Jagermeister......whoo hooo!

[Omniscient]

OK, so I'm watching VH1's Rockumentary on Metallica. Their talking about booze, and Hetfield is explaining the effects of a particular libation which they take a liking to. He says they discover Jagermeister, and he says that it contains a paticular type of opiate that makes you want to kick ass, and it was significantly responsible for much nudity, and showering with 8 women at a time. Now the kicking ass part I've experienced drinking the classic Jager most of us have come to know and love, but the opiate ingredient is not apparent. This interview was a while back before Jager became common to most bar goers. So the question is, does Jager contain any opiates? If so, are the federal regulators worried, and what makes it legal? Second, if it doesn't here in the US (which I assume) is it likely that the European version may contain them? I'm familiar with absinth, and it contains opiates, or some hallucinagenic, so this claim could be possible. Finally, where could I get my hands on some opiate laced Jager? I'm eager to get to that showering part, and I'm convinced the lack of Jager is the obstacle.

[Satan]

As far as I know, Jagger is analagous to productes we get from the same sources that give us cocaine. Meaning, close, but not quite, and maybe taking some of the effects but not nearly to the degree of the main item in question.

Call me crazy, but I love the stuff with a cheap beer chaser!

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Yer pal,
Satan

[ubermensch]

as far as i know, it has nothing out of the ordinary. no deer blood. nothing strange.

but maaaannnn is it ever good. a 6 dollar bottle Jager does me well.

the band Lit also partakes, according to their liner notes (which i read). their publishing company (or at least one of the member's) is called Jagermaestro (sp?).

[Ukulele Ike]

Omni, does this mean we're going to be helping the barkeep mop up licorice-scented vomit on Sunday night?

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Uke

[Gaudere]

I've heard that European jagermeister has some stuff in it we can't get in the states; IIRC the addition was codine. So all you have to do it make a quick trip to Europe...

[Mojo]

I've heard this before as well. Several friends have told me that the European version of Jagermeister is different from the Ameerican, having several ingredients (one of which is an opiate) that are not legal in the U.S.

There's also a Hungarian drink called Unicum that's similar to Jagermeister except that it has a stronger licorice taste as well as other strong flavors (having over 40 different herbs). The bottle looks like the holy hand grenade of Antioch. From my experience with it, something in there has to be an opiate or a hallucinogen.

[Ukulele Ike]

Well, I could have this all wrong, but here's a WAG: since the main flavoring agent of both is anise, are people confusing Jagermeister with the infamous absinthe?

(I'm worried about the above being a ghastly mistake because I'm not familiar with the stuff, reaching for the gin or bourbon when I want a stiff drink. The Bright Young Things in the office, whom I asked, were mixed on whether the predominant taste was licorice or sassafras.)

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Uke

[Shirley Ujest]

Ahhh, Jagermeister. The drink that seperates the men from the boys and Shirley from the rest of them.... Good stuff. I happen to have on hand, ice cold, three bottles in my freezer. All from Germany.

Now, being the militant pursuer of truth, justice and knowledge, I would gladly volunteer to do a comparative analysis of German-made to American-made Jagermeister. However, this would probably cause my unborn daughter to grown up to be a barfly with skanky hair and bad teeth, so understandably, you all will just have to wait.

For the record, I haven't been drunk in three years,and what I wouldn't give for something stronger than water.

I've asked the "Is there opium in it" question to the German relations and have only received the answer of, " It use to be used as medicine. So, there you have it. Jagermeister, the Coca Cola of Germany.

[UncleBeer]

I can tell you right now that UncleBeer ain't gonna be drinkin' no Jagermeister in Chicago. I rarely have a shot of anything.

In my opinion, shots are for sprinters, and cocktails and beer are for distance runners. I'm a marathon guy.

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Dopeler effect:
The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

[Shirley Ujest]

Unca Beer, I have never been a big proponent of beer. Can't stand the taste. More of a liquor ( not drinks with little umbrella's in it either) gal myself. However, I have discovered total amazement to the reaction of my distate for beer.

When beer drinking friends of mine ask,
" HOW can you not like beer?" I respond, " Beer is the drink of peasants."

[andros]

Shirley, if you're going to bash my religion like that, at least take it to Great Debates.

"drink of peasants" forsooth. Hmpht. Fume.

-andros-

[SSgtBaloo]

When I was first stationed in Germany, someone introduced me to Jagermeister. I liked it, but always thought it tasted a lot like Vicks Formula 44.

--Baloo

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It's more important to understand than it is to agree.
http://members.tripod.com/~Bob_Baloo/index.htm

[AzRaek]

Yes, but it's one of the coolest-sounding liquors around, besides Rumplemintz and Goldschlager.
German is SUCH a hot language!

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I'll be there
Where I'll teach what I've been taught
And I've been taught...

[The_Peyote_Coyote]

Shirley, to paraphrase the Frugal Gourmet, peasants always know how to drink well.

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Armed, dangerous....
and off my medication.

[tatertot]

I've heard that European jagermeister has some stuff in it we can't get in the states; IIRC the addition was codine. So all you have to do it make a quick trip to Europe...

I've heard the same thing, but I've never bothered to check it out. Since I am currently in Germany, I guess I could make a quick trip to the liquor store tomorrow and make a list of the ingredients. Personally, I can't stand the stuff, the smell makes me gag.

[TheIncredibleHolg]

I went to a store here in Germany yesterday, and the bottle says zilch about the ingredients. (Maybe 'zilch' is the secret formula...?) It is simply termed a "Kräuterlikör" (literally, 'herbal liquor' -- does that make sense in English?). Their Webseite ( www.jaegermeister.de (http://www.jaegermeister.de) -- German only) states that it is made from 56 different herbs, root, and flowers, and that the formula is secret. So, if there's anything in it, they don't tell.

From a legal point of view, I can't imagine that any type of opiates would be allowed in such a drink even in Europe. Or perhaps there's a harmless substance that's just chemically classified as an opiate.

BTW, Jägermeister is nowhere near as popular in its land of origin as it seems to be over in the U.S. Or maybe I'm just helplessly out of touch with what's hip, having turned 30 and all...

[elelle]

I don't know the ingredients of Jagermeister, but the active component of Absinthe is the herb wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium. It's used as a worming agent in people and animals. The active principal is thujone, which in large doses is a convulsant poison and narcotic. Addictive, and long term use often resulted in " absinthe epilepsy". Thujone and THC, the active principal in marijuana have similarities, and speculation is that they react with the same receptor sites in the brain.

As a high ,not recommended, as side effects can be delerium, loss of intellect, paralysis and death. Because of this, absinthe was generally banned in 1915. I know of one death in recent years; a man used the essential oil of wormwood to get his yayas, and ended up in convulsions (essential oils are extremely concentrated).

Legend has it that Van Gogh was whacked out on absinthe during the famous cutting-off-his-ear episode. Could be a contemporary (of that time) urban legend though.