A harsh clear spirit distilled from juniper berries, drunk as a digestif and long taken as a folk remedy for stomach ache. It is made in the Karst and Notranjska from wild juniper.
Distilling is illegal without a licence, and the berries are gathered from wild juniper stands over a short autumn window.
What goes into it
- wild juniper berries
- sometimes a fruit or grain spirit as a base
- water
How it is made
Ripe juniper berries are crushed and fermented in water on their own sugars — which are few, so the yield is very low and the ferment slow — then distilled twice. Some producers instead redistil berries with a fruit spirit. The true fermented version takes several kilograms of berries for a bottle, which is why it is expensive and why it tastes as fierce as it does.
How long it takes: weeks to ferment, then distilling and months of rest
How it is eaten
In a small glass after a heavy meal, at room temperature.
History
Made in the Karst and Notranjska from wild juniper, long taken as a folk remedy for stomach ache.
Frequently asked questions
What is Brinjevec?
Brinjevec is a wine & spirit from Slovenia: harsh clear spirit distilled from juniper berries, drunk as a digestif. Made in the Karst and Notranjska from wild juniper, long taken as a folk remedy for stomach ache.
How is Brinjevec made?
Ripe juniper berries are crushed and fermented in water on their own sugars — which are few, so the yield is very low and the ferment slow — then distilled twice. Some producers instead redistil berries with a fruit spirit. The true fermented version takes several kilograms of berries for a bottle, which is why it is expensive and why it tastes as fierce as it does. It takes weeks to ferment, then distilling and months of rest.
Can I make Brinjevec at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Distilling is illegal without a licence, and the berries are gathered from wild juniper stands over a short autumn window.
What goes into Brinjevec?
Wild juniper berries, sometimes a fruit or grain spirit as a base, water.
How is Brinjevec eaten?
In a small glass after a heavy meal, at room temperature.
