🥃 Byrrh
Byrrh is a 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, and a name well known to anyone exploring vermouth-style drinks. 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
- Images and sayings
- 🥃 Aperitif
- 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 Byrrh the same as the Grand Quinquina sold in the US?
The Grand Quinquina made for the US is 18% ABV, which American labels print as 36 proof. The French Byrrh is 17–18% ABV depending on the version and market, so compare the label of the bottle you actually buy.
Why did the name Byrrh cause trouble abroad?
It sounds like the English word "beer", which hindered sales abroad. By legend the Violet brothers picked the name at random from codes on bolts of cloth.
Can Byrrh stand in for sweet vermouth when mixing a drink?
Only loosely. Vermouth gets its taste from wormwood, Byrrh from cinchona bark, so the flavour differs even though the strength is similar. Think of it as another bitter aromatised wine, not a copy.
Who owns Byrrh today?
Pernod Ricard. The Violet family sold the business in 1961 to Dubonnet-Cinzano, which later became part of the group.
How big are the old Byrrh vats in Thuir?
In the 1930s the cellars were considered the largest in the world, with 75 oak vats. The biggest vat, built in 1946–1949, holds 1,000,200 litres.
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 — Campari is an Italian bitter aperitif of vivid red, invented in Milan in 1860 according to the producer and now made by Campari Group. In the EU it counts as a bitter-tasting spirit drink of at least 15% vol.; it is the classic Negroni ingredient.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Cynar · 🥃 Averna · 🥃 Ratzeputz · 🥃 Aperol · 🥃 Gammel Dansk · 🥃 Campari
⚠️ 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)