Bijenwasser

Bijenwasser, from the Dutch and German portmanteau for bees water, is a honey liqueur produced in Brunant. This is one of the most typical beverages from the country, and is beginning to get recognition abroad.

History
The first bijenwasser is said to originate to the 1540s-1560s in St. Francis Abbey, Roodstad. The monks kept bees and had the idea of making a liqueur from the honey. St. Francis honey liqueur was famous regionally for centuries and soon other around were making their own illicit varieties, though lacking the full flavor.

By the 18th century production of bijenwasser spread to Cape Cross and south but largely remained small in its production, still highly artisanal. In this period distillers could make a myriad of varieties by using different herbs, fruits and honies to create distinct flavors.

Bijenwasser was slow to be commercialized, with larger operations only appearing in the 1930s. The Grand Dame company, founded in 1951, was the first large-scale producer of the liqueur, and since then bijwerwasser production expanded significantly. Nowadays there are a handful of companies producing bijenwasser, though Grand Dame still maintains a 60% market share of control.

Composition
Bijenwasser is traditionally made from an infusion of aromatic herbs, honey and a variety of other ingredients, which can include citrus, ginger and even vanilla. This is infused with neutral alcohol to create the distinctive amber color of the drink.