If you ever go to Austria for skiing in the Alps, there is hardly a way around this tipsy tea mix. Jagertee, or Jagatee, is a hot beverage made from black tea and so-called “Inländer-Rum”. Christmassy condiments like cinnamon and cloves add a special flavor to the delicious winter drink. Similar to mulled wine, Jagertee is consumed hot with an alcohol content of 12-15 percent. The perfect drink to warm you up – from outside and inside – without completely knocking you off your feet. But don’t be reckless and consume with caution! As a popular drink on the ski slopes, it has already been responsible for some serious accidents. Therefore, its effect shouldn’t be underestimated.

You have already made it down the hill and are ready for a stronger Après-Ski treat? Well, good news is that some versions come with additional shots of red wine and Obstler, a typical fruit brandy, for some extra fun.

Austrians are very fond of their “national” drink. Already at Austria’s accession to the EU, the country reserved the exclusive production rights to the traditional beverage. The original Jagertee therefore comes with strict regulations and always contains its share of Inländer-Rum such as Stroh 80, for instance. The annual consumption proves how popular Jagertee and its equivalents actually are in the German-speaking region of the Alps. Every year, more than 1 million litres of the reddish liquid are produced commercially and loads more are sold at the countless mountain top huts to skiers.

Did Hunters Come Up With Today’s Popular Jagertee?

Jagertee literally translates to hunters’ tee. At this, “Jager” derives from the Austro-Bavarian pronunciation of the German word “Jäger”. And already the hunters in the regions of Tirol and Vorarlberg knew how delicious the tipsy tea was. After all, they were the ones to come up with it. During their work in the cold forests, drinking tea was a common way to warm oneself up. If you really give it a thought, it is just standing to reason to add a shot of alcohol, right? To be fair, it makes the frozen outdoors more bearable and only boosts the comforting effect of the black tea itself.

More To Discover

Today, the name Jagertee with all its different notations enjoys geographic protection by the EU. Thus, only Austrian companies can produce and sell the traditional drink under that name. As a consequence, foreign producers are selling similar mixtures under different names such as Hüttentee or Förstertee. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the hot alcoholic drink is rather known as Grog.

So, commercial production of the original might be limited to Austria but gladly nobody can keep you from making the boozy tea at home. Jagatee is a great alternative to German Glühwein or Feuerzangenbowle and is way easier and quicker to make. Check out our super simple recipe below and enjoy the tipsy tea with your family and friends!