At Sonnema they proudly and passionately make Sonnema Berenburg according to the same secret recipe that Fedde Sonnema used in 1860.
The original Berenburg recipe has been used since 1860 and will continue to be used!
The history of Beerenburg
The name 'Beerenburg' comes from the Amsterdam spice merchant Hendrik Beerenburg. This merchant sold ready-made spice packets with which to make a herbal drink. These spice packets were specially designed to be mixed with gin or brandy.
Frisian sailors, who came in their barges to the bulb region in the western part of the country, brought Beerenburg liquor from Amsterdam to Friesland. And so, in the Frisian town of Dokkum, Hendrik Beerenburg's spice mixtures found their way into the hands of Fedde Sonnema. The ingenious Fedde decided to prepare a herbal liqueur at his inn.
The tenacious Fedde Sonnema wanted to add a personal touch to Hendrik Beerenburg's spice mixture. He searched for herbs along the shores of the Frisian lakes, in the meadows and on the roads, and adjusted the herbal mixture to give the drink its exclusive and unique character. Eventually, he managed to arrive at a final composition.
He put the herbs in a glass jar, which he filled with pure gin. He placed the pot in the dining room of his inn. There, he let the gin sit for 24 hours. The next day, a delicious reddish-brown liquor had been created.
And so Sonnema Berenburg liqueur was born. Because Fedde had adapted the Beerenburg blend and composed his own unique blend of herbs, he also added his own touch to the name. Hence the Sonnema Berenburg, written with a single e. It is very typical of the tenacious inhabitants of Dokkum.
Sonnema grew into a thriving business, and the next step was the merger with a Beerenburg liqueur producer in Bolsward, to which he also moved the company. However, the Sonnema Berenburg recipe has remained a closely guarded secret. Sonnema has remained tenaciously true to its origins.
Sonnema has been perpetuated generation after generation. Gentian root, sandalwood, centaury, ash leaf, orange peel and other herbs are used in this unique recipe.
This is how it started in 1860 and is still done with passion! Everything is made by hand, with care and according to an old (secret) family recipe.
The liquor
Robust and distinctive - that's the taste of Sonnema! Sonnema Beerenburg is as idiosyncratic as Dokkumer Fedde Sonnema, who made his own beerenburg at his inn in 1860. He also gives his own touch to the name. Sonnema's Berenburg is spelt with an 'e'. Slightly different!
The spicy byte makes Sonnema Berenburg perfect for mixing or as a base for a delicious cocktail!
