Jagermeister substitute

Best substitute

Averna or another dark amaro

Use the same amount as the jagermeister you are replacing

Best for shots

Different taste

The best single-bottle substitute is Averna or another dark amaro at 1:1, which matches the bittersweet, syrupy, cola-and-herb character even though it has less anise. For a sharper, more bitter match use 3 parts Fernet-Branca to 1 part simple syrup, used 1:1. Becherovka also works 1:1 if you want the spice notes. For an alcohol-free glaze, use cola reduced with molasses and a quarter teaspoon of ground star anise per quarter cup.

Other jagermeister substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Fernet-Branca with simple syrup
Different taste
3 parts Fernet-Branca to 1 part simple syrup, then use 1:1
Fernet is the most aggressively bitter and menthol-forward of the herbal liqueurs.
What changes
Cut with syrup, it lands close to Jagermeister's sweet-bitter balance.
Best for
shots, bitter cocktails, digestivo pours, coffee
Undiluted Fernet is far bitterer and much more minty than Jagermeister, which is why the syrup matters. Even cut, it is more medicinal and less sweetly spiced. If you like Jagermeister for its sweetness, you will find this version harsh; if you like it for the herbs, this is the better match.
3Becherovka
Different taste
Use the same amount
A Czech herbal bitter liqueur with the same sweet-herbal-bitter frame, driven by cinnamon, clove and gentian.
What changes
Best for
shots, long drinks with tonic, mulled drinks, spiced glazes, baking
Much paler in the glass, gold rather than near-black, and the spice reads as gingerbread rather than licorice. In a spiced glaze or a winter punch it is arguably better than Jagermeister. In a drink where the dark color matters, it will look wrong.
4Sambuca or ouzo plus Angostura bitters
Different taste
1 oz anise liqueur plus 2 dashes bitters replaces 1 oz Jagermeister
Nails the licorice and anise side of Jagermeister that amari miss, with the bitters supplying the bitterness the anise liqueurs lack.
What changes
Best for
cocktails, shots, after-dinner drinks
It is clear, not dark, and much simpler: you get licorice and sugar without the layered root and citrus depth. Sambuca is sweeter than Jagermeister so cut any other syrup in the drink, and add a squeeze of lemon if it tastes cloying.
5Green or yellow Chartreuse
Different taste
Use the same amount
An intensely herbal French liqueur made by monks from a large botanical blend, which puts it in the same herbal-liqueur family.
What changes
Best for
cocktails, after-dinner drinks, sipping
Very different in practice: honeyed, high-proof, green-herbal and much more assertive, with none of the licorice or the dark color. Green Chartreuse in particular will dominate anything it goes into. Use yellow Chartreuse, which is gentler and sweeter, and start with half the amount.
6Cola reduced with molasses and star anise (non-alcoholic)
Different taste
Use the same amount
Simmer cola until reduced by about half, stir in a teaspoon of molasses per quarter cup and a quarter teaspoon of ground star anise or a whole pod steeped in it.
What changes
Best for
ham glazes, rib glazes, barbecue sauce, alcohol-free cooking, braising liquids
For a glaze this genuinely works, because what Jagermeister brings to a glaze is sugar, spice and dark color rather than alcohol. As a drink it is not a substitute; it is a spiced cola. Add a dash of non-alcoholic bitters or a strip of grapefruit peel to bring back some of the bitterness.

What is Jagermeister?

Jagermeister is a dark German herbal liqueur, sometimes written Jaegermeister and usually shortened to Jager, made from a large blend of botanicals and tasting bittersweet and syrupy, with strong anise, licorice, citrus peel and warm baking spice.

Cooking tips

Work out which half of Jagermeister your recipe needs. In a glaze it is contributing sugar, dark color and warm spice, so anything sweet, dark and spiced will do. In a shot or a cocktail it is contributing bitterness and anise, and there the amari and Fernet are the right family.
Bitterness concentrates as a sauce reduces while sweetness caramelizes, so a glaze that tasted balanced in the pan can turn harsh on the plate. Add the liqueur in the last few minutes rather than at the start, and taste at the end.
Jagermeister is around 35 per cent alcohol, which is too low to light reliably. If a recipe asks you to flame it, use a 40 per cent spirit for the flame and stir the liqueur in afterwards.
It is served straight from the freezer for a reason: cold suppresses both sweetness and bitterness, which is what makes it drinkable in a shot. If you are judging a substitute for shots, chill it to the same temperature before deciding.
In a punch, the sugar in Jagermeister is doing structural work as well as flavor work. If you swap in something drier such as Fernet or Chartreuse, add a tablespoon of simple syrup per cup of punch or the drink will taste hollow.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just leave Jagermeister out?

In a glaze or a marinade, yes, as long as you replace the sugar and spice it was carrying; a mix of brown sugar, a pinch of ground star anise and a splash of stock or cola covers it. In a shot or a two-ingredient cocktail there is nothing left without it, so substitute a dark amaro instead. In a punch you can reduce it rather than remove it, since it is often the most assertive thing in the bowl.

What is the difference between Jagermeister and amaro?

Amaro is the whole Italian category of bittersweet herbal liqueurs, and Jagermeister is a German member of the same broad family, so they overlap heavily. Jagermeister is sweeter and more anise and licorice driven, with a menthol coolness. Averna is more caramel and cola, Ramazzotti more root and orange peel, Fernet-Branca far more bitter and minty. Ramazzotti is the closest of the three.

Is Fernet-Branca a good substitute for Jagermeister?

Only if you sweeten it. Fernet is dramatically more bitter and more menthol-heavy, and drinking it neat expecting Jagermeister is a shock. Mixing three parts Fernet with one part simple syrup brings the balance close, and in a cocktail with citrus or cola it becomes a very reasonable swap.

Can I use Jagermeister in cooking at all?

Yes, mostly in glazes and braises where its sugar and spice suit pork, ham, ribs and red cabbage. Keep the quantity modest, around two tablespoons for a family-sized glaze, and add it late so the bitterness does not concentrate. It also works stirred into a chocolate sauce, where the anise and the cocoa flatter each other.

What is the best alcohol-free substitute?

For cooking, cola reduced with a little molasses and ground star anise. For drinking, a strong brew of licorice root or anise tea sweetened with honey and finished with a dash of alcohol-free bitters and a squeeze of lemon gets remarkably close to the flavor, though it will never have the syrupy weight that alcohol and sugar together give the original.

Related substitutes

More liquor substitutes

Jagermeister substitute

Other jagermeister substitutes

2Fernet-Branca with simple syrup

3Becherovka

4Sambuca or ouzo plus Angostura bitters

5Green or yellow Chartreuse

6Cola reduced with molasses and star anise (non-alcoholic)