Schrobbelèr is a Dutch herbal

liqueur A liqueur ( , ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of Liquor, spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-age ...

, made by Jonkers Distillers B.V. (

Tilburg Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...

). In the

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and

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it is sold under the brand name Jans because English-speaking people have great difficulty with the pronunciation of the consonant sequence "schr".

History

Entrepreneur Jan Wassing (1930-1981) from Tilburg suffered from a weak stomach. Therefore, he used to make his own mixed drink for celebrating

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

. This brown coloured mixture had a relatively low alcohol content. Since 1973, Wassing also served this mixture to friends in his home bar. In 1978, Jan took a more professional approach to his favourite drink. Local distiller and liquor retailer Isidorus Jonkers (1931-2016) was asked to make an accurate ingredient analysis of the mixture and to draw up a matching herbal recipe. The drink was then taken into production in the small

distillery Distillation, also classical distillation, is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances; the separation process is realized by way of the selective boiling of the mixt ...

, located in the garage behind the Jonkers liquor store. Since 2004, the product is made in a modern distillery on an industrial park in Tilburg. As from 2010 this distillery is owned by Pieter-Jan Wassing, the son of Jan Wassing.

Brand name and label

Jan Wassings home bar was called "Bij den schrobbelaar" (At the wool carding shop). Therefore, Wassing decided to sell his product under the brand name "Schrobbelèr" (Wool carder). The label of the brand shows a traditional wool carding worker. Until the mid 1960s, the wool cloth and blanket industry was very important in Tilburg. Pieter-Jan Wassing is responsible for putting a story into circulation that Schrobbelèr is based on a recipe with 43 different kinds of herbs. This claim is strikingly similar to that of Licor 43, a Spanish liqueur that is also said to contain 43 kinds of herbs.

Packaging

Schrobbelèr is sold in stone bottles. In the 17th and 18th century, (human) urine was used as a scouring solvent for sheared wool. Legend says that people from Tilburg collected their urine in stone jugs and bottles and sold it to local wool cloth manufacturers. During Carnival celebrations, right before the

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

season, Tilburg is mockingly referred to as "kruikenstad" (jug town) while the inhabitants call themselves "kruikenzeikers" (jug pissers). Consumption of Schrobbelèr in Tilburg reaches its highest peak during Carnival.''How to drink Schrobbelèr in jug town?'' (2017)
/ref> The stone Schrobbelèr bottle reminds Tilburg inhabitants of their peculiar nickname and demonstrates their hometown pride.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website Schrobbelèr

Official website Jans premium herbal liqueur
Dutch brands Dutch liqueurs Dutch distilled drinks