Let’s talk about what Frisians drink. And no, I don’t just mean the beer we already covered in another post. There’s a whole world of Frisian beverages that most people have never heard of, and some of them are absolutely wild.

First up: Beerenburg. This is the drink that every Frisian grandparent has a bottle of somewhere in their house. It’s a herbal liqueur that tastes like Christmas and medicinal cough syrup had a baby, and somehow it’s delicious.

Beerenburg has been around since the 1700s. The recipe includes juniper berries (that’s where the “beer” part comes from, sort of), plus a secret mix of herbs and spices that varies by distillery. Every producer guards their exact recipe like it’s nuclear codes.

Frisians traditionally drink it ice cold, often after a big meal. The alcohol content sits around 30%, which means it packs a punch. Some families swear it aids digestion. Others just like the warm fuzzy feeling.

The funny thing about Beerenburg is that it’s become a point of regional pride. You can buy it all over the Netherlands now, but real Frisians will tell you that only the Frisian-made versions count. There are ongoing debates about which distillery makes the best one.

Then there’s another traditional drink called Berenburg Beerebijt, which is basically Beerenburg mixed with honey. It’s sweeter and easier to drink if you find regular Beerenburg too intense. Some people warm it up during winter.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Frisians also have a long tradition of making their own home-brewed spirits. Not always legally, mind you. During harder times, lots of Frisian farmers operated secret stills in their barns.

The Frisian word for this home-brewed jenever (gin) is “boerenjongens,” which literally means “farmer boys.” Though that word can also refer to a specific type of brandied raisins, depending on who you ask. Frisian vocabulary gets confusing like that.

Moving away from alcohol, there’s also a traditional Frisian way of drinking coffee that deserves attention. Frisians love their coffee black and strong, but some of the older generation still practices “koffie verkeerd” (coffee wrong), which is basically half coffee, half hot milk.

But the really old-school Frisian thing to do with coffee involves a lump of sugar. You place a large sugar cube in your mouth and sip the hot coffee through it. This was common practice before sugar became cheap and plentiful. It made expensive sugar last longer.

There’s also a traditional warm milk drink called “slemp” or “brye” in Frisian. It’s basically buttermilk that’s been slightly heated and sweetened. Farmers used to drink it for breakfast because it was filling and used up leftover dairy products.

These days you won’t find many people drinking slemp, but it shows up in old Frisian cookbooks and folk memory. Some elderly Frisians still remember their grandparents making it.

Another interesting beverage tradition involves “anijsmelk” (anise milk). This is warm milk flavored with anise seeds and sugar. Parents used to give it to children before bed, supposedly to help them sleep. Whether it actually worked or just became a comforting ritual is up for debate.

Frisians also make a type of hot chocolate that’s thicker and richer than what most people are used to. The traditional recipe involves real dark chocolate melted into hot milk, not just cocoa powder. It’s more like drinking a melted chocolate bar.

What’s cool about all these drinks is how they reflect Frisian practicality. Most of them originated from using what was available locally. Dairy province? Lots of milk-based drinks. Herbal knowledge? Stick those herbs in alcohol. Cold winters? Make everything warm and sweet.

The language around these drinks is interesting too. Many of the Frisian words for beverages are completely different from Dutch. “Drinke” means to drink in Frisian (versus Dutch “drinken”). “Tee” is tea. “Molke” is milk.

Today, you’ll find craft distilleries in Friesland experimenting with modern versions of these traditional drinks. Some are making flavored Beerenburg with unusual herbs. Others are reviving nearly-forgotten recipes from old Frisian cookbooks.

If you ever visit Friesland, trying Beerenburg is basically mandatory. Just make sure it’s properly cold. And maybe don’t drive afterward. That stuff sneaks up on you.

The drink traditions might seem small compared to Frisian language or history, but they’re part of what makes Frisian culture distinct. Every sip tells a story about survival, creativity, and making do with what the land provides.