per bottle, depending on the source
• Recommended serving temperature: 15 to 18 C, or 59 to 65 F

What is Underberg, exactly?

Underberg is a bitter herbal liqueur designed to be drunk after eating rather than before. That is the whole idea behind a digestif: a small, intensely bitter, high-proof pour taken at the end of a meal instead of a sweet dessert drink.

It has been made by the same family in Rheinberg, on the lower Rhine, since Hubert Underberg founded the company in 1846. Five generations later it is still family-controlled, and the recipe has never been published.

The company's guiding phrase is Semper Idem, Latin for "always the same." In practice that means the production method, the botanical sourcing and the bottle have been deliberately held constant for well over a century. There is more on that on our Underberg history page.

What is in Underberg? The 43 countries question

Underberg is made from herbs and botanicals sourced from 43 countries. This is worth stating carefully, because it is the single most commonly garbled fact about the product.

It is 43 countries, not 43 herbs. People search for "underberg 43 herbs" constantly, and the number refers to how many countries the botanicals come from, not how many botanicals are in the bottle. The actual number of botanicals has never been disclosed.

The full recipe is a genuine trade secret. Underberg has never published it and we have no privileged access to it either. Botanicals commonly associated with the style, and frequently cited in connection with Underberg, include gentian root, anise and fennel, all of which are standard in European herbal bitters. Treat any list online claiming to be the complete formula with suspicion.

What the company does describe publicly is the process: the botanicals are macerated in alcohol, and the resulting spirit is matured in Slovenian oak casks before bottling.

How strong is Underberg?

Underberg is 44% ABV, or 88 proof. That is stronger than most whisky sold at 40%, and considerably stronger than Jägermeister at 35%.

Because the bottle is only 20 ml, a single serving contains roughly 8.8 ml of pure alcohol, a little over half a standard US drink. The strength is in the concentration, not the volume.

What does Underberg taste like?

Underberg tastes intensely bitter and herbal, with notes of root, spice and citrus peel, and a long dry finish. It is not sweet. At roughly 0.1 g of sugar per bottle it is one of the driest things in the digestif category.

First-timers are usually surprised by how uncompromising it is. There is no sugar softening the edges the way there is in Jägermeister or a sweet amaro. The bitterness arrives immediately, peaks fast, then clears, which is exactly what it is designed to do.

If you like Fernet-Branca, you will probably get on with Underberg. If your reference point is a sweet after-dinner liqueur, it will be a shock the first time.

How do you drink Underberg?

Drink Underberg in one go, straight from the bottle or from a small glass, after a meal. It is not sipped and it is not traditionally mixed.

Underberg recommends serving it at 15 to 18 °C, or 59 to 65 °F. That is cellar temperature rather than fridge temperature. The company notes it can be enjoyed anywhere in a 7 to 20 °C range, but 15 to 18 °C is where the herbal character opens up properly. Serving it ice cold mutes the aromatics.

The ritual has three steps: twist the straw paper wrapper, tear off the top, and drink it in a single motion. The paper is not packaging to be discarded before pouring. It is how you hold the bottle.

Why the 20 ml bottle and the paper wrapper?

The 20 ml portion bottle has been the only size since 1949, when Emil Underberg standardised it. Before that the product was sold in various sizes.

The logic is portion control. One bottle is one serving, which removes the question of how much to pour and guarantees the same amount every time. It also travels well, which is why it turns up in coat pockets and glove boxes across Germany.

The straw paper wrapper protects the contents from light. It also happens to be the most recognisable packaging in the category, and the caps have been collected by enthusiasts for decades.

Does Underberg actually help digestion?

Underberg is traditionally taken as a digestif, and the bitter compounds it contains are the subject of genuine scientific interest, but there is no clinical evidence specific to Underberg and it should not be treated as a medicine.

Here is the honest version, because the internet is full of confident claims in both directions.

The plausible mechanism is bitterness. Bitter compounds are detected by taste receptors, and there is a real research literature on how bitter stimuli affect saliva production and gastric secretion. That is why bitter digestifs exist across almost every European drinking culture, and why the tradition has persisted for centuries.

What does not exist, as far as we can find, is a clinical trial of Underberg specifically. Anyone telling you it is scientifically proven to aid digestion is going beyond the evidence. Anyone telling you the whole category is nonsense is ignoring a plausible and studied mechanism.

Two things are worth saying plainly. Underberg is 44% alcohol, and alcohol is not itself a digestive aid in any quantity. And it is not a treatment for any medical condition. If you have persistent digestive problems, that is a conversation for a doctor, not a bottle.

Underberg versus Jägermeister

The short version: Underberg is stronger, drier and bitterer; Jägermeister is sweeter and usually served cold as a shot.

• Alcohol: Underberg 44% ABV, Jägermeister 35% ABV
• Sugar: Underberg is essentially sugar free at around 0.1 g per bottle; Jägermeister is noticeably sweet
• Format: Underberg comes only in 20 ml single servings; Jägermeister is sold in standard bottles
• Occasion: Underberg is an after-dinner digestif; Jägermeister is more often a bar shot

They are both German herbal liqueurs, which is where the comparison starts and mostly ends. They are built for different moments.

Is Underberg a liquor or a food product?

In the United States, Underberg is classified as a food product rather than a distilled spirit for regulatory purposes, which is why it can ship to all fifty states like groceries rather than moving through the three-tier alcohol distribution system.

This has a practical consequence that surprises a lot of retailers: many shops that cannot stock spirits can stock Underberg. If you are a bar, restaurant or store looking into this, our wholesale page covers how trade accounts work.

Where to buy Underberg in the US

We stock every format in our Austin warehouse and ship nationwide. The 3-pack is the sensible way to try it. The 12-pack is the most common repeat order. Full cases and larger packs are there if you already know you like it.

For bars, restaurants and retailers, trade pricing runs through our wholesale program, and account approval usually takes about one business day.

Frequently asked questions

What is Underberg used for?

Underberg is used as a digestif, meaning it is drunk after a meal. In Germany it is strongly associated with heavy food and large gatherings.

How much alcohol is in Underberg?

Underberg is 44% ABV, or 88 proof. Each 20 ml bottle contains roughly 8.8 ml of pure alcohol.

How many calories are in Underberg?

Roughly 50 to 53 calories per 20 ml bottle. Underberg's own materials cite 53 kcal; some third-party nutrition databases list 50.

Does Underberg contain sugar?

Barely. Approximately 0.1 g per bottle, which makes it one of the driest products in the digestif category.

Is Underberg gluten free?

Underberg does not market the product as gluten free and we do not make that claim on their behalf. If you need a definitive answer for a dietary restriction, contact the manufacturer directly.

How big is an Underberg bottle?

20 ml, which is 0.67 fluid ounces. It has been the only size offered since 1949.

Is Underberg the same as Jägermeister?

No. Both are German herbal liqueurs, but Underberg is 44% ABV and essentially sugar free, while Jägermeister is 35% ABV and distinctly sweet.

Should Underberg be refrigerated?

No. Underberg recommends 15 to 18 °C, which is cellar temperature rather than fridge temperature. Serving it too cold suppresses the herbal aromas.

How long does Underberg keep?

Because each bottle is sealed and single-serving, there is no opened-bottle oxidation problem. Stored away from direct light at room temperature, it keeps for years.

Who owns Underberg?

Underberg is still controlled by the Underberg family in Rheinberg, Germany, five generations after Hubert Underberg founded it in 1846.

Bittersberg is an Underberg specialist based in Austin, Texas. We stock every format and ship across the United States. Please drink responsibly. Underberg is 44% ABV and is intended for adults of legal drinking age.