🥃 Byrrh
French aperitif made from red wine and mistelle, flavoured with cinchona bark; created in 1866 by the Violet brothers in Thuir (Roussillon); 17–18% ABV; owned by Pernod Ricard.
Byrrh is a French aperitif based on red wine flavoured with cinchona bark, that is, a quinquina. The Violet brothers, Simon and Pallade, created it in the town of Thuir in Roussillon in 1866. The brand now belongs to Pernod Ricard, and its strength is 17–18% ABV depending on the version and market.
History. The brothers were travelling traders and opened a shop in Thuir with a few barrels of wine. Simon devised a recipe from Roussillon wines, plant extracts and cinchona bark. At first the drink was sold as a 'hygienic tonic wine with quinine', including in pharmacies. According to legend, the name Byrrh was picked at random from codes on bolts of cloth, and it began to be used in the 1870s. In 1961 the family sold the business to Dubonnet-Cinzano, now part of Pernod Ricard.
How it is made. According to the importer Haus Alpenz, the base is a port-style wine and mistelle, that is, grape juice fortified with spirit, and the bitterness comes from natural quinine. The drink is still linked to Thuir.
The cellars. In the 1930s the Byrrh cellars were considered the largest in the world: 75 oak vats holding 15 million litres in total. The largest oak vat was built in 1946–1949 and put into use in February 1950; it holds 1,000,200 litres.
Why it matters to you. Byrrh is not a spirit and not a bitter in the legal sense, but an aromatised wine. In the EU, a bitter aromatised wine whose main flavour comes from quinine may be called 'quinquina'. Its strength is close to vermouth, but it is still alcohol. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1866, Thuir (Roussillon), brothers Simon and Pallade Violet |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) No 251/2014, Annex II: bitter aromatised wine, 'quinquina' |
| EU category | not a spirit drink under Reg. 2019/787; aromatised wine (Reg. 251/2014) |
| Raw material | red wine, mistelle, cinchona bark (quinine), plant extracts |
| Cask type | large oak vats in Thuir; the largest holds 1,000,200 l |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 17–18% ABV depending on the version |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Byrrh → kind of → 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🍷 Red wine, 🍷 Mistelle
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Part of
- 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits, 🍷 Aromatised wine, 🍷 Bitter aromatised wine
- Related to
- 📍 Roussillon, 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Vermouth, 🥃 Aperol, 🥃 Campari
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Byrrh is a bitter?
Not in the legal sense. It is an aromatised wine flavoured with cinchona bark, that is, a quinquina; under EU rules it belongs to aromatised wine products, not to spirit drinks.
What does the name Byrrh mean?
According to legend, the Violet brothers picked it at random from codes on bolts of cloth; the name sounds like the English 'beer', which hindered sales abroad.
Who created Byrrh?
The brothers Simon and Pallade Violet, in 1866, in Thuir in Roussillon.
Who owns Byrrh?
Pernod Ricard. The Violet family sold the business in 1961 to Dubonnet-Cinzano, which later joined the group.
What is the strength of Byrrh?
17–18% ABV depending on the version and market; Grand Quinquina for the US has 18%.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 French — The French are the main population of France, known for the festive meal and baguette on UNESCO's list, for wine and for cheese.
- 🥃 Campari — Italian bitter aperitif of deep red colour, invented by Gaspare Campari in 1860 according to the producer and made today by Campari Group.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Averna · 🥃 Cynar · 🥃 Ratzeputz · 🥃 Gammel Dansk · 🥃 Malört · 🥃 Aperol
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Haus Alpenz: Byrrh — producer (Simon and Pallade Violet, Thuir 1866; Roussillon wines, plant extracts, cinchona bark; name Byrrh 1876; cellars with largest oak vat)
- International Oak Society: A very voluminous vat (Byrrh, Thuir: 1,000,200 l vat built 1946-1949, commissioned 1950; 1930s cave; family sold in 1961 to Dubonnet-Cinzano, now Pernod Ricard)
- Regulation (EU) No 251/2014 on aromatised wine products, Annex II, A(4): bitter aromatised wine; «quinquina» (main flavouring natural quinine)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)