Jägermeister, the herbal German liqueur, has a complicated history. (And I'll admit to having a complicated history with it.) It was originally promoted in the U.S. as a "challenge shot" in the 1980s, when drinkers were encouraged to show off their "Jäger Face," a contorted visage brought on by the combination of 56 herbs, fruits, roots and spices that create an extremely bold flavor.
As the new century rolled around, Jägermeister was reinvigorated by the discovery by millions of party people that it combined well with the newly exploding energy drink, Red Bull, to create a sort of a legal speedball that combined a stimulant and a depressive at the same time. Y'know, in a good way. Jäger Bombs contributed to the incredible growth of both ingredients ,and added quite a bit of moolah to the coffers of the bars that charged $6 a pop for the stuff.
But in truth, Jägermeister is much more refined than we give it credit for. It is actually part of the family of spirits most commonly known as amari in Italy, and kräuterlikör in Germany. These bitter herbal liqueurs are excellent as apéritifs or post-meal digestifs. The bitter flavors really set your salivary system to working, priming the pump for appreciating a great meal and also to help calm a satiated stomach after the dining is done.
As such, amari and kräuterlikörs are crucial ingredients in many modernist cocktails that are intended to be served with food. While wine and beer pairings with meals have been common for years, matching food with cocktails is a newer and trickier proposition. To that end, the folks at Jägermeister have established a new program to educate consumers on the use of their product in cocktails, while also offering some marketing experience to a handful of recent college graduates.
Their new "Concept 56" program is named after those 56 flavorants and has been launched in Nashville and Detroit, pairing new college grads with local mentors to guide them through different aspects of marketing and professional growth. The students then plan and orchestrate a series of events and marketing initiatives for Jägermeister, which are intended to tie the brand in with local artists, musicians, restaurants and culture.
In addition to being a great resume builder with the opportunity to come to work full time at the conclusion of the program, the graduates also are paid for six months of their internship. Locally, the Concept 56 team has come up with an event which will take place this Friday, July 29, at the William Collier’s Room at Marathon Music Works from 7 to 10 p.m.
At this free 21+ event, attendees will be able to sample Jägermeister cocktails made by three talented local bartenders, Ryan Yamada from Sinema, Will Schultz of Urban Grub, and Caleb Kimbley from Acme Feed & Seed. The public will vote for their favorite with the winner to be featured at another upcoming Jägermeister event later this fall.
Other fun details include music from DJ Treekeeper and art from two local illustrators, Juliana Horner and Aaron Martin, who will be taking 100 Polaroids of attendees and then illustrating over the photos to create a new type of art. If this sounds like your kind of a good time, get yourself down to William Collier's on Friday night!
