September 16, 2017 Hull, England
Graham Carlisle, landlord of The Ship Inn, in Anne Watson Street, East Hull, England went before the Hull Magistrates Court on September 15, 2017 to admit guilt for serving fake Jägermeister. The charges were filed on January 6, 2017. The Ship Inn had a vending machine that dispensed the fake Jager which was less potent than authentic Jägermeister.

Mr. Carlisle was fined £100 on the 1st charge of offering for sale an inferior spirit drink that was mislabeled as Jager which was dispensed from a vending machine. A second £100 fine was issued for selling fake Jägermeister which according to the Court was “deficient in terms of alcohol content by 14.4 per cent” Graaham Carlisle paid the fines to the court along with £400 costs and a £30 surcharge.
The Court did not go into the specific analysis of what the fake alcohol contained other than the lack of potency. This is an unusual fake alcohol case, as most are over potent because of the deadly versions of alcohol used to produce the beverages.
Authentic Jägermeister is 35% alcohol by volume and is made from 56 botanical herbs and spices. The original formulation of Jägermeister was introduced in 1935. Curt Mast is credited with the recipe of this hard to replicate alcoholic beverage. Wilhiem Mast, father of Curt, had a thriving vinegar company before it was taken in a different direction by Curt with the introduction of this now world renowned herbal liqueur. It has a taste and potency that makes it hard to imagine anyone trying to counterfeit. However, the surge in fake liquor continues throughout the brands.
In Mr. Carlisle’s case, he did not have to replicate the distinctive bottle, and label of Jägermeister as The Ship Inn was dispensing it from a vending machine, which is unusual to say the least. This is another case where consumers need to pay attention to details when consuming alcoholic beverages. The distinctive taste and high potency of the authentic Jager should have been enough for anyone who tasted it to realize something was not right. Vigilance is needed every time an alcoholic beverage is consumed.
The mission of SafeProof.org is to raise awareness for Fake or Counterfeit alcohol and to keep liquor safe Search liquor enforcement using our map to keep you and your drinks safe. Report any illicit alcohol activity to us using our secure form or by calling 833-377-5040 To get the latest Alcohol Alerts and violation updates in your area Sign-up for SafeProof.org emails and follow us on Twitter @SafeProof