Becherovka
Becherovka is a Czech herbal bitters liqueur produced in Karlovy Vary from a closely guarded blend of herbs and spices.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Becherovka is a Czech herbal bitters liqueur associated with Karlovy Vary, the historic spa city formerly known as Carlsbad or Karlsbad. The brand is produced by Jan Becher and is owned by Pernod Ricard. Its traditional expression contains 38% alcohol by volume and is commonly served chilled as a digestif, although it is also used as a mixer and cocktail ingredient. Its flavor is generally described as herbal and bitter-sweet, with noticeable ginger and cinnamon notes. The brand traces its origins to Josef Vitus Becher, a Karlovy Vary spice and colonial-goods merchant who also experimented with alcoholic drinks. In 1794, Becher rented a still-house and began developing spirits. In 1805, after discussions with Christian Frobrig, an English physician accompanying a visiting aristocratic patient, Becher developed and began selling a liqueur initially marketed as an “English Bitter.” It was promoted in connection with stomach and digestive complaints, reflecting the close relationship between spirits and spa culture at the time. Josef Becher’s son, Johann Nepomuk Becher, took over the still-house in 1838, built a new factory, and is widely regarded as the founder of the commercial company behind the brand. The product became known as Becher Carlsbad Bitter Liqueur and gradually developed a broader reputation beyond its medicinal positioning. By the First World War, it was being sold across several European and Middle Eastern markets, including Bohemia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Egypt. Following the end of Prohibition in the United States, the product returned to the American market and later entered England. After the Second World War, the product adopted the name Becherovka. This transition occurred amid the postwar dispossession and expulsion of the German-speaking population of Karlovy Vary and the reorganization of the company and region under the Czechoslovak state. Becherovka subsequently became one of Czechoslovakia’s prominent export products and developed into a recognizable symbol of Czech beverage heritage. The production process remains highly secretive. The company states that only two people know the complete details of the recipe and that they are authorized to enter the Drogikamr room, where the herbs and spices are combined once a week. The recipe is based on more than twenty types of herbs and spices, some imported and some sourced from the Karlovy Vary area. This secrecy, together with the brand’s long association with the spa city, is central to its identity. Becherovka’s main extensions include Becherovka Lemond, introduced in 2008. Lemond retains a relationship to the original liqueur but has a citrus profile and a lower alcohol content of 20% ABV. The traditional liqueur is also commonly combined with tonic water in a drink called Beton, a name meaning “concrete” in Czech and several other languages. The cocktail was created for the Czech Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Today, Becherovka operates as an internationally distributed spirits brand while retaining Karlovy Vary production and Czech provenance as core elements of its positioning.
History
Becherovka developed from the commercial and experimental activities of Josef Vitus Becher, a merchant in Karlovy Vary, then known as Carlsbad or Karlsbad. Becher traded in spices and colonial goods at a shop called the House of the Three Woodlarks and also produced alcoholic beverages. In 1794, he rented a still-house, giving him a dedicated place to experiment with spirits and botanical ingredients. In 1805, Becher’s work intersected with the city’s international spa culture. Prince Maximilian Friedrich von Plettenberg visited Karlovy Vary for treatment with his English physician, Christian Frobrig. Frobrig discussed herbs and the formulation of a new liqueur with Becher. Becher continued testing the formula for two years before selling the resulting drink as “English Bitter.” It was initially associated with the treatment of stomach ailments, a common type of claim for bitter and herbal preparations in the period. Becher’s son Johann Nepomuk Becher took over the still-house in 1838. He constructed a new factory and became the central figure in turning the family preparation into an enduring commercial enterprise. During the nineteenth century, the product was sold under names including Becher Carlsbad Bitter Liqueur. Its association with the spa city helped establish a distinctive regional identity, while the bitter-herbal profile made it suitable both as a digestive drink and as a specialty spirit. The brand had developed an international distribution network by the First World War. It was sold in Bohemia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Egypt. After Prohibition ended in the United States, the product entered the American market, followed four years later by sales in England. These exports helped establish Becherovka as more than a local Karlovy Vary specialty. The political and demographic changes following the Second World War affected the brand’s corporate and cultural setting. After the dispossession and expulsion of the German population of Karlovy Vary by the Czechoslovak state, the product became known as Becherovka rather than Karlsbader Becherbitter. In the postwar period it became one of Czechoslovakia’s best-known export products and later remained closely connected with Czech national and regional identity. The brand’s recipe is protected as a trade secret. According to the producer, only two people know the complete production details and are permitted to enter the Drogikamr room, where the herbs and spices are mixed once a week. The formula uses more than twenty herbs and spices. Some ingredients are imported, while others grow in or around Karlovy Vary. This controlled process and the secrecy surrounding it form an important part of Becherovka’s differentiation from other herbal bitters and digestifs. In 1998–2003, a Slovak-made version was sold in Slovak shops by Zdeněk Hoffmann. Hoffmann later claimed that Alfred Becher had transferred manufacturing rights to his grandfather in 1939 to protect the recipe during the war. He could not prove the claim in court, and in 2008 a district court sentenced him to eighteen months in prison. Becherovka expanded its product portfolio in 2008 with Becherovka Lemond, a 20% ABV citrus-flavored variant whose formulation is also secret. The original expression remains a 38% ABV herbal bitters liqueur, usually served chilled. The brand is also consumed with tonic water in the Beton cocktail. The drink was created for the Czechoslovak Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal, giving Becherovka a notable connection with international cultural promotion. The brand is now produced by Jan Becher and owned by Pernod Ricard, while Karlovy Vary remains its defining production and heritage location.
- 2008
Becherovka Lemond is introduced
[1]The brand launches a 20% ABV citrus-flavored extension called Becherovka Lemond.
- 2008
Recipe-rights dispute reaches criminal judgment
[1]A court rejects Zdeněk Hoffmann’s claim to historic manufacturing rights and sentences him to eighteen months in prison.
- 1998
Slovak-made version begins appearing in shops
[1]A locally manufactured version is sold in Slovakia, continuing through 2003.
- 1967
Beton cocktail is created for Expo 67
[1]Becherovka is combined with tonic water at the Czech Pavilion in Montreal, creating the Beton cocktail.
- 1914
International distribution established
[1]By the First World War, the product is sold across Central and Southern Europe and in markets including Turkey and Egypt.
- 1838
Johann Nepomuk Becher takes over and builds a factory
[1]Josef Becher’s son assumes control of the still-house, constructs a new factory, and establishes the commercial enterprise associated with the brand.
- 1805
Initial bitter-liqueur formula is developed
[1]Following discussions with physician Christian Frobrig, Becher develops the preparation that becomes the brand’s precursor.
- 1794
Josef Becher begins spirit experiments
[1]Josef Vitus Becher rents a still-house in Karlovy Vary and begins experimenting with alcoholic beverages and botanical ingredients.
Products and positioning
A Czech heritage spirits brand positioned around Karlovy Vary provenance, a secret formula of herbs and spices, digestif usage, and distinctive bitter-herbal flavor. The brand combines traditional regional identity with export-oriented packaging, flavored extensions, and cocktail consumption.
Herbal bitters liqueur · 1805
Becherovka Original
The core Becherovka expression is a 38% ABV herbal bitters liqueur made from a secret blend of more than twenty herbs and spices. It is associated with ginger and cinnamon notes and is commonly served chilled as a digestif. It can also be consumed in mixed drinks, most notably with tonic water in the Beton cocktail.
Flavored liqueur · 2008
Becherovka Lemond
Introduced in 2008, Becherovka Lemond is a citrus-flavored extension of the traditional liqueur. At 20% ABV, it is lighter than the original expression and is generally consumed straight. Its recipe is also kept secret by the producer.
Cocktail · 1967
Beton
Beton combines Becherovka with tonic water. The cocktail was created as a refreshment for the Czechoslovak Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Its name means “concrete” in Czech and several other languages, and it provides a simple highball format for the herbal liqueur.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2008
Launch of Becherovka LemondProduct launchBackground
The brand sought to extend its traditional herbal bitters identity into a lighter, citrus-oriented liqueur format.
Action taken
Becherovka introduced Lemond at 20% ABV with a citrus taste while retaining a secret formulation.
Aftermath
Lemond became a named product extension alongside the traditional 38% ABV expression.
1967
Creation of the Beton serving formatOtherBackground
The Czechoslovak Pavilion at Expo 67 required a refreshing presentation for the national liqueur.
Action taken
Becherovka was served with tonic water, creating the Beton cocktail.
Aftermath
Beton became an enduring mixed-drink format associated with the brand.
Sources1 sources
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